The last remaining state-run photo studio in Shanghai invites you to retake old photos for free before leaving

Community Morning News reporter Fang Yaxin

In the people's photo studio on Hefei Road in the past few days, Chen Linxing and several teachers are obviously busier than usual, many old guests come to retake with old photos, Chen Linxing can't hide his excitement, "I see old friends again!" ”

As the only remaining state-run photo studio in Shanghai, the People's Photo Studio records the changes in the lives of generations of Shanghainese, once upon a time, the wedding photos of newlyweds, the family portraits of the New Year reunion, the birthday photos of neighbors... They will all come here to shoot. In this small photo studio, countless citizens have left precious memories.

Since Chen Linxing became a film retoucher in the People's Photo Studio in the 1980s, he has spent most of his life in this square world. The old-fashioned retouching pays attention to the fine work, at that time there was no computer, mobile phone, the retouching was completed by a pair of skillful hands on the negative, and the perfect outline could be outlined with a simple pencil and brush. It is also in this brush stroke that he has changed from "Little Master Chen" to "Old Master Chen" in everyone's mouth.

In May this year, the People's Photo Studio was moving again. Where the new home will go is still undecided. The retake of the old photo is a gift given to the old guests by Chen Linxing and the teachers before leaving.

In 2013, the People's Photo Studio launched the "Happy Moment Again" campaign, and all customers who took wedding photos at the People's Photo Gallery on Huaihai Middle Road 25 years ago can retake the wedding photos for free at the People's Photo Studio as long as they can find the wedding photos taken that year. Suddenly, the city was sensational, and thousands of couples came to relive the happy moments with the beauty of the past. Today, 8 years later, Chen Linxing and several teachers in the store held a "yesterday re-enactment" old photo renewal activity before moving, and once again invited "old guests" throughout the city to relive old stories, retake photos for free, and take this opportunity to meet old friends. At the same time, for the "old neighbors" in the nearby neighborhood, take a free family portrait. As soon as the solicitation activity was released, it attracted the attention of the public, and many old customers came with photos to reminisce about the past. From the radiance of youth to today's two sideburns, the old guests and the teacher fu look at each other and are full of emotions.

Time goes back to the "golden heyday" of the people's photo studio in the last century, and every time, the old-fashioned windows of Huaihai Road will post the most innovative photos of the moment, and pedestrians can't help but stop and watch. But for ordinary families, it is a very luxurious thing to be able to take a photo in the People's Photo Studio. At that time, the photo studio was divided into several levels, the best of which was the special grade, and the People's Photo Gallery was one of the four special photo studios in Shanghai. Here are first-class technicians, first-class equipment, from taking pictures to the later stage, are famous masters on the beach, photographic equipment, equipment, etc. are also imported, take a photo to dozens of dollars, equivalent to a family a month of grain.

With the introduction of foreign investment, the People's Photo Studio gradually declined, and in 1997 it moved from the lively Huaihai Road to the alley of Julu Road, no longer taking photos, only providing post-processing services, and only resumed photography business in early 2013. Then, the People's Photo Studio moved again and came to Hefei Road, although it has undergone several changes, it still retains the photography style of the People's Photo Studio, with a strong old Shanghai style.

Since its inception in 1940, the People's Photo Studio has undergone many relocations in the past 81 years. Now, the People's Photo Studio is about to face another move, and for Chen Linxing, the biggest wish is to meet the old customers who have come to the store to take photos and relive the good old times. He said that he would like to hold a small photo exhibition in the museum to commemorate his time here, along with the collected photos and the new photos taken.

It is worth mentioning that this year, at the suggestion of regular customers, the masters also turned out antique paper knives and steel seals from the warehouse. The same lace and seals as those of decades ago are still the last process of "people's production".

Source: Morning News