Prize-winning snapper wins acclaim for her captivating images that combine medical photography with an artistic aesthetic, Yang Feiyue reports.

A specimen of a leopard in a leaping position featured in Zhao Xin's theater chapter of her award-winning photography work, State of Life. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

In the theater, crafted by Zhao Xin with light and shadows, time seems to flow backward and dreams become reality, as animal specimens are not only bound by the laws of nature, but have a life of their own.

Through her lens, bodies of whales, gnus, lizards, pangolins, polar bears and giraffes are cast in a state of running, flying or roaring.

She ensures that the brightest and predominating light is placed at the specimens' heads and peters out along their torso.

"The photos were taken from a personification approach, and I'd like to express the subjects the way we understand ourselves," says Zhao, who has explored integrating photography art with medical development for more than two decades.

"Gazing at these images, I hope the viewer can be immersed in contemplation about life and time, and be reminded that these vibrant beings once existed in the world," Zhao says.

"In fact, during the expression of death, it reflects on many human actions. Through these images, I'd like to 'resurrect' the subjects and have them forever live alongside us," she adds.

In June, her photography work State of Life featuring four chapters — theater, resurrection, dialogue and dissolution — won the Golden Statue Award for China Photography, which was hosted by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Chinese Photographers Association and represents the top national individual achievement in the field of photography arts.

A specimen of a howling Arctic wolf from the theater chapter. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

The judging panel comments that her work instills mundane and dull specimen photography with contemporary artistic thinking and refreshes the audience's senses.

"This work employed different shooting techniques and concepts for each chapter," Zhao says.

"It was a cross-disciplinary collaboration and an experiment between medicine and photography, which freezes these silent lives into still moments," she adds.

It took her the longest to finish the black-and-white "theater" chapter, which she began work on in 2008.

"There's a sense of mourning and commemoration in black and white. Under the spotlight, they seem about to come to life or be already in a state of being alive," Zhao says.

The subjects featured were mostly returned to their original natural habitats and posed before having their picture taken.

"Each photograph here resembles an independent still from a play, depicting their state as being alive and conveying the timeless nature of life," Zhao says.

For the "resurrection" chapter, Zhao applied a pinhole camera, which she says helps to create a real yet surreal, distant yet near feel.

"These animals once had their own miraculous moments, and in the images, they exist in the environment as if they were extraterrestrial beings, abrupt and absurd," Zhao says.

Different from the theater chapter, Zhao intentionally chose places that do not align with the original habitats of the specimens.

"This deliberate intervention creates a strong sense of abruptness, highlighting the individuality and uniqueness of each life," she says.

Zhao and a specimen of a polar bear. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Through this collection, she aims to convey the relationship between animals, humans and nature in the context of societal development, as well as express reverence and admiration for nature and life.

"Watching them is akin to observing oneself," she says.

The "dialogue" chapter features words about her understanding of her subjects from both a scientific and personal perspective, and reflects her thinking on the essence of life.

The last chapter, "dissolution", combines traditional imagery with chemical agents. It recorded images of specimens decomposing at different times, using this to express scenes, stories, and the colorful aspects of life throughout the vast expanse of time and space.

"Life undergoes a new evolution within time and space, and those dissolved 'paintings' are no longer mere reflections and records; they are reborn through the dissolution of time and technology," she explains.

After graduating from college, where she studied photography, in 2001 Zhao landed a job teaching photography at the Dalian Medical University's Art School.

At first, her work didn't have anything to do with medical science. That was until she saw her colleagues from other departments taking pictures of blood vessels of the upper limbs in 2003.

"It looked mysterious and a bit like red coral, and I got curious," she recalls.

Zhao started to collaborate with her anatomist co-workers when the university sought her professional help in photographing a specimen of brain nerves.

Her initial impression toward such subjects was mostly dictated by her reaction toward their special odor.

"Tears would start running uncontrollably because the smell of formaldehyde was so overpowering," she says, adding that the odor also stuck to her clothes.

An image of a liver specimen in the dissolution chapter of her work. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

As she made inroads into specimen photography, she came to appreciate the magical and beautiful internal workings of the animals and developed her way of presenting them to the audience for scientific purposes.

Works intended to assist medical research have highly demanding requirements for shooting positions, lighting ratio and color control, she says.

"Scientific photography involves preparing equipment and lighting based on the intended use. There can be significant variations in the shooting methods and techniques," Zhao explains.

For example, between four and 14 flashlights may be used, depending on the size of the subject, the light meter readings and still life platform, and a clean background has to be in place.

"An attempt is made to present anatomical specimens in an appropriately 'beautified' manner without deviating from medical presentation," Zhao says.

"The goal is to enhance the specimen's visibility and reduce the distance between the public and the specimens," she adds.

Some of her photos have made their way into domestic textbooks and science exhibitions at home and abroad.

"Ordinary people may experience some anxiety when viewing real specimens, but they tend to be much calmer when looking at photographs of them," Zhao says.

She has made major contributions to the Mysteries of Life book series that won second prize of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award in 2018.

Sui Hongjin, who hosted the book project, was impressed by Zhao's energy during their cooperation.

After all, it was a challenge, even for many physically strong men, to be in contact with severed limbs and arms on a daily basis, constantly moving and arranging them, says Sui, who is director of the Department of Anatomy at the College of Basic Medical Sciences with the Dalian Medical University.

"Throughout our collaboration, there were numerous instances that made me appreciate her diligence, resilience and refusal to give up," Sui says.

Two goose specimens in the resurrection chapter. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

At that time, the photography studio was located in a rural farmhouse courtyard with extremely basic conditions.

"During the winter, there was no heating facility, and Zhao Xin would wear an oversized military coat, tirelessly climbing and moving around the shelves every day to take photos, dedicated and without any complaints," Sui says.

In his opinion, the camera can not only document the work of anatomists, but also touch the hearts of viewers in the way human specimens are presented.

"The fusion of art and anatomy removes the sense of cold detachment," Sui says.

He says he appreciates Zhao's unique artistic perspective and is impressed by the sense of life that her works evoke.

"Through Zhao's lens, those familiar plasticized specimens seem to be endowed with vitality. They appear vivid and fully showcase the wonders of life, truly attaining another level of eternal existence in the most profound sense," Sui says.

Years of photographing such specimens has also seen Zhao's understanding toward her art evolve.

"There was a period when I placed a special emphasis on the quality of the visuals, such as excellent lighting, perfect composition, and impeccable tones," Zhao says.

"However, nowadays, there is more focus on conveying emotions and feelings through the visuals, and there is a significant difference in my pursuit of equipment and image quality compared to before," she says.

Zhao says that she hopes everyone pays attention to the present, cherishing life and the environment.

"I also aspire for these images to be a source of strength, a driving force that encourages us to pursue a healthy state of mind and a vigorous spirit," she says.

Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn