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"Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others."

--Groucho Marx

Couple of confessions to make

Thursday, Jun 12, 2008 9:28PM / Standard Entry / Members only

I've been a bad boy. I've been meaning to tell you, really I have, but things have been so insanely busy, I haven't had time. Although a few of you are no doubt aware of it, I have not told most of you that I moved. It's true, Shenzhen is no longer my zip code. For the time being, I'm stuck in Beijing. Don't get me wrong, Beijing is a great place to visit, but for someone who loves the countryside and is small town at heart, Beijing is cryptonite. This place is so big, it makes Shenzhen feel quaint and Shenzhen is huge. To me anyway. What am I saying, 14 million people is massive.

Still, I've not much choice in the matter. Savvy got a job with Microsoft here in Beijing and that was that. We've been here for 5 days and have already found the perfect community for Reina to be in - the property has five play grounds, tennis courts, basketball, soccer, an incredible indoor swimming pool and the rent is reasonable too. Okay, maybe tennis and basketball are premature, but 5 playgrounds is considerable. All conveniently located in the middle of what currently looks like a war zone. That should change quickly though as construction projects finish. Besides, it is only two blocks from the subway and a short cab ride to Savvy's office. I Already met someone who does marketing stuff for skaters and snow boarders, so maybe it won't be so bad after all.

But the really big news, I've been holding out waiting for actual confirmation via an airline ticket, is that the trip to Uganda is a go! Next month, I will be in Uganda for about three weeks filming a documentary and doing a mess of still photography too. There may even be a layover for a day or two in Dubai, but I've not seen the itinerary yet. Actually, I've not seen much yet, but they told me to get my visa, so it's a go. This is in conjunction with my work for the Foundation for Global Leadership (FGL). If you want to know more, click the link. Basically, we help those with the means to support the work of local and international non governmental organizations (NGOs) in developing countries. It should be a challenging and exciting project to work on and this will be my first trip to continental Africa. I visited the Seychelles for a week in 2001. Amazing place. Beautiful. You should go. What are you waiting for?

So there it is. I've still got a studio in Shenzhen to sort out this summer, I'm living out of a cheap hotel in the Lido, my computer is in storage in Guangzhou (I need to buy a laptop), I only know 3 people in Beijing and already I'm missing Shenzhen. Ironic since I absolutely couldn't stand the place the first two years or so that I lived there. In less than a month, I'm off to Uganda and then back here for a few weeks before taking off for the USA again. Boy, are my arms gonna be tired.

Okay, here's your Reina fix.

No, I did not cause the bruise on her forehead. Baby fall down go boom.

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Point, Shoot, Review

Thursday, May 29, 2008 12:30AM / Standard Entry / Members only

So I'm in the market for a new point-and-shoot camera. Something to carry around when I don't want to schlep a bag full of camera gear (surprisingly often). While I was in Oregon a couple of weeks ago, I went on a hike with my dad and my brother. The location, for those who need to know such things, was the Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge. Now isn't that a mouthful? While on the hike, I hijacked my dad's Canon Powershot SD 950 IS. The IS stands for image stabilization. Seriously, they can put that in a little point and shoot camera for a few hundred bucks? Wow.

Since I'm contemplating purchasing one of these titanium encased babies, I decided to poke around the settings and see what all I could make it do with depth of field, macro, color settings, etc. Overall, I like this version of the Powershot (Canon makes a bevy of different models), but found the dial on the back took a little while to get use too. Image quality seems good, and I like the various preset color settings. Most of the time, when using one of these kinds of cameras, I shoot on auto anyway, but I like having the various features available. My favorite acronym for these cameras is PHD for Push Here Dummy. I always love it when someone hands me a small camera and then proceeds to tell me how to take the photo. "Oh, you mean I push this big button?" But I digress. I've stuck some of my favorite photos from the hike below. Let me know what you think. No, no, be honest. Really, I can take the criticism. I can. Who told you I can't?

I could explain why it is the Baskett Slough NWR, but I'd rather not.

Spring is taking its sweet time this year

There's a woodpecker up there somewhere

The intrepid hikers

Dad checking out some geese in the distance

My elder brother. Well, the eldest of the two.

Couple of horses. They had riders, but I neglected to photograph them.

This is probably my favorite of the bunch

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Pair of Diamonds

Thursday, May 22, 2008 11:02PM / Standard Entry / Members only

Finally, I'm back. Had a decent trip home to visit family and few friends, but the highlight was being able to breath fresh air. Funny, the minute we crossed the border back into Shenzhen, the first thing that I was struck by was the smell of the city. We were in Portland for two weeks and, true to form, I didn't take very many photos. Fear not (or should you?), I do have some pics to share, but in a couple of days as I need to catch up on work before I can play with my own images.

In the meantime, can somebody explain to me the significance of a pair of diamonds? The two of diamonds to be precise. Let me provide some background. One thing I've noticed is that wherever I go in China, I find discarded playing cards on the ground, almost daily. Recently, I decided to take some of these orphans in to see how long it would take me to create a full deck of cards - with jokers, of course. Come to think of it, I should keep my eye out for an empty box too.

