Deng Wei usually sets the focal length at 0.45 meter, the
farthest, he says, a standard lens can go without distortion.
"Within that distance, I can best catch that glitter in their
eyes and we can almost hear each other's hearts beating," said
Deng.
"This does not allow anything to be concealed. It allows for
direct communication."
Deng likes to shoot with natural light, which he believes allows
him to capture his subjects at their best, or as Deng put it, "in
their true being".
But Deng makes use of natural light in his own artistic way,
usually placing the subject against a dark background, with rays of
light illuminating certain details that reveal their personas.
Deng said he is still improving his artistry. "Each and every
new portrait poses a new challenge for me and behind each photo
lies a story," Deng said.
In many cases, Deng goes through two rolls of film, one color
and one black and white, within 10 to 30 minutes.
"You've got to succeed with one shoot. There is no chance to
make up for a missed one," Deng said recalling his encounter with
Prime Minister of Israel Yizhak Rabin (1922-95) after he wrote him
letters for almost four years asking for a brief photo time.
Deng still remembers the words the peace-loving statesman wrote
for him in his diary: "The Lord will give strength unto his people;
the Lord will bless his people with peace" in the afternoon of
December 7, 1994.
But Deng can also spend a long time waiting for the right
moment. Such an instance occurred three years ago when he spotted
an old Tibetan lady while traveling among the Tibetan communities
in Qinghai Province.
"I was deeply impressed by the old grandma the moment I saw her
besides her tent at a local festival," Deng recalled.
The old lady was shy and hid herself in the tent for hours.
Before sunset, she came out and offered Deng a cup of butter tea.
Deng wanted to pay her with 100 yuan ($12.5) but she declined it
and waved her hand pretending to be angry.
"At that moment, I was struck by her starry eyes and serene
expression on the face," Deng said. "So I pushed the button of my
camera at a distance of about 0.45 meter in front of her."
In a preface to Deng's new book Knocking Slightly on the Door,
Ralph Jacobson, president of the Royal Photographic Society,
writes: "He (Deng) not only is a portrait photographer who ranks
amongst the best in the world, but his work embraces fine art
photography, as well as photojournalism in color and
monochrome."
"He is a gifted photographer who is able to reveal the character
of his subjects by the complete mastery of the key techniques of
composition, lighting and the right moment," he concludes.
(China Daily May 8, 2007)