![Mark Leong](/sites/redux/files/styles/pm_square_1_1/public/2023-09/mark_leong_headshot_2020_full.jpeg?h=71a7dd8c&itok=PugAbUab)
Mark Leong
San Francisco, CA
A fifth-generation Chinese American born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, I started taking pictures while majoring in Visual Studies at Harvard University. My first long form project, a documentation of American Chinatowns, was supported by the Ford Foundation and became my highest honors thesis in 1988. This led to photographing in China itself — roaming my ancestors’ southern countryside in 1989 on a Gardner Fellowship and as resident at the Central Academy of Fine Art in Beijing in 1992, sponsored by the Lila Wallace Foundation. Beijing became my base in 1997, from which I photographed across Asia for more than two decades. My book China Obscura was published in 2004, when I also became a contributing photographer for National Geographic. My work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Fortune, Wired, Fast Company, The New Yorker and Smithsonian. Honors include National Endowment for the Arts 1992, Fifty Crows 2002, Overseas Press Club 2007, British Natural History Museum 2010 and Open Society Foundation 2005, 2014. Shows include Carpenter Visual Arts Center 1991, San Francisco Arts Commission 2007, Leica Gallery Frankfurt 2008, China National Museum 2015 and Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture Shenzhen 2017. Since returning home to California in 2017, I have been looking more local issues such as Asian American youth identity and the shelter crisis; in 2020-21 I documented the impact of the pandemic on unhoused people in the Bay Area supported by the National Geographic COVID-19 Emergency Fund.
![At Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), one of the robotics projects is EveR, a lifelike female android with speech recognition, voice synthesis and gesture expression technology allowing for more sophisticated communication and interaction with humans.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/17_16_20161028_korearobot_02195a_2.jpg?itok=Uuilt2VZ)
![Seoul Robotics High School](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/45.jpg?itok=POKu00AI)
![The Dongdaemun Design Plaza, also called the DDP, was designed by the late Zaha Hadid and Korean architecture studio Samoo](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/46_0.jpg?itok=ieUOGhDf)
![Seoul Robotics High School](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/47.jpg?itok=z04HdH0q)
![Wong Tai Sin Temple, a Taoist place of worship known for fortune telling, is popular among Chinese tourists, who make up about 70% of the visitors.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/48.jpg?itok=LDS8Q6X7)
![Flowers](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/49.jpg?itok=LkiRhAyc)
![Shenzhen is known as China’s most youthful city, with young migrants coming from all over the country to try to make it in this industrial, hi tech city.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/50.jpg?itok=yfTX_5NC)
![Da Fei 28, Lao Dai 21 are friends who used to skateboard and listen to reggae in northeastern industrial Shenyang.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/51.jpg?itok=OhGx-TUj)
![College students dress up in traditional Hanfu costume](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/52.jpg?itok=YKNwPCQE)
![Young rooftoppers bypass security guards and pick locks to ascend tall buildings to take photos of and against the cityscape from on high.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/53.jpg?itok=xyUPfudG)
![The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Company, headquartered in a Norman Foster-designed post-modern cathedral to capital built in 1986, is arguably the most powerful non-government institution in the city.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/54.jpg?itok=hgyr0ftd)
![A Dong minority woman's hand is dyed blue from soaking traditional cloth in vats of indigo.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/55.jpg?itok=JGV18qux)
![Li Xiang, 14, swims as part of Aimin Fat Reduction Hospital weight loss plan.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/56.jpg?itok=gjLqcTTt)
![Artists do street performances commemorating the June 4,1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations that ended in a bloody crackdown twenty-two years previous.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/60.jpg?itok=Vh_uRLMv)
![More than half of Ulaanbaatar's 1.2 million people live in the ger districts that have formed as ex-herders have given up the nomadic life en masse to pitch their gers on the hills surrounding the city.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/61.jpg?itok=RYLV8UFF)
![Chen Jingxin "Chenchen" is 18 years old. He left home at 14 to be a singer in Qingdao, then moved to Beijing a year after.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/58.jpg?itok=wWgXqJRm)
