Draft:Chufatu

• Comment: wp synth? Schtiapht (talk) 12:09, 28 September 2026 (UTC)

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Chufatu (Chinese: 出发图; pinyin: chūfātú) or chufazhao (Chinese: 出发照; chūfāzhào) are stylized photographs released of celebrities shortly before they attend an event in contemporary Chinese entertainment and fashion culture, where they have developed into a distinct form of promotional and commercial photos expected of celebrities attending award ceremonies, fashion events, red carpets, and other high-profile occasions.

History

Earlier chufatu were comparatively simple and usually taken in front of a drape or in a hotel room. By the end of the 2010s, production values had increased substantially and chufatu became a distinct type of fashion photoshoots more similar to fashion editorials. However, most such photos were focus were still confined to the hotels were the make-up and hair were done. By the early 2020's, chufatu had become increasingly elaborate with outdoors locations, compositions, props, and editing. By then, Chufatu had become sufficiently established for Chinese fashion media to discuss it alongside other recurring forms of celebrity media. A number of fashion photographers, such as Cui Junchao, also rose to fame specializing in such photos.

Characteristics

A typical chufatu photoshoot combines several elements. The celebrity needs to be be photographed in the outfit and styling prepared for a specific event. This includes clothing, jewelry, hair and makeup. The location range from hotel settings to more elaborate sets and on-location shoots. Poses are often substantially more elaborate and closer to fashion editorials than candid photography. Post-production are often heavily used for cinematic effects. The photos generally also have a quick turn-around time, and are expected to be released before the event and red carpet itself, making them an important part of the publicity cycle of the event.

Opposition and Criticism

Criticism of chufatu culture has centered on its increasing competition and the perception that they have become an obligatory for events. In 2021, iFeng Fashion described the chufatu culture as a competition over the quality, speed, poses, settings and visual concepts of photographs released before events. It argued that “aesthetic fatigue" can occur when taking chufatu photos became a routine expectation rather than an optional promotional activity. Celebrities such as Huang Zitao have also openly stated that they will no longer participate in the practice. His comments became part of a wider discussion about whether chufatu had developed from a useful promotional tool into an excessive form of competition.