This is China you can feel. Photographer Alexandre Misseri's "Feelings in Deep China" portrays deep feelings - his own and those of people he encounters in very remote parts of the country where few people venture, but many should, writes Jenny Hammond.Although most expats are familiar with the dazzling lights of Shanghai and the countryside of Hangzhou, few have traveled to the really remote parts of China.Now, however, a new photography exhibition offers a glimpse of relatively unknown parts of the country with Alexandre Misseri's "Feelings in Deep China.""I chose this topic because it allowed me to express different feelings I personally had when I visited those parts of China and also the feelings people have in those places," he explains.Every picture is the story of an encounter. "If I have taken a picture, it means that I have felt something special meeting this person or place. And usually, my strongest pictures reflect the moments where I had the strongest feelings."Moving to Shanghai nearly three years ago, Misseri has already participated in three exhibitions.This exhibition displays 20 images taken from his travels in Yunnan Province and the southeastern part of Guizhou Province."China is a real paradise for photographers: It offers a variety of subjects, people are open to portrayal, and for foreigners, the scenery in towns and outside are often pretty different than those back home. Taking pictures is always an adventure, because you can never expect what situations you are going to meet," Misseri says.For the Frenchman, photography is a love story."My fiancee, Laurence, has always loved taking pictures and developing them. When we got together she shared her passion with me: She took me on shooting outings, invited me to her lab, and gave me tips, so it was not long before photography became a passion for me."Misseri says he always tries to capture something special in his pictures: an event, a feeling, an atmosphere, a smile. He believes his pictures are spontaneous, natural and aim to present people and things as they really are. "I don't usually think long before taking a shot, as the magic of the moment might be gone."He decided to visit the parts of China shown in his photos because he wanted to "discover another China, a more original (in the meaning of primitive) one, or at least the China that is the opposite of Shanghai."Once he arrived in a small village where everyone was celebrating a wedding, and being the only foreigner around, perhaps the only one they had ever seen, he instantly became a guest of honor.In every remote village, children ran to greet him, shouting "laowai" (foreigner), "laowai." He sampled the homemade alcohol or baijiu (Chinese spirit) after dinner, or breakfast, sometimes sitting around a fireplace. "I remember the extreme kindness and welcome I received from everyone I met on the way."The best words to describe those places are "simple and authentic," Misseri explains."Everyone's first goal is still to get enough food for the whole family throughout the year. They spend their lives in the fields to make less money in one year than a construction worker in Shanghai earns in one month."It really makes you think," the photographer says.But Misseri also says the people would probably like to be described this way: "They live in wonderful places with breathtaking scenery, and although life can sometimes be tough, they take it positively and are happy."People are usually quite open when they see a camera, especially because "I usually try to have a chat with them before taking their portrait," Misseri says. "But anyway I never 'steal' a portrait of people who refuse being photographed. I usually hope to portray people and things as they are, because I think that all of them have their own message and are beautiful in their own way."He hopes everyone will leave the exhibition with a picture in mind, a picture that will put a smile on their face every time they think about it later. "I also hope it will remind everyone there are other places in China beside Shanghai, that are beautiful, that must be respected and sometimes helped."The exhibition opens on July 22, 3-6pm; July 23-29, 10:30am-6:30pm at 1918 Art Space VILLA, 6 Xiangshan Rd.