Photographing Red Yao women displaying their remarkably long hair beside the river in Huangluo, within China’s Longji Rice Terraces region.
Some stories are told with words. Others are carried in strands of hair.
I was photographed beside the river in Huangluo Red Yao Village, surrounded by the mountains of Guangxi and the celebrated Longji Rice Terraces. The village is known for the women of the Red Yao community, whose exceptionally long hair remains an important expression of tradition, identity and beauty.
On this occasion, I found myself on both sides of the story. While I was photographing the women as they displayed their remarkable hair and richly decorated clothing, somebody captured the photographer at work. The resulting image reveals more than the intended portrait. It records the preparation, the concentration and the brief connection formed between a traveller and the people standing before his lens.
Five women, five long histories and one photographer trying to fit them into a single frame. These are the moments I value most—the ones in which travel becomes more than observing unfamiliar places. It becomes an encounter with the people whose traditions, memories and everyday lives give those places their true meaning.
- Date
- 2026-01-01