Deng was born in Beijing in 1959 and is a world-famous portrait photographer. He is also a professor at Tsinghua University. Deng graduated from Beijing Film Academy in 1982. He was awarded the high distinction of Fellowship from The Royal Photographic Society (FRPS) in 2004. He has held many solo exhibitions in China and foreign countries, including, "Peace Portraits—World Eminent Figures by Deng Wei," shown in UN headquarters in New York in 2004, and "Wind from China," shown at the Royal Photographic Society's headquarters, the Fenton House. Deng has published 19 works, among which are: A Photographic Record of Eminent Cultural Figures of China, World Celebrities Through Deng Wei's Camera and Sun on the Aegean Sea.