Chen Man is one of China’s most celebrated fashion photographers. Born in Beijing, Chen Man honed her craft whilst studying at the city’s Central Academy of Fine Arts, where she learned the progressive, digital post-production techniques she is renowned for. Bold and experimental, Chen Man captures colour and sensuality like no-one else in the industry. Her work has revolutionised the way China and the rest of the world thinks about beauty. Her photographs, although steeped in modernity, are also strongly influenced by Chinese heritage and tradition, with Chen Man confessing to i-D she prefers “authenticity” to “flawlessness”. Working with the likes of Chinese Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar, Chen Man has also shot for the avant-garde magazine Vision. For i-D’s The Whatever The Weather Issue, Pre-Spring 2012 Chen Man took The Year of the Dragon by storm shooting twelve stunning covers celebrating the diversity of beauty in China today. She photographed three covers for The Just Kids Issue, Pre-Fall 2012 and her most recent wink contribution is a cover featuring Chinese actress and icon Fan Bingbing, for The Role Model Issue, Fall 2012. Check out her i-D Guide to Beijing here, from markets to clubs via the subway!
