<p>A holiday gift of sorts came early in more than 20 countries over the weekend, as volunteer photographers shot free, studio-quality portraits of more than 16,000 people who otherwise couldn't have afforded them.</p><p>A working-class neighborhood of Shanghai was among the more than 130 sites where the photo shoots took place, part of a global project inspired by Help-Portrait, a U.S.-based nonprofit.</p><p>Ronny Chan, an electrical engineer originally from Hong Kong, was among the 16 volunteers at the New Citizen Life Center. He spent much of his day trying to coax smiles from subjects who had rarely if ever sat for portraits.</p><p>"Xiao," said Chan, using the Mandarin word for smile, as he tried to brighten up the expressions on a migrant couple with a pair of grandchildren on their laps.</p><p><a href="http://digital.vpr.net/post/working-class-chinese-picture-day-rare-treat">Keep reading...</a></p>