Photographers are snapping up opportunities

Wei Kunming, a young entrepreneur from Beichuan Qiang autonomous county in Sichuan province, found a way to blend his professional skills with his passion for his hometown — as a travel photography designer.

Wei decided to return to his hometown in 2023 from a big city where he had been working on microfilms and promotional videos.

He established a travel photography studio, teaming up with other like-minded youth born in the 1990s and 2000s to start their own business.

It turned out to be one of the best decisions he has made, Wei says.

The rich Qiang ethnic culture and beautiful natural scenery in Beichuan inspired Wei to bring his expertise home. He wanted to showcase its unique charm reflected in the exquisite Qiang embroidery and ancient architecture to the rest of the country and beyond.

Starting from scratch, Wei and his team began by taking photos for tourists on the street and telling them stories about Qiang culture, such as its blockhouses and silver jewelry.

Beichuan has experienced a tourism boom this year, with visitor numbers during the summer surging by 10 percent year-on-year. This growth has fueled Wei's business, with more travelers requesting carefully planned routes, professional clothing and styling advice, and capturing special moments, carving out unforgettable memories from each journey, he notes.

"Unlike traditional commercial photographers, this is a composite role that combines being a companion, a tour guide, and an itinerary planner," Wei explains.

A qualified travel photography designer needs to ensure tourists enjoy their trip and also get beautiful photos, while providing emotional value, he says.

In a significant step for the special photography sector, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced in May that the career title of travel photography designer would be added to its list of more than 15 new professions and 40 new types of work.

This move is expected to provide travel photography designers with a professional identity, attract more young workers, and promote more orderly and standardized development within the sector, experts say.

Xie Chaowu, professor at the College of Tourism at Huaqiao University, notes that the travel photography market continues to demonstrate significant growth potential, as evidenced by the increasing number of operators, expanding workforce, and diversifying business models.

The official recognition of travel photography designer as a new type of occupation reflects the national and societal endorsement of this professional path, Xie says.

Qiu Shi, a travel photographer in southwestern Chongqing, has noticed the industry's rapid growth since he entered the field in early 2024.

"Chongqing is an internet-famous city with a huge flow of tourists, creating massive demand for travel photography," Qiu says.

Low entry barriers, flexible work, and a decent income are among the major factors that led him onto this career path.

Xu Junjie, a post-90s part-time travel photography assistant from Chongqing, says he's excited about the recognition of travel photography designers as an official line of work.

By day, Xu is a courier. By night, he communicates with clients, handles props, assists with outfits and touch-ups, and manages shooting logistics.

"Although I often work late, I'm learning new skills, which is very fulfilling," Xu says.

Xu adds that he will continue to improve his understanding of the city's culture to plan routes that meet tourists' needs, while providing styling and outfit advice to better showcase clients' charms.

More creative approaches should be found to develop a distinctive style in terms of shooting angles and visual presentation, he says.

Luo Zibai, director of the Chongqing Tourism Development Research Center at Chongqing Normal University, notes that the sustained boom in the cultural and tourism markets has fueled demand for personalized experiences like travel photography, naturally creating many new jobs.

Luo suggests that the training system should keep pace, for example, by developing related programs in vocational schools. These could cover modules on travel photography, destination marketing, and cross-cultural communications.

In the future, graduates could have a photography certificate, a tour guide license, and a special certification as a travel photography designer, making them interdisciplinary talents who better meet market demands, Luo adds.

Huaqiao University's Xie emphasizes that establishing standardized professional competencies for the role will help regulate service quality.

At the same time, he advises tourists to seek out certified practitioners to ensure a satisfactory experience.

This dual approach of promoting official qualification standards and raising consumer awareness will further stimulate the healthy development of the industry, Xie says.

yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn