As full time travelers who live out of carry-ons, there is no argument that the best souvenirs are photos. They cost nothing, weigh nothing, and there is literally no limit to how many you can have.
Well they should cost nothing, in most cases. Not unless you want to be queen for a day. While in China, I splurged big time on a set of photographs.
While walking around Wuhu with my cousin one afternoon, she pointed out a photo studio. Now, in China, one of the most popular things for a young woman to do is to take a set of professional glamour shots in a studio. (Though actually, this is highly popular for couples as well, and even teens and kids. So basically, this is just a popular activity all around.) I had taken a set on my last trip to China five years ago, but wasn’t really satisfied with how they turned out. As soon as I saw this studio, I knew I wanted to take another set of pictures there.
Why? Because it specialized in old Chinese costumes. Think elaborate hair pieces, luxurious silk drapey dresses… we all have fantasies of being taken back to a decadent old era!
The problem was that we had only booked two nights in Wuhu and were leaving the next day. But I already had my heart set and wasn’t about to leave town without a set of pictures. Miraculously, the studio had one available spot the next day and were willing to squeeze me in.
Later that day, I pleaded with D to book an extra night in our hotel. After some heavy begging, he reluctantly agreed. I pounced on that spot.
I chose a package of 4 different costumes and 20 photos. One annoying thing about these studios is that you don’t get a digital copy of all the photos. Even though they take 40-50 frames per costume, you only get to select a limited set amount. This package came with 20 digital photos, as well as an photo book and larger wall print. But as I only live out of a carry-on, I didn’t want anything physical. After some negotiation, they agreed to give me a 10% discount.
After much pouring over the catalog photos, I decided on a Mongolian princess, a Chinese fox spirit, a queen, and a Chinese opera singer.
Four different looks: playful, wicked, regal, and sensual.
Now, can you guess what is what? :)
The shooting:
If your inner glamazon/model does not exist (like me), not to worry! The photographer will tell you exactly what to do.
Taking photos in old dress is different than in modern dress. In old dress, you need to look the part, give off the right feel, hold your head and hands a certain way. The photographer will guide you every step of the way. She’ll tell you how to position the head, what to do with your hands, how to position the body, where to direct your gaze, and whether to smile, etc.
Whether your pictures turn out beautiful or not will entirely depend on the photographer’s guidance.
I was supposed to be going for an evil look here… didn’t quite pull it off though
In an attempt to get out of my usual comfort zone and go for something a little more daring, I picked the tattooed opera singer, one of their most risque pieces. This costume was basically completely topless, with only two large ribbon flowers covering the chest.
My photographer was so incredibly easy going that as awkward as it was to have a stranger taping ribbon flowers to your bare chest, it wasn’t long before I felt comfortable with her. She was fun and goofy, and yet gentle when giving guidance. She made me feel so at ease that I almost forgot that I was standing in front of her and a couple of assistants effectively naked.
And of course, I’m sorry that I cannot share some of those photos (those are just for me :)). And that most photos you see here from that set are cropped.
The photo selection:
Usually, it takes about one week before the photos are ready for selection. The studio will do a light touch-up on all the photos (color fixing, etc.) before they become available for viewing. Because they want to present the best possible photos to the customers.
However, I didn’t have a week. I was leaving the next day. I managed to convince them to let me see all the pictures as-is (straight from camera to computer) the next morning. They weren’t too happy about that but accommodated my request.
I was absolutely thrilled with how beautiful the pictures turned out! I had such a hard time narrowing it down to only 20 photos and ended up paying extra for additional photos.
Quick review of the studio:
I went to 盘子女人坊 (website | English: Pretty Venus Town Photo Corp, and please, do google image it to check out other sets!), a studio chain that specializes in old Chinese costumes. There are multiple locations all throughout China.
I was super impressed with this studio. Not only were they were able to squeeze me in at the very last second, they also accommodated my request to view and select my photos the very next morning. There were several girls shooting that day, and the photographer and makeup artists were all running haggard, but they still treated each girl like she was the only one.
I was also impressed with the level of skill of the makeup artists. I’m telling you, these hair styles were no joke, with all the fake pieces and accessories! The hair alone for the queen costume took an hour to complete and must have weighed about 10 pounds!
Important information + tips:
- These kinds of studios are full service. They will provide the outfits, hair + makeup, photography, digital files as well as any print outs or photobook options.
- If old Chinese dress does not interest you, there are studios for any kind of shoot you may want, from modern dress to old costumes to couples engagement/wedding shoots.
- Allow a complete day for the photo shoot. I started at 10 am and didn’t leave the studio until 9 pm.
- It’s a good idea to allow at least 3 weeks, in order to have enough time for booking, the actual shoot, photo selection, photoshopping, and delivering the final product. I was incredibly lucky that the studio make such a huge effort to expedite for me. And also, I had a cousin who could stay and wait for the CD to be ready, and then transmit to me. Given this, it is probably best for those who are traveling at a slower pace.
