Key facts
- Mainland Chinese photographers are advertising photography services in Hong Kong on social media platforms like Xiaohongshu.
- These photographers are working in Hong Kong without the necessary permits.
- Photographers like Zhang Yaqi charge RMB ¥499 (US $70) for services in Hong Kong, including nine retouched photos and all raw photos.
- This is RMB ¥300 (US $42) more than Zhang charges in Shenzhen.
- The extra charge is for transportation fees.
- Fees for mainland photographers range from RMB ¥300 to RMB ¥600 (US $42 to US $85) per hour, compared to Hong Kong photographers who charge RMB ¥800 to RMB ¥1500 (US $113 to US $214) per hour.
Mainland Chinese photographers are continuing to advertise their services in Hong Kong on social media platforms, despite Hong Kong authorities cracking down on visitors working illegally. A search of RedNote by the South China Morning Post found accounts listing Shenzhen-based photographers offering their services in Hong Kong, often asking clients to reimburse travel expenses.
One photographer, Zhang Yaqi, who uses the nickname Zhang Zhang on Xiaohongshu, offers portrait photography for couples and solo customers. She charges RMB ¥499 (US $70) for a session in Hong Kong, which includes nine retouched photos and all raw photos. This is RMB ¥300 (US $42) more than she charges in Shenzhen, with the additional fee covering transportation. Her posts indicate she has photographed clients in both Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
The fees charged by mainland Chinese photographers range from RMB ¥300 to RMB ¥600 (US $42 to US $85) per hour, significantly lower than the usual hourly rate of RMB ¥800 to RMB ¥1500 (US $113 to US $214) charged by Hong Kong photographers. Another Hong Kong photographer, YY, also posts on Xiaohongshu, charging RMB ¥2800 (US $399) for a two-hour session that includes 12 retouched photos and all raw photos.
It is illegal for mainland Chinese photographers to work in Hong Kong without a permit. The Immigration Department has conducted enforcement operations, arresting mainland visitors suspected of illegal employment. In one operation, officers posed as customers to catch photographers providing services. In a separate joint operation with mainland authorities, 97 people in Hong Kong and 104 in mainland China were arrested for involvement in a syndicate forging Hong Kong identity cards for illegal workers.