Skateboarders inspire new photo book

Xie Shi. Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn

For more than a decade, the now 30-year-old Xie was himself a diehard fan of skateboarding. He says that his dream was becoming a professional.

"Though I didn't make it come true, I have found a different angle. The more photos I took of skateboarders, the more deeply I understand the culture," he says.

Originally from Nanjing, Jiangsu province, he started skateboarding in 1997 and graduated from Nanjing Normal University as a photography major.

For Xie, skateboarding is more than a sport: It combines music, fashion, travel and lifestyle. He says that he made lots of friends through skateboarding, including those who run shops selling skateboarding clothes, shoes and other accessories.

Now a professional photographer, he turns his camera lens on people who share his passion.

"I have lived this life," he says. "So I know exactly how much they enjoy it and what kind of problems they face."

One of the photos, which captured three young men in a shabby shoe-repair shop at Karamay, the second-biggest city in Xinjiang, was Xie's favorite and he used it as the cover of the book.

"Skateboard shoes aren't cheap and they always wear out fast. When I saw them repair shoes in the store, I felt very touched," he says. "They were so focused and devoted to the dream."