Photography as Courtship

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This pretty student is well-dressed but not as eye-grabbing as most on this site. She was one of hundreds of young cuties being pursued by a young boy with a huge camera on that afternoon. I photographed her mostly because she illustrates a key characteristic of one of my favorite streets for photographing, Nanluoguxiang. Many of my friends often comment on the number of young people to be found hauling dramatically sized Canons and Nikons down this trendy alley, which should be a pedestrian-only street. Recent sociological research has shown that taking photos with these monstrous gadgets in hutongs is a key courting ritual for youngsters.

Nels Frye is a freelance writer, photographer, consultant and stylist, based in Beijing. Focuses are on street style, other consumer trends, and broader social issues.

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