Sep 18, 2014 6:30 AM

Gallery: These Swimmers Don't Care What You Think About Their Crazy Outfits

Philipp Engelhorn
01
Quindao Beach 1.
Swimmers on a beach beach outside Qingdao, China wear masks and full-body suits to protect against the sun and jellyfish.
Philipp Engelhorn
02
Quindao Beach 1.
Some of the masks are store bought. Others are hand made.

Philipp Engelhorn
03
Quindao Beach 1.
"When I, as a Westerner, approached them with my friend, who is from China, they all thought it was too funny that I was interested in their masks. For them it was totally normal and no big deal at all to wear this," Engelhorn says.
Philipp Engelhorn
04
Quindao Beach 1.
"In this area, across from Japan, there are huge jellyfish, one to two- meters wide, which have long tentacles that burn the skin," Engelhorn says.

Philipp Engelhorn
05
Quindao Beach 1.
“It’s sorta like Mexican wrestling to me visually,” Englehorn says.
Philipp Engelhorn
06
Quindao Beach 1.
The masks are often referred to as "facekinis."

Philipp Engelhorn
07
Quindao Beach 1.
Engelhorn found photographing the swimmers harder than expected because most were more serious about swimming than posing.
Philipp Engelhorn
08
Quindao Beach 1.
"\[Some swimmers\] were a bit shy but still agreed, and many wanted their picture sent to them by cellphone."

Philipp Engelhorn
09
Quindao Beach 1.
“In Germany if you were to go a beach dressed like this, people would be like, '"What the fuck is your problem?'" Englehorn says.
Philipp Engelhorn
10
Quindao Beach 1.
Each individual design seems to reveal something about the person wearing it.

Philipp Engelhorn
11
Quindao Beach 1.
Over time, the swimmers from Qingdao have become internationally famous for their masks.
Philipp Engelhorn
12
Quindao Beach 1.
"In the winter I'm not sure what they are doing. I don't think they go to the pool like that."

Philipp Engelhorn
13
Quindao Beach 1.
This swimmer had been stung by a jellyfish. You can see the marks on his stomach.
Philipp Engelhorn
14
Quindao Beach 1.
"When I asked where they got \[the masks\] they all had their stories about which stall on the market sells them.... or how they made the outfit and mask by themselves to eiher save money or use a different pattern and style than the others."

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