Photographer captures smiles in Ningbo neighborhood

Cheng Wenhan (left) hands a printed portrait to a sanitation worker. [Photo/Yongpai app]

A neighborhood in Ningbo marked the 78th World Smile Day on May 8 with a community photo exhibition celebrating everyday smiles and human connection.

At a community station in Beilun district, residents gathered in front of a wall filled with Polaroid portraits, searching for their own faces. Some smiled as they recognized themselves holding a family member's hand or sharing a quiet, ordinary moment; others stopped to look at familiar neighbors captured in daily life.

The photos were taken by Cheng Wenhan, a 36-year-old local photography enthusiast, who spent nearly a month walking through Taibai Community with a Polaroid camera. His idea was simple: document the smiles of people around him.

Taibai is a mixed residential community of around 20,000 people, including longtime residents and migrant workers. Cheng photographed street cleaners, shop owners, delivery riders, elderly residents, and passersby — scenes of everyday life that often go unnoticed.

Each portrait tells a small story: a stationery shop owner who has supported neighborhood charity work for decades, a delivery rider who often helps elderly residents with daily errands, and a resident known for caring for shared green spaces.

Cheng has been taking Polaroid portraits of residents for years, often at his own expense. This time, the community helped turn his work into an exhibition — a gesture of appreciation, and a reminder of his message for World Smile Day: no matter what life brings, don't forget to smile.