China's draconian one-child policy, first instituted in 1979 in an effort to curb the population growth, is now revealing some startling side-effects. As you may imagine in a country where almost all of the children are an "only child", there tends to be a severe amount of doting parents who spoil their children incessantly. This is especially true for boys. So much so in fact, they have given these children the nickname, "little emperors".
I first noticed this adorable little emperor as he was squatting in the grass going pee through a slit in the crotch of his pants. Only later did I realize that this is the common practice in China. Rather than using diapers, parents simply cut a slit in their children's trousers so they can squat outside and go whenever they need to. The only thing more out of the ordinary to my occidental eyes than seeing toddlers relieve themselves in the middle of a city park, is the sight of their parents who often stroll the park in their pajamas! Anyway, I interrogatively gestured to his parents if it would be o.k. for me to take his picture. Of course they were honored and proud as peacocks. He was far more interested in playing peek-a-boo with me than having his portrait taken, but as you can see, I couldn't have asked for a cuter, more natural pose.
They say children are one of the most challenging subjects to shoot because you can't give them direction as you would an adult. I however, disagree. You simply have to think the way the do, get down to their level, play a bit and shoot the action.
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