Bridge and Yuzhong peninsula from the underbridge

Different Jiefangbei (Liberation Monument) under the lens

Yuzhong from a different angle

Different bridge

Dongshuimen Bridge after rain at about 3 a.m.

Line 2 at night

Fuling Cornering Bridge

This creative photography shows that coal mines deliver electricity to millions of homes in the city. (Pictures provided by the interviewee)

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Have you seen what the Dongshuimen Bridge at 3 a.m. looks like? Under the lens of Pu Degui, there is no lively hustle and bustle during the day, but it looks magnificent and specially beautiful in the rain. Recently, Pu Degui's personal photography exhibition was held in Jiefangbei Urban Square, Yuzhong District. In his view, the most beautiful scenery is not in the scenic area but on the road; the most beautiful performance should be the artistic conception, not a simple record.

Pu Degui is 54 years old and is known as a miner photographer. When he was young, there was a Rolleiflex camera in his family because of his father’s work. At that time, a roll of film was expensive, and his father only allowed him to touch instead of shooting. In 1983, he became a miner in the Chongqing Energy Group Shihao Coal Mine. In 1990, he became a propaganda officer and got the chance to systematically study photography.

In the past 30 years, he photographed miners in mines more than 300 meters underground, the landscape and the microcosm around... Chongqing is a city with mountains and rivers. Bridges play an important role in crossing the mountains and water, and are repeatedly recorded under the lens of Pu Degui. “This is the Dongshuimen Bridge at 3 a.m., taken on December 23, 2017. It was raining on that day, and it was the right time. I immediately carried the camera and rushed to the bridge in raincoat.” He deliberately selected the best shooting time on a rainy day at 3 a.m. He said that at 3 a.m., there was basically no vehicle on the bridge, so it was relatively safe to select the angle on the bridge; secondly, there would be reflections on the rainy day, and the bridge and the surrounding environment photographed were more three-dimensional.

We can see various bridges in the photographic works at the exhibition. Pu Degui said that shooting a bridge is telling a story about Chongqing. Before shooting, it is necessary to learn about the bridge and the local culture, and combine the scenery with the humanities. In his view, in addition to the beauty of each bridge in Chongqing, the fascinating scenery of Yuzhong peninsula is also worth a visit. Every time when lights are lit, the street lights and the automotive lighting light up the whole city like a match, bringing people the “Stories of Chongqing”. (Translated by Bai Fengling, Fathom Language Limited)