Anyway, last weekend, while hanging out in Hong Kong with Mark, awaiting my visa to enter China, I found a solitary 2 of diamonds on the street in Mong Kok. I didn't have a 2 of diamonds, so I snatched it off the ground, much to the amusement of some nearby pedestrians (yes, I have been known to go dumpster diving, but never for cards, please).

Yesterday, in an elevator at my friend's building here in Shenzhen, I spotted a sole discarded card - another 2 of diamonds. Now I realize that there was a 1 in 52 or 56 chance of finding the 2 of diamonds again, but it was also the same style - two identical cards, front and back. So just this once, I kept the redundant card. Who knows, maybe I'll need a spare. It makes me wonder though, is there a message in the cards?

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Open mic night in Shenzhen & a surprise

Monday, Apr 28, 2008 10:42PM / Standard Entry / Members only

I'm trying to get things organized for a two week trip to Portland, Oregon. Leaving in a couple of days to go home to visit family and a few friends. Need some clean air too. However, I wanted to share with you my experience on Saturday at the open mic Poetry and Music night at Cafe 5 that was organized by the Shenzhen Buzz. The event started at 8:30, but when I arrived after 10, people were still getting up and doing their thing. I did hear a poem or two and a couple of people sang before a young lady named Emily Brule, who played guitar and sang a wide range of covers, finished out the set. The event had a good vibe, even if things were winding down by the time I arrived. I know, I should have gone sooner, but I got back from HK late - missed the AnD event there entirely - ate dinner late and, well, hadn't even planned on going to this thing. As usual, Jesse text me to tell me about it and since I had my camera with me.... Well, here's some photos. It helped fill some of the huge void left since the Triple J closed about two months ago. No news yet on when Jia Jia will reopen her cafe or where the new location will be.

Anybody spot Jesse in the crowd?

Emily Brule on guitar

Kris Plasier enjoys the tunes played by Emily (his girlfriend)

Shenzhen's most dedicated surfer

Lila and James organized the night's event

Right as I clicked the shutter, he burst out laughing. Totally out of context with the music she was playing. Cafe 5 also has the best looking mic stand in three provinces.

And now for your surprise: it's Reina!

She's sporting an A for the website. She's that big a fan.

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My afternoon with Jet Li and Jackie Chan

Thursday, Apr 24, 2008 10:29AM / Standard Entry / Members only

Mark Moran called me at the crack of noon and asked if I was available for a photo shoot. The gig was not necessarily my niche. Long ago, I left portrait work and weddings behind for a more meandering style of shooting. However, since it was to shoot Jet Li and Jackie Chan for their new film, The Forbidden Kingdom, I quickly determined it would be foolish for me to turn it down. Basically, I figured if the legion of Jet Li fans ever found out I had declined, they would tar and feather me; to say nothing of the multitude of Jackie Chan followers. So I packed my kit, left Shenzhen in the wee hours on shoot day and headed for Hong Kong.

The gig was at a modestly swanky hotel in TST and ran something like this: every thirty minutes, a different reporter would interview Jet and Jackie and their photographer would shoot some pics for whatever magazine they represented.

This went on, almost non-stop, for seven hours. My job was to capture the overall feel of the press junket and get some nice candid shots, which, based on the comments of Jet and Jackie’s fans, I accomplished. Whew. Imagine if I had done a poor job what kind of beating I would have received? Essentially, I had to do the gig and do it well to save my own life. Not a situation a travel photographer often finds himself in.

“Excuse me sir, but may I photograph you as you harvest the rice?”

“Certainly! But if you make me look fat, I’ll beat you with this thrasher.”

“Gulp!”

To be fair, I only covered three of the seven hours of interviews before packing my bag and heading back to Shenzhen. Seven hours! That’s not an interview, that’s an inquisition. Unfortunately, I could not understand any of the interviews as they were conducted in Cantonese and Mandarin. I gathered that had I understood one interview, I would have gotten the gist of all of them. Acting may seem all glitz and glamor, but there is plenty of work and I suspect by that last interview, the questions were getting tedious.

Jet and Jackie were cool and between interviews it was clear they really do get along well. Although I could tell they wanted to get to know me (ha) I did my best to blend in with the wallpaper and stay out of the way. This harbors back to my work experience as a bellman in a small boutique hotel that catered to business executives and the famous. I “met” quite a few athletes, musicians, actors and politicians, but essentially just did my job as best I could without ever going, “Oh my gawd! You’re David Hasselhoff!” Although, when I delivered a burger and fries to the then 19-year-old Shaquille O’Neil, I did do a double take. He is still the “biggest” star I’ve ever seen.

I’ve taken some of my favorite shoots from the photo shoot and placed them in an album which you can take a gander at by clicking the following link: ohmygodicannotbelievetheyletmephotographjetliandjackiechan

Cheers

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