![Beat-up armchairs await residents of a shantytown built on the top of a factory building.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/59.jpg?itok=9xAmzNNs)
![Ganaa and Norvoo move their ger from Altan Bulag to the western ger district of UB.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/62.jpeg?itok=WxGM7Jvw)
![Traditional Mongolian wrestling remains a part of steppe culture, but the way to wealth and fame is through Japanese sumo.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/63.jpeg?itok=vII1MLZX)
![Child wearing headphones](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/64.jpeg?itok=wUd8zZeS)
![Hand](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/68.jpg?itok=t_vSY-bP)
![Pollution over ger districts in the morning](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/65.jpeg?itok=4aEIsxOp)
![High demand for traditional medicines, exotic pets, and culinary delicacies drives a multibillion-dollar commerce—legal and illegal—that is emptying forests, fields, and seas.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/66.jpg?itok=I1mgqR63)
![When her dog had a litter of puppies, Mona Choyce is their second mother, as they pile on her for comfort and love. She stands in front of the vehicle that was her father’s until he died in December.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/70.jpg?itok=s0u8DXGE)
![High demand for traditional medicines, exotic pets, and culinary delicacies drives a multibillion-dollar commerce—legal and illegal—that is emptying forests, fields, and seas.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/67.jpg?itok=v586S1yl)
![Longtime activist/artist/lawyer for the unhoused Osha Neumann talks with Juanita about their lawsuit against the city to get a temporary restraining order preventing eviction of the Ashby/Shellmound freeway exit encampment by a real estate company developing the land into condominiums without any units for low income families.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/69.jpg?itok=ymxFRWMz)
![Lifelong Medical Center Street Medicine Team does testing and other treatment at the Shellmound homeless encampment, where recently a positive case was discovered.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/71.jpg?itok=Esz8FlXL)
![Artist/activist Suzi Garner installs the letters WDWG (for Where Do We Go) by the Ashby/Shellmound freeway exit encampment, in support of the unhoused residents of Berkeley and Emeryville.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/72.jpg?itok=MpTR9yqi)
![Shunde, 1990](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/77.jpg?itok=5PYZjl_F)
![Black Coat](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/79.jpg?itok=8oykSH5C)
![Berkeley High School 5419 Robotics Team](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/73.jpg?itok=FXhumwwd)
![Girl Scout Space Cookies 1868 Robotics Team](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/74.jpg?itok=W3Bvv5Yr)
![Driver and coders for Berkeley High School Team 5419 Berkelium in the playoff elimination rounds at the Sacramento Regionals.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/75.jpg?itok=Qa_MOsxQ)
![Mountain View High 971 CardinalBotics Team and Science Olympiad Black Team](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2023-09/76.jpg?itok=TVVg8NP-)
![Apple Store in China](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/01_160605_cn-retail-recruiting-tianjin_ml_01016.jpg?itok=vdLfwigR)
![Fashion models and a traditional child acrobat await the arrival of the pop band Camerton at a concert at the APU vodka and beer factory.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/01_mm7848_100630_13716.jpg?itok=LWJLk9zX)
![Ceremony for new traffic patrol members in front of the city’s Mao statue at Zhongshan Square.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/06_98shenyang-mao27-25.jpg?itok=3u2VkxJS)
![Chicken](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/06_153-99lijiang-chickenprint.jpg?itok=KQAx4OT6)
![High demand for traditional medicines, exotic pets, and culinary delicacies drives a multibillion-dollar commerce—legal and illegal—that is emptying forests, fields, and seas.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/06-mm7352_080616_15171.jpg?itok=0LjuRB6B)
![Water Park in Beijing, China](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/07_waterpark_190807_000699_copy.jpg?itok=12wkEc_w)
![High demand for traditional medicines, exotic pets, and culinary delicacies drives a multibillion-dollar commerce—legal and illegal—that is emptying forests, fields, and seas.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/08-mm7352_080307_11216.jpg?itok=3rLAc1UA)
