For centuries, the ginkgo tree has been considered a symbol of love, peace and longevity. In late autumn, when the gingko tree leaves turn yellow and starts shedding, it will attract visitors to admire the breathtaking beauty and see how the ground is turning into an ocean of gold.

We will never miss the opportunity to take photos when the ginkgo tree displays full glory. As the gingko tree has long been considered a symbol for the exotic atmospheres of East Asia, both the photographer and I agreed that our photography project should be oriental-themed with soothing tranquility and peaceful calm. We also wanted our photos to be eye-catching and special, which forced us to think outside the box and took a new approach.

It was a fun project. We set the scene under the ginkgo tree and chose Hanfu clothing, the traditional dress of the Han Chinese people for photography outfits. But our model was not Chinese. She was blonde with curly hair and has never worn traditional Chinese dresses before.

This beautiful lady with expressive eyes is Livia ZAHO from Albania. She is 18 years old and has won the Miss Exclusive of the World Albania 2014. Now she is studying in CCNU with full scholarship.

Livia is naturally photogenic. She has a very beautiful face; she is tall and slender with perfect proportions; she knows how to find her “angles” and work the camera; she knows how to present herself and does not try hard to be attractive. Most importantly, her skills and talent do not end there just yet.

"Apart from modeling, my hobbies include sports and foreign languages. I love playing basketball and learning foreign languages. I speak five languages. Living behind all the prizes and showbiz life, I focus all my interests on politics as I am going to study diplomacy. Currently I am a student in CCNU as the first step to being a diplomat.”

This photo shoot was a challenge, but she was never afraid to break out of her comfort zone and stayed poised in stressful situations. “I feel so great working with you. You are friendly, kind and awesome. I feel spoiled actually and I am really thankful.” This humble girl with a down-to-earth personality said.

Diplomacy has something similar to modeling: she has to use appropriate styles to communicate. Through the photos, she is telling an amazing story.

I am a citizen of the world, and my nationality is goodwill.

Photographer: Biling HU

Model: Livia ZAHO

Liaison person: Yangyang CHEN

Coordinator and writer: Ling WANG

Special thanks to Nan ZHAO and Yanyan WANG for their great support

For the use of photos:

1. The photographer (Biling HU) and the model (Livia ZAHO) own the copyright of the photos that are taken during this project.

2. Credits to both the photographer and the model are required to given.

3. All the photos are NOT for commercial use.

4. Non-commercial use of the photos, both by individuals and by organizations, is permitted provided that the photos are not altered in any way (other than for formatting purposes). The display of photos must credit the name of the photographer and the model.