A prostitute and a villager photoed by Zhao Tielin
The Passing of a Grassroots Photographer
Observer, page 47
Zhao Tielin, known for his black-and-white photo essay series concerning the lowest strata of the Chinese society, died from lung disease on May 16, 2009, aged 61. Zhao was a businessman turned photographer. In 1994, after his two companies folded, Zhao went to live in a ghetto in Hainan, making photos at 10 yuan per piece in the neighborhood, which made up of mostly prostitutes and migrant workers. He has published a few books with photo essays and writing depicting the lives of these people.
Original article: [Chinese]