He is an easily “moved” person
He is thin, extremely thin. But there is a kind of strength within him. You cannot pinpoint where that strength comes from, but it can be felt like the warmth of a flame. Later, I understood that this strength comes from his love for photography and life.
As a photographer who has been shooting for forty years, he has his own criteria for judging a good photo. “Generally, people believe that a good photo must meet a series of conditions such as good composition, beautiful lighting, and captivating colors. While such formal beauty is indeed a standard for good photos, if one only stays at this level, it can never become an art piece. A truly good photo must carry the photographer’s own aesthetic, emotions, personality, hobbies, concepts, and even worldview, values, and outlook on life. It should move you at first glance.”
He loves to use the word “moved.” Thirty years ago, he decided to dedicate his life to photographing ancient towers, driven by a moment of inspiration. “When I shot my first ancient tower, I learned about the story behind it for the first time, and I was deeply moved by that story. It was then that I decided to photograph all the ancient towers in China. Photographing ancient towers has become the unchanging main theme of my photography journey.” Now, he has persisted in photographing over 2000 ancient towers, some of which have disappeared, some have been ‘modernized,’ and some are waiting for different fates… yet his steps have never stopped.
“I will continue to shoot after retirement, until the day I can no longer shoot.” He answered firmly when asked about his plans after retirement.
Thirty Years of Sincerity, Teaching Career
In front of the podium, he once vividly demonstrated some exaggerated behaviors of “pseudo-photographers”: wearing a vest, carrying several cameras, and acting slyly, which filled the entire classroom with laughter, thus making people understand that true passion must be rigorous and humble. He presented one photo after another, telling the stories behind them. Some were unforgettable, some shocking, and some brought tears. Many people learned about shutter, aperture, and composition for the first time here, some learned to appreciate photos for the first time, and others found their direction here, while many gained various life insights. No wonder every time the class bell rings, it is always accompanied by prolonged applause.
Third-year student Zhao from the Foreign Languages College still remembers the last day of the photography class in the fall semester of 2013. At that time, Teacher Yang asked everyone a question. “Students, do you know how many people one encounters in a lifetime?” Various answers were given from the audience. “Twenty million, we will brush past about twenty million people. This year, we gathered here, becoming one in twenty million of each other’s lives, which is a powerful fate. Every class, I remember this principle, so I treat every interaction with the utmost seriousness. I hope that in the future, you can remember some of the things Teacher Yang said, even if it is just one sentence, I believe it will have some impact on your life. Because we met each other among twenty million people.”
This spirited teacher looked sincerely at the more than 300 students in the large classroom once again with bright eyes. This gaze was deeply remembered by many. He understands the principle of “一期一会” (a once-in-a-lifetime encounter).
Waiting for the Best Scenery to Appear
During the interview, a girl with equally bright eyes entered; she is Liu Gefei, a third-year student from the Humanities College. Her works will also be exhibited in the Humanities Building. This summer, she traveled along the Silk Road with Teacher Yang.
“If it weren’t for walking the Silk Road together, I would never have seen how passionate he is about photography. For a single shot, he can wait quietly for a long time. Photography is a matter of timing, location, and harmony with people. When photographing the Danxia landform in Zhangye, I truly felt the meaning of this phrase. Whether learning photography theory or practicing with Teacher Yang, I also learned a calm attitude towards life from him. It is a way of shaping one’s own life. And it influences me. No matter how busy I am outside, I know that photography is my greatest pastime after I finish my work. It allows me to break free from the chaotic world and find inner peace.”
“A whole cigarette, a cup of coffee, just waiting for the best scenery to appear.” This is the kind of Teacher Yang, who has settled after experiencing various flavors of life. His calmness and his passionate obsession, each side is the best answer to life.
Once on the “Father of Glaciers”—Muztagh Ata, he was excited to shoot the vast and magnificent landscape, but after the excitement of shooting, he chose to put the camera in his bag, brew a cup of coffee, and walk alone into the scenery, slowly savoring Muztagh Ata and its reflection. When recalling the past, his eyes are still filled with emotion: “At that moment, I really felt that the iceberg was my father, and the lake was my mother. Although my parents have passed away. I was immersed in it, alone for more than an hour.” He knows how to press the shutter, but he also knows when not to press it. Compared to hurried photographers, he understands life better.
What is photography? In his eyes, it is definitely not a means of making a living, nor a capital to flaunt behind honors. It is a way of life, a perspective to observe the world, and a person’s eternal curiosity and truest love for the world.
Yang Xiaoli, male, born January 23, 1955. A photography teacher at Beijing University of Technology, Vice Secretary-General of the China Art Photography Society, and President of the Beijing Great Wall Photography Association. He has published works: “Architectural Photography,” “Black and White Photography Techniques,” “Camera Collection,” “Modern Black and White Photography,” and “Yang Xiaoli Photography Collection.”
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