Before turning to photography, Chris Yan built a career inside the world’s top ad agencies. His commercial work for BMW, Rolls-Royce, M&M’s, and Dove earned more than 60 creative awards, but most know him as one of China’s leading street photographers.
Known for clear, composed images that capture daily life with elegance, Yan’s projects include less captured themes such as The Fate of Shanghai Alleys, Waiting for Business, and The Declining Opera.
I spoke with Yan the moments behind some of his favorite images, and his artistic inspirations.
I wanted to ask you about this photo. To me it’s the dream street photography shot: looks gorgeous but has depth and intrigue too. Where was this and how did it happen?
Haha, actually, many people have been fooled. The man in the photo isn’t a real person, but a sculpture. This photo was taken in a cafe in Beijing, which, unusually, looks like a bathroom. When I went in, a girl was taking a selfie. I found an interesting angle to get both of them in the frame, and the man seems to be saying, “Take the picture, I‘m ready!” They seem to have an interesting story behind them.
One thing that happens all the time as a photographer is that you’ll get photos that aren’t as good as the moment. Can you give an example of one of these photos that you love more for the story behind them?
Yes, I often encounter situations like this. For example, This photo was taken at a tanghulu shop in a Beijing hutong. The mother says to her two children, ”Each of you choose one.“ Faced with a dazzling array of tanghulu, which one to choose? This seems like a huge problem! The two children discuss it seriously, as if solving a world-class puzzle. Listening to their discussion, debate, hesitation, and comparison is truly fascinating. I can’t capture the process through a photograph; I can only freeze a moment. Through the children‘s eyes, I can convey the difficulty of this choice: which one is best?
It’s interesting, and inspiring, to see that one of my favourite photographers also misses shots or doesn’t get it on their first try. Does that happen often?
Yes, sometimes missing shots while taking photos on the street is quite common. Sometimes we need a bit of luck. This photo was taken at the Yonghe Temple in Beijing. When I saw this elderly woman burning incense and praying, I really wanted to photograph her. I missed her the first two times she bowed, and I knew she had one last chance before she finished praying. Luckily, I succeeded on the third time. Actually, there were many people around her, everyone was praying, and the scene was a bit chaotic. But I wanted to express the inner peace of this elderly woman as she prayed to heaven, so I chose this composition.
Who are some of your favourite photographers, and favourite shots?
I have many favorite photographers whose work has deeply inspired me and taught me a great deal. Robert Frank’s The Americans and Josef Koudelka‘s Gypsies are among my favorite black-and-white photographs. I also admire the work of Alex Webb, Harry Gruyaert, and Constantine Manos. Their use of color, composition, and storytelling always fascinates me.
Do you take much inspiration from other mediums, books, movies, that kind of thing? What’s been inspiring you lately?
Of course. Besides photography, I enjoy art and architecture. I love all forms of painting. In recent years, I’ve become fascinated with Ukiyo-e, a type of woodblock print from Japan with a long history. I also enjoy reading history books; recently I‘ve been studying Greek history. Last month I visited Athens, Greece, and it left a deep impression on me. I hope to learn more about its history and culture.
I’ve read that you’re also a successful advertising designer, I can imagine there’s some overlap between that and photography, especially for things like composition and editing. How do you see them influencing each other in your work?
Yes, I think my background in advertising and visual design has made me more attentive to the overall composition of photography. Composition, lighting, color, and other factors all contribute to the final image. I also value the narrative quality of my photos; I believe street photography is not just about personal enjoyment, but also a form of expression and communication.
Of course, my experience as an advertising designer has also influenced my photographic style. I appreciate compositions with a sense of design and form, while post-processing can enrich, deepen, and enhance the visual story.
What kind of shooting schedule do you follow? Is it an every day thing, weekends, whenever you have time, or just random?
I shoot about two or three times a week, each time for about half a day. Because Beijing is so large, there are many places to shoot, so I usually only shoot within a very small area each time. Sometimes I plan a route in advance, and sometimes I don’t plan at all, just wandering around based on my feelings and interests.
When I‘m shooting, I basically don’t rest, sometimes walking for three or four hours straight. Sometimes I‘m so busy that I don’t have time to shoot for a whole week. But I‘m used to carrying my camera with me every day, so that wherever I go, I can take out my camera and shoot whenever I encounter something that interests me.
Thanks so much for letting me pick your brain a bit, your work is so inspiring I could do it for hours. Is there anything you want to promote for us to support your work?
Thank you so much, I’m so happy and honored. Thank you also for liking my work and for giving me such great recognition and support; I‘m incredibly grateful. I recently created a new account on Instagram focusing on black and white photography (@chrisyan_bnw), and I welcome everyone to follow me. Thank you again!
You can see more of Chris’s work on his website, on his main Instagram, or via his upcoming book, Beijing Story.