- Cost: Original price was 1200 RMB (or roughly US $200) for the package of 4 costumes, 20 photos, and a photobook. Because I didn’t want the photobook, I negotiated a 10% discount, which brought it down to 1080 RMB (or US $170). However, the tattoos cost extra as well as the additional photos I selected. So in total, I probably spent a little over US $200. A complete steal, if you ask me.
These photographs are truly the best souvenirs and trust me, they are worth every single penny. I love having a beautiful set of pictures to look at. I’m slightly addicted now and I’m already wondering when can I go back to China to take more!
Is this something you would do if you were to visit China? Which costume was your favorite? :)
O-M-G! These are absolutely stunning, you look beautiful! Great investment if you ask me. Now if only I were in China…
Thanks so much Andrea! I think this is the best $200 spent ever! I’m seriously looking at catalog photos to pick out what I want to do next time, haha!
I remember seeing these on FB – HOLY CRAP! Either you’ve got more model in you than you think or they’re just REALLY good. These are so cool, and for $200 – definitely a great deal!
Thank you Polly!! But really, it’s ALL the photographer. She’ll tell you EXACTLY what to do so you don’t need any model skill at all! And of course, the professional lighting sets and fancy camera help too. ;)
Oh my gosh, these are fricking amazing! What a beaut you are, Anna! Before seeing this post I would have assumed that the outcome would be super tacky, but these are so glamourous and beautiful. My favourite is the gold outfit :)
That’s why I was SO determined to take pictures at this studio! I feel like the photos I took 5 years ago (it was just modern/casual dress) were kind of tacky. But this studio had GORGEOUS pictures all over their walls.
The gold outfit, by the way, had this gorgeous gold mirror in the catalog photos.. and they told me the mirror broke! I was so devastated, but the set still came out okay without it!
Wow!! You look stunning in each and every shot! I had no idea that this was a popular thing to do in China. But I don’t know why more countries don’t do it. It’s so cool! I absolutely love (what I think is) the Chinese fox spirit. I assumed because of the fox in one of the shots. Ha! What a great way to remember this trip.
Thanks Amanda! I wonder if Western countries have things like this! Though I’d bet it’d cost a lot more than $200. I think other Asian countries may do it too, and if so, then I so want to do this in every country!
And you’d be right – the gold/fox one is the fox spirit. :)
I LOVE the photos, I ADORE the costumes and you’re a natural (and beautiful) model :-) What a fun, unique, and memorable experience!
Thank you Kiara :). It’s really all because of the photographer because she tells you *exactly* what to do! Trust me, I can barely even take normal pictures!
AHHHH these photos are friggin’ AMAZING!!!! you seriously look like you just stepped out of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. (zhang ziyi, watch out!) i especially like the one of you in the gold dress – it looks so royal and traditional, like “Curse of the Golden Flower” (incredibly depressing film, but amazing costume design). =) they are really talented photographers and makeup artists – i like how they made you look like you’re a real actress (or fox =P)
if blogging doesn’t work out you totally should be a model FO REAL. =)
Haha thanks Soapie! It really is ALL the talent of the makeup/hair artists and the photographer/director, and of course expensive lighting and camera :P. I think they can seriously make any girl beautiful!!
You totally nailed it! You look absolutely like one of those Chinese actresses in those ancient era TV series!
Why thank you! I’m really happy with the outcome! :D
You legitametly look like a model. These are so gorgeous- I can’t pick a favorite.
Thanks Courtney! These studios make any girl gorgeous!
Wow! You look stunning! The costumes look so elaborate. I had heard of these photoshoots but thought they were for brides typically. Definitely a steal compared to the geisha rental places we saw in Kyoto. Hmm, maybe I need to go to China since I didn’t get my geisha photos! :P
Thanks Adie! These studios and photoshoots are such a huge thing for girls to do in China. All the young women want to do it before they get older, hehe. If this kind of thing existed in Japan, I would love to get a set done in the Japanese costume too! Ahhh I’m so addicted now, I’d want to do it in every Asian country, haha.
O.M.G. Anna these are gorgeous. I OFFICIALLY cannot wait to return to China to do this. Brilliant.
I hope you get to!!! I can imagine it looking really exotic for a non-Asian person. And if you don’t want the old costumes, there are a ton of modern studios with really pretty outfits and other costumes too!
Oh my gosh, I LOVE them! The quality and the costumes and the hair and the makeup – all incredible! This is the BEST souvenir I think I’ve ever seen. I am extremely awkward in front of the camera – which I’ve just now learned more than ever since I have to ask random folks to take my picture while traveling solo! So that’s amazing that the photographer gives such good guidance – I would totally need it. You pulled off all of these costumes SO well!
I know!! Isn’t this the best souvenir ever?! I’m so awkward in front of the camera too, which is why I rarely take & post pictures of myself (and the fact that I’m just too lazy to ask for my picture taken most of the time). I was scared at first to take these, but the photographer literally tells you how to do everything!
These are so amazing and so well done! You look like a model!!! :) I love it! What a cool thing to be able to do!
