Zhuhai Photo Shoot Review: Authentic Douyin Aesthetic

My review of getting an authentic Chinese-style studio photo shoot for just ~$38 during my recent trip to Zhuhai, China!

:: The Studio, Cost, What to Bring, Timing, and How to Book

It seems like a lot of people go for the "Wanghong" (influencer) style photo shoots when traveling to China these days,

but I wanted to experience a studio shoot at a much more affordable price than back home,

capturing that distinct, gorgeous, high-glam Chinese beauty aesthetic. So, off I went!

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To be honest, you can find photo studios all over China—Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, you name it.

They are literally in every single city,

and there are plenty of studio chains in each location.

However, because of my travel itinerary—attending a festival in China and wrapping it up—

the very next day,

I looked for a place where I could do the shoot right there in Zhuhai, China.

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🌴

Zhuhai is

v located right next to Macau and Hong Kong,

a city blessed with a warm, subtropical climate.

Since it's a coastal city that's clean, modern, and peaceful—like a beautiful resort destination—

it's a place I personally love, even if it's a little on the quiet side!

Plus, the cost of hotels and dining in Zhuhai is incredibly affordable.

+++

In general, because labor costs in China

are lower than in Korea,

studio photo shoots (among other services) are highly budget-friendly!

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1. Zhuhai, China | Finding a Photo Shoot Studio

Wondering where to get your photos taken in China?

If you want a professional studio session rather than

just casual street photography,

it's best to look it up on an app called Xiaohongshu (RED)

[which is like a mix of Instagram and Pinterest/search engines]

to do your research.

(If it feels too complicated, I can share the WeChat contacts

of the studios I found!

Just leave a comment below!)

Like this,

[City Name] 拍摄

拍摄 = Photo Shoot

If you search this on Xiaohongshu, tons of options will pop up!

Browse through and find the style of photos you like best.

Once you add that studio on Xiaohongshu,

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they'll automatically message you and ask to connect on WeChat.

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They will throw a bunch of promotions at you

to get you to book right away.

It's highly unlikely to be a scam,

but still!

You don't want any unpleasant surprises, so make sure to ask the right questions before booking.

(I've included and explained the list of questions to ask during booking below)

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2. Zhuhai, China |

Going Beyond the Chinese Wanghong Look: An Authentic Beauty Studio Shoot | How to Check Costs, How to Book, Question Checklist,

and Key Things to Keep in Mind

When the Chinese studio sends you details about promotions or photo shoot packages,

you can easily translate them directly within WeChat

or take a screenshot and ask ChatGPT to translate it for you.

And when I asked ChatGPT what to ask when doing a studio photoshoot in China,

it gave me all of this!

It even told me to ask things that made me think,

"Wait, do I really need to ask that?"

But honestly, it’s totally fine.

Locals in China tend to ask incredibly detailed questions,

so the studio staff won't think twice about it.

1. They offered a promotion for 299 RMB (~$38)

for a photoshoot, but

can I choose any style with that promotion? Or does the price vary depending on the style??

-> Also, you should show them

reference photos from their studio and say,

"I want to shoot something like this."

In fact, another studio told me that a specific style

was only available at their Hangzhou branch!

2. Is there an extra charge for retouching?

How much is it per photo?

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3. Can I get the raw/unedited photos?

It seems like raw files are rarely included for free.

Since Chinese studios are absolute wizards at retouching,

they don't usually give away the raw files without a fee.

4. If I can't get the raw files for free, is it possible to purchase them?

5. How many retouched photos are included in the package, and can I pay extra to select more?

The key is to ask exactly how much each additional photo costs.

​

6. Are there any other hidden fees?

For example, is there an extra charge

for makeup? (Though it's usually included in most packages.)

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Before booking a Chinese photo studio

✔️ Questions to ask and things to double-check

不同风格拍摄价格会不一样吗？000套餐里可以任选所有风格吗？

​

2️⃣

套餐只包含2张精修，那如果我想多要精修照片，每一张多少钱？有没有打包价？

​

⸻

​

3️⃣

原片可以全部购买吗？价格是多少？是按张收费还是打包收费？

​

⸻

​

4️⃣

除了这些以外，还有其他额外收费吗？比如服装升级、化妆升级、选片等？

​

⸻

​

5️⃣

我不太想有额外消费，所以想提前确认清楚🙏

​

​

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Here is how to ask in Chinese (courtesy of ChatGPT):

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You can copy-paste these and tweak them slightly,

or just ask ChatGPT to help you write them out!

