China's Viral Photoshoots: Studios, Prices, How to Book

You've probably seen these shoots on TikTok or Instagram: full hair and makeup, multiple outfits, elaborate sets, and photos that look like a proper campaign.

The styles vary a lot: traditional Chinese, old Shanghai, modern fashion, K-pop-inspired, fantasy, and more.

It's real, and it's not new. Chinese photo studios have been doing this for locals for years. Foreign visitors have only just found it.

This guide explains what you're actually booking, what it costs, and how to arrange it, because the booking process is genuinely strange if you've never done anything in China before.

Know Exactly What Type of Shoot You're Booking

There are two different services here. They often look very similar to people, and the difference is actually very big. It's the price, the result, and even the location.

1. Costume rental at a tourist site. You go to a shop near a famous place, rent an outfit for a few hours, get light makeup, and walk around taking your own photos. Sometimes a photographer follows you for an extra fee. It's fun, it's cheap, and it's a couple of hours.

Cost: roughly 50 to 400 RMB (about $7 to $55).

2. A full studio session. This is the one going viral. You go to a private studio. A makeup artist and hair stylist work on you for an hour or more. You change into two or three complete looks. A professional photographer shoots you against proper sets with proper lighting. Weeks later you get a set of heavily retouched images.

Cost: roughly 1,200 to 3,000 RMB (about $170 to $420) for one person.

It takes the whole day. Two outfits is five to six hours. Three outfits is seven to eight. So if you're booking a shoot like this, plan to give it a full day.

The rest of this guide is about option 2.

The Styles You Can Pick

You are not limited to one look. Most studios have a catalogue, and you choose.

• Hanfu. Traditional Han Chinese dress. Not one style but many, because it changes by dynasty. Tang looks are flowing and high-waisted. Song is more restrained. Ming is structured with a stiff collar.
• Qipao (also called cheongsam). The fitted dress with the high collar. 1920s and 30s Shanghai.
• Republican era. 1910s to 40s. Schoolgirl uniforms, wire-rimmed glasses, old bookshops.
• Wuxia. Martial arts hero. Swords, armour, dramatic wind machines.
• Ethnic minority dress. Miao silver headpieces, Tibetan robes, and others.
• K-pop inspired. Korean idol styling. Sharp makeup, studio lighting, album-cover framing.
• Fantasy. Fox spirits, immortals, floating fabric, heavy post-production.
• Modern fashion. Magazine-style portraits, nothing traditional at all.

How Booking Works, Step by Step

You can't book this through a travel platform like Trip.com, and the studios themselves don't usually have an international website. But no worries. It's not too complicated as long as you follow the steps below.

Step 1. Open the studio's Xiaohongshu page using one of the links below. Xiaohongshu (小红书), also known as RedNote, is kind of the Instagram of China. Download the app and make an account before you travel.

Step 2. Message them in the app. Tell them when you're coming and how many people. Write in English if you have to. They'll run it through a translator.

Step 3. They'll add you on WeChat. They'll either ask for your WeChat ID or send you their own ID or QR code. WeChat is China's main messaging app, and it's where they'll send you all their packages, prices, and examples of their work.

Step 4. Pick your package and confirm the details. Styles, how many outfits, how many finished photos, the date. Get the total price in writing before you agree to anything.

Step 5. Pay a deposit to hold your date. Usually 100 to 200 RMB ($15 to $30). They'll explain how to pay, normally through WeChat Pay or Alipay. It comes off the final price.

And that's it, you're all set. Just show up at the date, time, and address they gave you, and enjoy your shoot.

Set up WeChat and Alipay before you fly, with a bank card linked. You can't do any of this without them, and it's much easier from home than in a hotel lobby on day one. Our first China trip guide covers exactly how.

Make sure you have mobile data too, so you're not hunting for WiFi while messaging a studio. And install a VPN before you arrive if you want Instagram and WhatsApp working while you're in China.

What You Get for Your Money

A typical mid-range package includes:

• Two or three complete looks (outfit, hair, makeup, accessories)
• A few hours of shooting with a photographer who directs your poses
• 5 to 10 fully retouched images. These are the ones you've seen online.

