Chen Man was born in Beijing, China. She studied graphic design and is of a generation where software is the main design tool, especially for photo editing. She made some early connections while at university studying photography, and went on to shoot covers and fashion for magazines such as Vision (China), and later for Chinese editions of western publications including Vogue, and Elle. She has photographed celebrities such as Rihanna, Jason Statham, Fan Bingbing, and both David and Victoria Beckham. She has also been on the other side of the camera as a model and has appeared on a few covers herself.

Aside from portraits and fashion shoots, Man also edits using a mix of photography, collage and retouching with the addition of pre-drawn and scanned-in artwork, or digitally created enhancements. She often incorporates a cultural influence in a modern context, and cultivates a unique East meets West take on subjects and concepts, which sits well with the more creative or avant-garde fashion brands. She operates an agency in Beijing (Studio 6) and has established a portfolio of work featuring L'Oréal, Dior, Mercedes-Benz, and Adidas among other mainstream commercial brands.

Man has achieved a great deal in her relatively short career, and there seem to be more projects and creative experimentation on the way. Her photography has been featured in exhibitions worldwide and she has raised China's profile in the fashion world, along with other artists and designers from China.

Chen Man is active on social media and runs a website. If you're looking for inspiration, her own advice is to find something of meaning to you personally, and then consume as much of it as you can. It will be interesting to see how she develops in the future, and which aspects of Chinese culture she will include in her work.

By Matt Sheen August MMXX - See video playlist for references

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