Chinese media, including the Bongmyeon Newspaper, reported on the 24th that the culture of hiring a professional photographer to record the divorce process of a couple is becoming popular in China.
Shanghai photographer Zhiwei received an order for “divorce photography” late last year.
He asked for a camera to capture the scene of a couple saying goodbye after walking and talking together, starting from the local civil affairs bureau in charge of divorce proceedings. The package, including a few videos and photos, cost 1,800 yuan.
When Zway finished filming and posted the video online, there was a series of orders from other divorced couples.
“Most of my customers are women and they are 30 to 35 years old,” he said. “Now, there are far more customers who come to me for divorce than for wedding and proposal shots.”
Another photographer, Xiao Zhao, explained that he tried to increase the price by 50% to prevent divorce shooting customers from coming, but it was useless.
One couple persuaded Xiao Zhao, saying, “Divorce is not the end, but a new beginning, and I want to make it more dignified because we need traces when looking back on the way we have come in the future.”
On Chinese social media, there was a controversy over whether a “divorce photographer” was encouraging divorce.
However, Zway said, “I found out that there are many people who break up peacefully because their families do not support them or have economic reasons in figuring out the reason for divorce before receiving the order,” adding, “It was much more difficult to take such a heartbroken look than to take happy moments of newlyweds because customers are very sad during filming.”
He said, “If customers come to reunite, we give them a half-price benefit,” and added, “We welcome the cancellation of shoes by customers who film the divorce.”
According to statistics recently released by the Chinese civil government, the number of divorced couples in China increased by 28,000 couples (1.1% increase) last year, and the number of marriage reports was the lowest in nearly 40 years.
EJ SONG
US ASIA JOURNAL
