The photography community recently saw a surprising buzz when everyday photographer Zhen Zaojian collaborated with renowned actress Fan Bingbing. In photography circles, this kind of “connection” refers to a mutual collaboration between models and photographers—often unpaid—where both parties seek to grow their skills or explore creative styles.
There’s a saying among portrait photographers: the three key elements are “model, model, and model.” No matter how advanced the gear or how carefully styled the shoot, nothing compares to capturing someone naturally photogenic. For many photographers, shooting Fan Bingbing—long considered a symbol of beauty in China—is a dream gig.
But when Zhen Zaojian’s photos of Fan Bingbing were released, they drew sharp criticism online. “If you don’t know what you’re doing, even shooting Fan Bingbing won’t help.” one comment read. Ironically, the backlash led to another opportunity. Zhen later posted: “The last set got roasted so hard, Fan Bingbing told me, ‘Come shoot another one.’ Honestly, I owe this second chance to the people who came at me.”
This time, Zhen didn’t just shoot Fan Bingbing—he also directed a new campaign for her beauty brand, Fan Beauty Diary, promoting its “Live Juicy, Glow Freely” face mask line.
Fan Bingbing then took to Rednote to invite other photographers to join the campaign. Anyone could enter by posting creative shots using the brand’s hashtags before May 6. Fan Beauty’s team would select 10 participants to receive a mask gift box, and Fan Bingbing herself would pick two of them to co-shoot a future brand campaign. The post quickly drew enthusiastic responses. For photographers, shooting a major celebrity like Fan Bingbing is a valuable career credential.
The campaign was a major success—Fan Beauty Diary sold out 200,000 boxes of the new face masks in just three days. By responding publicly with a second round of collaboration and positioning itself as open and inclusive, Fan Beauty strengthened its image as a brand where celebrities and everyday creators can create together. It’s a smart example of turning star power into brand engagement.
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