Thanks Erika! I’m so addicted now and want to do it again!
Hahahhaha. Awesome. What girl doesn’t dream of being a model and glammed up! I saw these kinds of things in Thailand, but really it’s for the wedding picture (traditional costume) and not something so elaborate. I’m sure this will be coming soon to the rest of Asia. It’s Instragram to the next level, yo. How fun! Beautiful photos! xxoo <3
Yeah I love how this kind of thing is just a normal thing for a girl to do in China. I wish other Asian countries had it too because I would love to do it in other countries and dress up in different costumes! Thanks Lani! xx
Oh my gosh these are gorgeous Anna!!!!!! Seriously! You totally look the part in all of the shots… so cool! I would love to do something like this… even though I am so not a model! :) would be fun to try though. I love the blue costume, which I am guessing is the Mongolian Princess? These are seriously so beautiful, and if I ever make it to China I would love to try a glamour photoshoot!
PS: do they speak English?
Thank you Mere!!! And you seriously don’t need to be a model at all. Makeup and lights and camera and direction are EVERYTHING! The only downside I see is that they don’t speak much English.. the photographer said that she was really nervous when she heard that a tourist was coming to the studio. She said she was trying to learn phrases like “smille”, haha. She was relieved when I showed up and spoke Chinese. But I think there’s always a way to communicate!
Oh my gosh, these are stunning Anna, you look amazing! I love that shot of you in the yellow/gold dress with the accessories in your hair, it’s like something out of the House of Flying Daggers, it’s beautiful! I think this is a wonderful attraction to be able to go and do, and I definitely agree, taking these photos home you’d have the memory of it forever, and you look beautiful! – Tasha
Thank you Tasha! It seems like that most people like the gold outfit, hehe. The cool thing about this is that this is just something all local girls! But it makes a wonderful souvenir for tourists. :D I couldn’t get the large wall photos option, of course, but if I ever do settle into a house again, I’d love to get some printed on canvases and hang them up!
I bet the prints would look amazing just hanging on the wall, a really nice souvenir from your time there. The gold outfit was lovely!
Damn guuurl, you is looking the biz! I’m assuming the Mongolian costume is the dark blue one with the braids in the hair – that’s my favourite of the bunch. Although, I feel I’d look a bit silly being all pasty white and having green hair… I don’t think I’m really pulling off the ancient Chinese vibe quite as well as you do :)
Yep! The braids is the Mongolian one :). Some of the other girls shooting had dyed hair too, which didn’t go with the black fake hair pieces, so I’m assuming that they fix up the color in Photoshop. These costumes would definitely look interesting on a westerner!
WOW these are so gorgeous!! You’re beautiful! And that tattoo is so realistic, I thought you really had one! Loooooove these so much!
Thanks Amanda! I loved the tattoos too! Too bad I had to take them off as soon as a set was done, because the next set would be different tattoos or none at all. I wish I could have kept them on for a while!
These photos are seriously drop dead gorgeous! WOW! I know you said your inner model doesn’t exactly exist, but it sure looks like it here! You look amazing and so embodied each persona!!
Thank you Lauren!! Everything was seriously up to the photographer and how well she can direct you! You seriously don’t need to know how to do anything except for follow her directions. I’m so happy that I had such a good photographer!!
Hi, I found your blog by chance and tried asking for a quotation because their website doesnt state prices anywhere. i sent an enquiry for pricings and it seems a package for 4 outfits cost RMB3698, which is exorbitant compared to what you mentioned here…. strange.
I would say you need to be prepared to negotiate. It’s also possible that the package quoted includes more framed photos, photo books, etc. than noted above. They will work with you on the package. It’s basically flexible.
We had wedding photos done in Beijing in 2011 for somewhere between $400-500, but it included one offsite location, one large photo book, two small photo books (for parents) and several framed photos including a couple very large ones. We arranged shipping separately. We also got the disk with all the digital photos.
It’s awesome. Go for it!
Hey, Thank you so much for sharing this experience. I was planning a trip to Beijing and decided to try myself on a photoshoot with the same company. As a westerner I was also curious how the costumes and makeup will turn out on me. With the help of a great friend I was able to negotiate a deal and take the photos on the same day.
I’m glad I did it. It’s a truly unique thing to bring home from a holiday.
Hi Anna, do you have their contact information of the location in Beijing?
Also, this is how my photos turned out. Just for a reference. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2ae1dc0cf0136227561a5dd2abefd9fd2fd01ab9d2c15c90fb52b8d7604d0841.jpg
Hi, Thank you for sharing your experience and gorgeous pictures with us. I am planning on traveling to China (Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai) in September and this pictures are a MUST for me. I am actually half Chinese and this will be like a dream come true. Can you please tell me where exactly this studio is at since I would have to plan to do it outside the tour..I would appreciate all your help since the website is not in English! Thank You :)
I’m going to Shanghai for my birthday this year & would like to do a similar shoot. Being a black woman, would fishing in the traditional costumes offend anyone there, like the photographer/makeup artist ?