Extra retouched photos cost extra. Budget 200 to 230 RMB each (about $28 to $32).

Raw files are almost never included.

You won't get the photos the same day. Usually it takes two to three weeks to get the final photos.

Common Questions, and What to Ask the Studio

These are the questions people ask most often. If any of them apply to your situation, we suggest asking the studio directly before you book.

Ask	Why it matters
What are your sizes?	Studios normally have a huge wardrobe, but it's mostly Chinese sizing, which usually runs a bit smaller than Western standards. Send your height and measurements before you book, or right after you arrange the shoot if it's already booked. That gives them time to prepare clothes that fit you and that you'll actually like.
Can I choose my photographer and stylist?	Normally with the standard package you can't choose who you work with. It's assigned randomly. But you can pay a bit more for a package that gives you more control over the details.
Do you have makeup for my skin tone?	Usually they can work with any skin tone. But if you want the best result and your skin is darker than the average Chinese person's, bring your own products. Ask them before booking whether they have the right ones.
Can you work around religious or modesty requirements?	Many studios can and are happy to. Most simply haven't been asked before. Say so upfront so they can plan the styling.
Anything I should know about my situation?	Pregnancy, mobility, allergies to makeup. Studios handle these routinely, but only if they know.
What's the total?	Get the full number in writing, including extra photos, before the deposit.

Studios by City

Message any of these studios through the link in the table. Prices aren't listed because they change with the package you pick, so ask the studio yourself. As a rough guide, a good studio usually starts around $170, and a single look can sometimes be cheaper.

Cities	Studio	Xiaohongshu Link
Shanghai, Beijing	Moment Look 人像摄影	Open profile
Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Xi'an	Crowlook 乌鸦肖像摄影	Open profile
Guangzhou, Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai	One of Twelve	Open profile
Hangzhou	Three Page Poem	Open profile
Nanjing	The Seventh Sea 第七片海摄影工作室	Open profile
Chengdu, Shenzhen, Guangzhou	张小刚摄影写真馆	Open profile
Chengdu	Meiren Fu 美人赋国风艺术摄影	Open profile
Chongqing	TONE IMAGE 瞳视觉	Open profile
Shenzhen	肤浅艺像摄影工作室	Open profile
Xi'an	Yu Qi Shu 予柒书摄影	Open profile

A few things to check before you send money:

• Scroll their recent Xiaohongshu posts, not just the pinned ones. Look for work from the last few months.
• Look for photos of people who look like you. If you don't see any examples, ask the studio whether they've worked with someone like you before.
• Keep the deposit small and pay through WeChat Pay or Alipay, never by bank transfer to a personal account.
• If the price keeps changing, walk away.

We don't receive any payment from these studios and we aren't connected to them in any way. We've listed them because they do good work. Our goal is simply to help more people find the great and unique services China has to offer.

Short FAQ

Do they speak English?
Usually not much. Use a translator, and send messages on WeChat rather than trying to talk in person. WeChat has a built-in translator, so it's easy for both sides. Just double-check the important parts and make sure you've understood each other.

Do I need a visa for this?
Probably not, but it depends on your passport. Our eligibility checker will tell you straight away.

Which city is best for it?
Xi'an if you want Tang dynasty. Shanghai for qipao and 1930s. Hangzhou for outdoor scenery. Beijing for imperial. Any big city has good studios. See our Shanghai and Guangzhou guides for fitting it into a trip.

Can men book this?
Yes. Scholar, general, and swordsman looks are all standard. Couples' sessions are common and cost roughly double.

Bottom Line

The viral version is a full-day studio session, around $170 to $420, booked through Xiaohongshu and finalised on WeChat. Set up both apps plus a payment method before you fly, confirm sizing and the total price in writing, and expect your final photos two to three weeks later.

Sources

• Xinhua — Behind the Hanfu frenzy among international tourists in China
• Global Times — Foreign tourists drawn to China for traditional photoshoots