Usually, once you settle on a date

and send a small deposit via Alipay,

your booking is officially confirmed!

3. Studio Photoshoot in Zhuhai, China

| Going for the authentic Chinese aesthetic, not just the influencer look | What to bring, timing, and the studio

The photoshoot I did in Zhuhai

wasn't that typical 'Shanghai Wanghong' influencer vibe;

it was a studio shoot that local Chinese girls actually go to.

I initially expected it to be priced similarly to street photography in Shanghai,

but it was actually a bit pricier than that. 🥲

Most studios started in the ~$128 range.

The studio I went to in Zhuhai, called

*Blackpink Studio*,

was running a promo for 299 RMB (~$38) for the basic package (makeup + 4-hour shoot + 3 retouched photos).

However, they mentioned that additional photos would cost about ~$32 to ~$38 each.

But let’s be honest—after posing for four hours,

how could anyone possibly choose just three photos?

So, I went in with a budget of around ~$64 to ~$128 in mind.

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✔️ **What to bring for a Chinese studio photoshoot:**

If there's a specific outfit you want to wear, feel free to bring it.

However, most of these studios (though it varies)

have a huge wardrobe selection, so you can pretty much

just show up empty-handed!

(They just asked me to wash my hair beforehand.)

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✔️ **However, it’s a good idea to bring a sticky bra (nubra)**

depending on the style of clothing

you want to wear.

(But since I didn't bring one, they casually handed me

a... community/shared??? sticky bra to use;;;?

I was pretty amazed at how accommodating they were,

and just wore it, haha... ?...?? lol...)

✔️ **Show up with a bare, clean face and freshly washed, blow-dried hair.**

✔️ **That being said, the better your skin condition is on the day of, the better the final results!**

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My Zhuhai, China Studio Photoshoot Review & The Process

To be honest, I got out of a taxi nearby about 10 minutes beforehand,

but thinking about being stuck in a 4-hour photoshoot

made me so dizzy and hungry that...

I stopped right next door to grab a quick bite and ended up 5 minutes late.

But honestly, for "Korean time," isn't this practically on time?

(The lamb skewers and Chinese noodles I had...

were absolutely divine. I'll share the info below!)

"Have you arrived?" came the WeChat message,

so I ran right over!

This photo studio

in Zhuhai, China, was... seriously huge, incredibly luxurious,

featured a cool concrete-themed interior,

and played super trendy, hip music.

It was such an awesome spot!

Don't worry if you don't speak Chinese!

After waiting a bit, they walked me through

the photoshoot terms and conditions (payment, selecting photos, etc.)

right in front of me.

Of course, don't expect to use English here;

they'll patiently explain everything using a translator app.

We literally communicated with each other

through translation apps and facial expressions...

ChatGPT's Chinese translation is usually much more

accurate,

so it was a bit of a bummer that ChatGPT doesn't work in China.

But nothing was too complicated, so it was totally fine...

Anyway, I paid the remaining 299 yuan,

completed the checkout, and now...

let's get this show started...!

At this photo studio in Zhuhai, China,

they asked me to choose two concepts first.

They put my mind at ease by saying that if I didn't like them, I could just switch...?

and told me to choose comfortably.

I absolutely love that uniquely Chinese, nonchalant kind of kindness!!!

Of course, in reality, you can't really do it over.

Because it is exhausting...

Once you change outfits twice and shoot,

you get so tired

that all you want to do is wrap it up and go home.

There's literally zero energy left to shoot any more.

And honestly, even if you just wing it...

it can still turn out amazing!

Plus, the raw photos are shot so well to begin with

that they are super easy to retouch perfectly later.

Once you choose your concepts

at the Chinese studio, they tell you to find

the corresponding outfits and shoes and get changed.

Oh my goodness, they had every kind of extravagant outfit imaginable...

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Once you come out,

they do your hair and makeup.

This wasn't some cheap studio like those touristy

"Shanghai influencer experiences."

They styled my hair and makeup with meticulous detail, just like in Korea.

None of that cakey skin makeup

like the Shanghai influencer style,

and definitely no heavy slathering on the neck!

They had plenty of high-end brands like Dior and Chanel.

