Surreal Photographs of China’s Yellow River

The power of humans is nothing compared to the power of nature, even when we try to change it.—Zhang Kechun

Chinese photographer, Zhang Kechun, approaches his subject, the Yellow River, from a haunting distance. However, the quiet beauty of his images conceal the river’s devastation. Changes to the weather have brought extreme flooding and drought, and modernization has wrought severe pollution. Despite its bleak state, Kechun has faith that eventually the power of nature will override the destructive power of humans. This stunning series is a testament to his respect and hopefulness for the powerful forces of nature.

Kechun was recently featured alongside Swiss photographer Namsa Leuba in Intersections, a book produced by Sandmeier, a small publishing house that works with young photographers. The two photographers were chosen in the thought that they contrast but go along well with each other, each using different approaches in their documentary work.

This post was contributed by Guy Merrill, Art Director at Getty Images London.

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