"Fake smile!" photographer Wang Bojie said, not missing a beat. "Look at me, smile at me."

The 53-year-old Wang is a stern master. The girl gamely tried another smile and failed.

Wang changed his tack. "Do you have dimples?"

"No," a shy smile crossing the girl's face. Click went the shutter. Wang captured the smile in a flash.

As one of China's top 20 portrait photographers, Wang, with Wang Kai Photo Studio on Nanjing Road, only accepts high-level assignments. Wu was an exception to that rule because her mother insisted, Wang said.

"Twenty years ago... Wang was the photographer for my wedding photos," said the 47-year-old elder Wu.

She was pleased with his work. "So when my daughter wanted to take a set of artistic photos, I immediately thought of Wang."

Wang counts among his celebrity customers the city's Party Secretary Huang Ju, Mayor Xu Kuangdi, Vice Premier Wu Bangguo and the three daughters of Deng Xiaoping.

Among Wang's treasured photos is a group picture of Shanghai leaders in the mid 1980s.

In the photo are now President Jiang Zemin (then Party secretary), Premier Zhu Rongji (then mayor), Huang Ju and Wu Bangguo (then deputy Party secretaries), when they all worked together in Shanghai.

"The photo is especially precious since the men were promoted to much higher positions and wouldn't reappear together again in one photo," said Wang.

Wang began his photography career at the Friendship Photo Studio after leaving middle school in 1968 and became an independent portrait photographer in 1978.

"Just about everyone is nervous when they enter a photo studio," said Wang. "So I don't start photographing immediately. I chat with them for two or three minutes, learn about their background, ask what they want from photos, and observe their faces and figures."

Wang was quick to add that not everyone is suitable for a smiling portrait. "The famous actress, Pan Hong looks most beautiful when she stares at you with that pair of big, sad eyes for which she is most famous. A smile ruins her unique brand of quiet beauty," Wang said.

"For a successful portrait, I have to capture the best of three elements in one moment - the expression, posture and the eyes," said Wang. "The best effect is the smile in the eyes and not on the lips."

In the studio, Wang usually uses lively words and signals to capture his customers, even while switching on lights at amazing speed.

Wang's lighting magic helped a weight-lifter hide the 123-centimeter waist she acquired since retiring.

"This was the most difficult job I've ever had," said Wang. "I had the bride stand behind her husband, skillfully hiding most of her body. I shaded her cheeks and two flanks, to create a slimmer figure."

Wang's efforts show a beautiful young couple, who look a lot like they did when they first fell in love.

"Photography is a creative process. My customers come to my studio in pursuit of beauty, and I create it for them," he said.

Wang has won an array of awards for his work, including the National Award for Excellent Young Photographer and four medals (one gold, one silver and two copper) at the 8th National Portrait Photography Exhibition.

"I love my job because it puts me in contact with different people every day. What I do every day is make people smile - that's why I look younger than my age."

"Many customers become good friends. Some say that every time they see the photo on the wall, they think of me," said Wang. "I have to work hard because I know that if I make them look unattractive, they'll think of me often as well!"

(Shanghai Daily news 08/22/2001)