Photographer offers free photos to sanitation worker couples in E China as Spring Festival gift

Yang Xiuzhen and Peng Lianjing, a sanitation worker couple in Huangyan district, Taizhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, receive their photo taken for the Spring Festival for free by local photographer Wang Minzhi. (Photo/China Media Group)

Twelve sanitation worker couples in Huangyan district, Taizhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province, recently received a special gift for the Spring Festival -- free couples photos, China Media Group reported.

Yang Xiuzhen and Peng Lianjing, one of the 12 couples, received their photo when they were sweeping leaves on a road. Big smiles lit up their faces as they received the photo from photographer Wang Minzhi.

The photo, which had already been framed, had a very festive feel. In the photo, the wife Yang and the husband Peng, with happy smiles on their faces, are dressed in traditional Chinese garments and holding rabbit-shaped stuffed toys.

A photo of Yang Xiuzhen and Peng Lianjing, a sanitation worker couple in Huangyan district, Taizhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. The photo was taken for the Spring Festival for free by local photographer Wang Minzhi. (Photo/China Media Group)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple haven't returned to their hometown for the Spring Festival for several years, according to Peng, who revealed that Wang has taken photos of him and his wife for free every year over the past few years.

To him and his wife, these photos are the best Spring Festival gifts, Peng noted.

Wang Minzhi, a photographer in Huangyan district, Taizhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, takes a photo of a sanitation worker couple, Wei Xiulan and Zhang Kuixiang, for the Spring Festival for free. (Photo/China Media Group)

Wang, a local photographer in Huangyan district, has taken photos for nearly 50 sanitation worker couples for free over the past three years.

Sanitation workers have very laborious jobs, Wang said, explaining that he decided to offer the free service to these couples after learning that many of them hadn't spent the Spring Festival with their families in several years. He considers the free photo a Spring Festival gift to the couples.

In the photos, all the sanitation worker couples are dressed in festive traditional Chinese clothing and are smiling happily while holding Spring Festival decorations.

A photo of Shi Sanyuan and Jiang Degang, a sanitation worker couple in Huangyan district, Taizhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. The photo was taken for the Spring Festival for free by local photographer Wang Minzhi. (Photo/China Media Group)

"By taking these festive photos for the Spring Festival, I hope they could feel a sense of belonging, as they spent the festival in the city. They could also send the photos to their family and friends in their hometowns to share their life and joy," Wang said.

"When I handed the photos to the couples, I saw in their eyes that they were really happy. Their infectious smiles gave me a sense of achievement," he added. 

A photo of Wang Meiling and Zhu Jie, a sanitation worker couple in Huangyan district, Taizhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. The photo was taken for the Spring Festival for free by local photographer Wang Minzhi. (Photo/China Media Group)

Yu Sufang and Niu Huadeng, a sanitation worker couple in Huangyan district, Taizhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, receive their photo taken for the Spring Festival for free by local photographer Wang Minzhi. (Photo/China Media Group)