All who visit the World Expo most likely have their own impressions and perspectives of the experience. One is an avid Shanghai photographer who told our correspondent, Li Zhen, that he has been recording the history of the event for the last eight years.

Guo Changyao, a 52-year-old local photographer, has visited the 2010 World Expo site more than 120 times. A major fan of the event, he started snapping pictures eight years ago. The first image he captured frames the very moment in which people learned that Shanghai had won the bid to serve as the host city.

Guo Changyao, Shanghai Photographer, said, "As a Shanghai resident, I'm really proud that the Expo is being hosted in my hometown. Since my house is right beside the Huangpu River, and I can easily walk to the Park, I'm using my camera to record this big event as much as possible."

Through his lens, the Shanghai World Expo becomes a scrapbook of surprises, as he meticulously catalogs the design of each pavilion. To him, the buildings inside the fairgrounds are not only beautiful, but also functional. He especially enjoys how some express the special characteristics of their countries, regions, and organizations.

Guo Changyao said, "My favorite design is the China Pavilion. It's very modern, but conveys traditional flavor very well, at the same time. Of course, lots of other halls are also very inspiring, such as the UK Pavilion. The 60,000 seeds stored there really gave me a shock."

In addition to buildings, this photographer loves to focus on the wide variety of people he meets at the Expo site. Whether it's the entertaining Fiji Pavilion staff, an elegant German girl, or exquisite African smiles, he chronicles them all.

Guo Changyao said, "There are people from all over the world. Sometimes I think they look so different, and feel their behaviors are very interesting, but then, when I see the expressions on their faces, I feel they are just like us."

Despite the fact that the 2010 Shanghai World Expo is coming to an end, Guo Changyao now has 30,000 images to preserve his impressions of the event, and share them with others. Those people, however, might have their own unique memories which will last a lifetime.

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