No dizziness, no trembling, no fear. Wearing a helmet and a safety belt, with a heavy professional camera in his hands, Frank’s agile feet took him back and forth, up and down, floating across the beams like a duck on water, to document every bit of progress. He not only focused on the reinforced concrete and construction machinery, but also turned the spotlight to the construction workers whose sweat transforms the creative design of a blueprint into reality. Out of respect to them, Frank joined in their labor and recorded their contributions in vivid photographs. “Sometimes I stayed there for five or six hours,” he grins. “I loved my time with the workers. Though I couldn’t speak Chinese well, they were very friendly. It feels nice to communicate with them even through body language most of the time. They are the true heroes of China.”

A German Photographer in China

In China’s construction industry, quality and safety are largely controlled by migrant workers. Only when their basic rights are guaranteed and their creative potential is tapped, can they enhance production efficiency. Workers’ right to survival is of paramount concern to both the government and construction companies. Witnessing their lives and development first-hand in the recent years seems to have kindled Palmer’s humanistic concern for them, resulting in him dubbing them “true heroes” and “backbone of society.” This ideology is a primary factor in Palmer’s artwork winning so much acclaim. As an outsider, the photographer understands China even more than many native Chinese. His pure love for architecture and the construction process, coupled with skillful and exquisite photographing techniques, a professional spirit to continually improve, and most significantly, the genuine respect for the laboring class, have culminated in a master artist. Such a mind in such an environment is ideal for the genesis of a masterpiece. 

For the time being, Palmer has settled in Beijing and opened his own culture development company in the Chaoyang Business District, staying busy with design and photography. When asked about his next project, he responded, “That depends on opportunities.“ Photography needs inspiration, but good art needs far more than that.Palmer’s every photo tells a story.“My photographs are the reflection of my soul, my experience, and my view of the world.”