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Picture perfect for a picturesque lake with a very winning style
By Pan Zhang |
June 23, 2009, Tuesday
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FU Yongjun's dedication has paid off. He has just won second prize in the nature section of the 52nd World Press Photo competition. Pan Zhang goes close up.
West Lake in the center of Hangzhou City is always a favorite location for photographers. Every day there are hundreds of people with cameras taking pictures of every angle and every corner of the lake. Most of them are just amateurs, but occasionally the wonderful setting attracts others. Like the man who has just won second prize in the nature section of the 52nd World Press Photo competition. His name is Fu Yongjun and he is the director of the photography department of City Express in Hangzhou.
"One Tree Beside the West Lake," a group of nine pictures, is the work which helped him to win the prize this February. Actually, "one tree" refers to the 10th peach tree west from the Broken Bridge of the West Lake. It has no number, no name. But over the past three years, Fu has taken more than 1,000 pictures of it. Germinating, blooming, losing leaves.
"There are many trees of this kind around the lake, and every tree has its own story," Fu says. Every day, Fu wanders around the lake and stops by the same tree. He takes pictures of it with the same camera from the same distance. From his point of view, the scene, the color and the light in this group of photographs are all quite ordinary, but different people give it different meanings.
These photographs are just a reflection of ordinary life, which can be seen anywhere. As a professional photographer, Fu doesn't think that photographer should just concentrate on big names or big news. "In daily life, there are always many interesting and meaningful objects waiting to be discovered," Fu says.
At the first sight, Fu's work seems very simple and ordinary, the sort of pictures that anyone could produce. But this is not that easy and it has not been easy for this man to achieve the heights he has.
Born in November 1969 in Longyou County of Zhejiang Province, Fu has had a life of varied experiences. He was not a good student and failed to get into college. After graduation he studied driving at the Zhejiang Vehicle School and became a driver at the Longyou Vehicle Station, mainly driving trucks.
Efforts rewarded
"It was a very tough period because I mainly drove long distance," Fu says. "But this tough experience really helped me in photography because it taught me how to endure hardship."
But his excellent work record and efforts were later rewarded and he was appointed security guard for the station. After catching several thieves, he was assigned to work at the Longyou Cultural Bureau as a driver in 1998. And that was when he developed an interest in photography.
"When I was a driver with the cultural bureau, I began to take photographs of my daily life. And I found it filled with unusual moments and meaning. Then I tried to take a series of photographs and became successful and recognized."
Because of his success, in 2000, he joined City Express as a photographer. When his hobby became his job, his daily photography became more professional and systematical.
"Everyday before and after work, I take photographs in the city for my own interest. This peach tree is a typical example. Actually I take photographs anytime I feel some tiny feeling of interest. I try to catch every mood. As the days pass, there must be some good photographs there."
After he received the WPP prize, there was some criticism of his work on the Internet - some people thought it too simple and some even tried to imitate his ideas. Fu seems unconcerned about the criticisms and the imitations.
"I've already seen those imitations on the Internet," he says with a smile. "That tree is now very famous, and I feel very happy - that means at least that tree has attracted people to my work. Every photographer hopes for a bigger audience."
As well as photographs of daily life, Fu has also taken many pictures of major news events like "The 20 Unforgettable Moments of the May 12 Earthquake," but his daily work focuses on ordinary scenes.
"Of course every photographer wants to record some great news. It's the same for me. However, not everyone has a chance. I have to make my plans according to reality. For me, daily scenes are still the most important."
West Lake in the center of Hangzhou City is always a favorite location for photographers. Every day there are hundreds of people with cameras taking pictures of every angle and every corner of the lake. Most of them are just amateurs, but occasionally the wonderful setting attracts others. Like the man who has just won second prize in the nature section of the 52nd World Press Photo competition. His name is Fu Yongjun and he is the director of the photography department of City Express in Hangzhou.
"One Tree Beside the West Lake," a group of nine pictures, is the work which helped him to win the prize this February. Actually, "one tree" refers to the 10th peach tree west from the Broken Bridge of the West Lake. It has no number, no name. But over the past three years, Fu has taken more than 1,000 pictures of it. Germinating, blooming, losing leaves.
"There are many trees of this kind around the lake, and every tree has its own story," Fu says. Every day, Fu wanders around the lake and stops by the same tree. He takes pictures of it with the same camera from the same distance. From his point of view, the scene, the color and the light in this group of photographs are all quite ordinary, but different people give it different meanings.
These photographs are just a reflection of ordinary life, which can be seen anywhere. As a professional photographer, Fu doesn't think that photographer should just concentrate on big names or big news. "In daily life, there are always many interesting and meaningful objects waiting to be discovered," Fu says.
At the first sight, Fu's work seems very simple and ordinary, the sort of pictures that anyone could produce. But this is not that easy and it has not been easy for this man to achieve the heights he has.
Born in November 1969 in Longyou County of Zhejiang Province, Fu has had a life of varied experiences. He was not a good student and failed to get into college. After graduation he studied driving at the Zhejiang Vehicle School and became a driver at the Longyou Vehicle Station, mainly driving trucks.
Efforts rewarded
"It was a very tough period because I mainly drove long distance," Fu says. "But this tough experience really helped me in photography because it taught me how to endure hardship."
But his excellent work record and efforts were later rewarded and he was appointed security guard for the station. After catching several thieves, he was assigned to work at the Longyou Cultural Bureau as a driver in 1998. And that was when he developed an interest in photography.
"When I was a driver with the cultural bureau, I began to take photographs of my daily life. And I found it filled with unusual moments and meaning. Then I tried to take a series of photographs and became successful and recognized."
Because of his success, in 2000, he joined City Express as a photographer. When his hobby became his job, his daily photography became more professional and systematical.
"Everyday before and after work, I take photographs in the city for my own interest. This peach tree is a typical example. Actually I take photographs anytime I feel some tiny feeling of interest. I try to catch every mood. As the days pass, there must be some good photographs there."
After he received the WPP prize, there was some criticism of his work on the Internet - some people thought it too simple and some even tried to imitate his ideas. Fu seems unconcerned about the criticisms and the imitations.
"I've already seen those imitations on the Internet," he says with a smile. "That tree is now very famous, and I feel very happy - that means at least that tree has attracted people to my work. Every photographer hopes for a bigger audience."
As well as photographs of daily life, Fu has also taken many pictures of major news events like "The 20 Unforgettable Moments of the May 12 Earthquake," but his daily work focuses on ordinary scenes.
"Of course every photographer wants to record some great news. It's the same for me. However, not everyone has a chance. I have to make my plans according to reality. For me, daily scenes are still the most important."
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