The colors and overall makeup weren't overly dramatic

(maybe because of the specific Chinese-vibe concept I picked),

but the lip color was incredibly bold!

The hair was also bold yet neat and so pretty.

Personally, I felt they did hair way better than in Korea,

though maybe Korea does skin expression a bit better?

My skin did look a slightly dry,

but who cares as long as the photos turn out great?

If you have any requests while they're doing your makeup, they'll happily adjust.

They were so generous with compliments, calling me pretty, and were incredibly sweet.

And just like that, we shot at this Zhuhai studio

for over 2 hours with 2 different concepts, haha!

If the Shanghai influencer shoot is tiring because it's outdoors,

this one is exhausting because of how long it takes ㅠㅠ

Between prep time, shooting, and choosing the photos,

I think I was actually there for 4 hours.

The photographer made me feel super comfortable

and kept telling me how pretty I looked.

They used gestures and translator apps

just for me, since I don't speak Chinese.

They were just so, so kind! ㅠㅠ!

Honestly, once we finished the shoot, I just wanted to head straight home.

So exhausted...

But after a little bit, the raw photos

came out, and we just had to choose which ones we wanted for retouching.

And wow, even though they were unedited raw photos, they looked surprisingly amazing!

They shot so many photos from so many different angles

that there was absolutely no way I could choose just 3 photos...

Originally, the basic package was around ~$38,

and with some add-ons,

I was planning to spend about ~$128 in total.

...

But this one looked pretty, that one looked gorgeous,

and before I knew it, I was completely swayed

and ended up spending ~$448.

Haha.

But then I thought, even back in Korea,

even for photos that turn out just okay,

if you shoot for just an hour at a somewhat famous studio,

it easily costs ~$448 to ~$640 excluding hair and makeup.

When I put it that way, it felt totally reasonable!

Or so I tell myself...

I ended up choosing about 12 to 13 photos.

While Shanghai Wanghong (influencer) studios usually do the retouching on the spot,

this studio said it would take about 2 weeks for the final edits.

However, they did AirDrop the raw versions of my selected photos to me right away!

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4. Photo Retouching at the Chinese Studio

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During those 2 weeks of waiting,

I actually tried editing them myself.

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In conclusion, compared to the retouched versions I got from the studio...

The retouching?

I think I actually did a better job myself, lol.

Maybe because they didn't want to go too crazy

editing someone else's face?

Who knows!

Either way, the raw photos were so good that they responded beautifully to any edits.

The base photos were just high quality to begin with.

And that's how my shoot at a super local Chinese studio

(not a touristy Wanghong one, but a local favorite!) went.

Also, the studio is incredibly fast at replying!

I was the only one lagging on replies, haha.

Anyway, let me know if you want their WeChat ID, and I'll gladly share it!

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This is an incredibly delicious restaurant

right near the studio! 😭

You get all of this for just 28 RMB!

They cook it up right in front of you instantly!

The taste was absolutely heavenly.

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Here are some hotel recommendations

that are perfect for moving to the city center after your Zhuhai photoshoot!

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Chimelong Hengqin Bay Hotel Zhuhai

This is where Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is located.

It's absolutely perfect for families traveling with kids!

The kids will

absolutely love it—the water park + zoo combo is right next to the hotel!

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IntercityHotel Zhuhai

Super clean with a fantastic location,

gorgeous interior vibes,

and stunning ocean views!

The 5-star level facilities are top-tier,

making it a great spot even for solo travelers.

The ultimate romantic getaway if you're traveling with your partner 🥺

Alila Dongao Island Zhuhai

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While taking a ferry to the island is a bit of an extra step,

it is absolutely worth it to experience ultra-luxury at such an amazing price.

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Angsana Zhuhai Phoenix Bay

Ocean views + private terrace + pool access +

5-star luxury elegance + delicious breakfast!

This is the ultimate Zhuhai hotel that checks every single box.

If you book a pool access room, you basically get the pool all to yourself!

Haha!

The signature lobby scent is also incredible.

Even though it's right on the waterfront, it's surprisingly bug-free and absolutely wonderful.

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If you're traveling solo to Zhuhai and looking for a cute, cozy place to stay,

highly recommended!

It's a homestay, and the host is incredibly

warm, kind, and welcoming.

Plus, the house itself is gorgeous,

with beautiful, high-end interiors.

It gets great natural light, and the neighborhood is upscale

and lovely.

* Recommended Reads

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