Chang He

Chang He, Oriental Morning Post

In the years after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, a number of zoos were built as part of efforts to improve city life. In recent years, many have struggled with aging infrastructure, financial difficulties, and falling visitor numbers, as children and families turn to more interactive forms of entertainment. Some zoos are now seeking to reinvent themselves through education, conservation, and new visitor experiences. Photographed in 2006.

Chang He is a Chinese documentary director and photographer whose work explores the intersections of society and culture through visual storytelling. Combining photojournalism with documentary filmmaking, Chang He centers human stories, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and amplifying underrepresented voices. 

In 2015, he received a Master’s in International Multimedia Communication from the University of Bolton, UK. Following this, Chang He began his career in China’s media industry, serving as Deputy Editor of Oriental Morning Post, where he established the country’s first professional visual journalism team, and later leading the creation of the new media platform The Paper (Pengpai News).

Chang has received international recognition for his work and selections at the French Television Festival (2012) and Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival (2020). He has also served as a jury member for World Press Photo.

His photographic and moving-image works have been exhibited widely, including at PhotoQUAI Biennale (Paris), Lianzhou International Photo Festival, and Pingyao International Photography Festival.