![Candlelight memorial in Victoria Park for democracy activist Szeto Wah, who died at 79 in 2011.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/09_mm7972_110227_01636.jpg?itok=5x9rRIdl)
![First drive-in cinema in Beijing shows the Lord of the Rings](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/12ppleong04beijing-drivein.jpg?itok=ucD0xVWJ)
![A one room home in one of Shenzhen's many urban villages, where migrants gather and, instead of returning to the countryside, seek to settle.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/13_shenzhenvillages_100123_01500_copy.jpg?itok=ACn8qYit)
![Nomad Children](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/17_10_09_mm7848_100715_25844a_copyb.jpg?itok=djZracct)
![Siemens](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/23_siemens_shouqin_120312_0135.jpg?itok=ZWtgMvXT)
![Iphone Assembly Worker](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/29_170523_in-sr-bengaluru-itc_markleong_04204.jpg?itok=XD_HL6eQ)
![Nurse](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/35_jjnurse_160316_00647_copy.jpg?itok=Km8YJ1N2)
![Guangxi](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/89guangxi-pingpongb_copy.jpg?itok=fV4a92JU)
![Shave](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/90shunde-shave.jpg?itok=wpg3NzUD)
![Skating](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/99beijing-skate-hirez-agray.jpg?itok=BOVEPI79)
![The emergence of craft beers, domestic and imported, in China](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/170217_beijing-craftbeer_markleong_00615.jpg?itok=82Q4FF-V)
![HUBO robot lab in South Korea](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/20161026_korearobot_00322.jpg?itok=zuyIFTra)
![Seoul Robotics High School](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/20161028_korearobot_01999.jpg?itok=tg-PyWyx)
![Worker](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/aapiincar_20231011_00128.jpg?itok=xnU84NKd)
![Formerly incarcerated college student John Lam.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/aapiincarc_20231016_02541.jpg?itok=gKukPLrc)
![Craft Beer](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/fort_20170315_152_1330910_articlea.jpg?itok=UKPfIbHf)
![Kitchen](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/hofogokitchen_20230518_0090-4.jpg?itok=LDeWE8hf)
![Employees at Gdansk Intel campus](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/intel_recruitment_gdansk_20180807_15618.jpg?itok=anEM7ui1)
![Nurse](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/jjnurse_160317_02814a.jpg?itok=VeRTDU4r)
![Billiards](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/leong-poolhallsf2023e.jpg?itok=Xfbjnt2N)
![Rwanda Ministry of Health Rapid SMS program supported by WHO mHealth](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/mhealth_rwanda_130918_09691.jpg?itok=i3uSX_qP)
![The dirt track road from the grasslands of Altan Bulag to Ulaanbaatar](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/mm7848_100709_21196.jpg?itok=HOz0EPhM)
![Folk-death metal fusion band Altan Urag in their practice space.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/mm7848_101220_53632.jpg?itok=hmRk7V7G)
![Installing wood carvings, smoking opium, etc.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/mm8255_140319_16676.jpg?itok=DPZQIjP3)
![Wang Simi and He Ruilin trim tomato plants at the Shared Harvest Organic Farm.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/mm9085_190322_014734.jpg?itok=1WH2wNIC)
![Li Zhenling, 28, (dark blue shirt) worked in Suzhou at a factory making iPhone and iPad cases before returning close to home in Jingdezhen to become a pottery master.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/mm9085_190328_020330.jpg?itok=D5e1XkLY)
![Naga youth with his grandmother, once the wife of the village chief, Nagaland, India](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/mm8255_140326_22561.jpg?itok=hcCoXhPf)
![Portrait](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/ngd-75572-20_200504_0012517.jpg?itok=YZ_u_8tQ)
![Wolfberries, one of a handful of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs and plants Pepsico is working with.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/pepsicoshanghai_150122_01942.jpg?itok=zen8HQUv)
![In a country where an estimated 500 million people have never brushed their teeth, Gu Zhou Xin Yu's dental braces cost 9,000 yuan at a new private clinic.](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/redux_ml10008_23print.jpg?itok=SG1hIOgL)
![Golden Gate Science Olympiad 2023](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/scioly_20230211_03611.jpg?itok=kO9ERRsv)
![Wuwucun migrant village, mostly from Sichuan](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/shenzhenvillages_100124_01891.jpg?itok=MSjIyH90)
![Food](https://reduxpictures.com/sites/redux/files/styles/max_width_600px/public/2024-01/seoulentrep_111028_2004.jpg?itok=UunUvT5u)