The most difficult assignment: how to carry your gear

One of the greatest struggles a photographer has is figuring out how to lug gear around. It was always one of my biggest questions to other photographers — what bag do you use? After years of buying bags, asking friends, reading reviews and scrutinizing specs — I finally have the answer.

You need many.

Every situation has an appropriate bag that fits the bill. If you are climbing a mountain, you’ll want a different bag than one you would need going to a fashion shoot. If you don’t need a computer with you, you probably don’t want a bag with the extra space it takes up that day. If your traveling through a dodgy city, you might want a bag that doesn’t look like your housing $20,000 worth of camera gear. If you are shooting a wedding, you probably don’t want a dirty backpack. The list goes on … However, if you check out the video above you’ll notice I do a very wide array of assignments (ergo, I need many different bags).

However, the one bag I’ve had the hardest time finding, I’ve finally discovered: the traveling photo bag.

One goal of mine is to always have as little as possible to minimize weight on my body. Photographer’s like Corey Rich, Jimmy Chin or Dan Carr fall into the outdoor/adventure photographer category. They carry tons of weight into the backcountry (through deep snow, up steel hills) — plus skis, boots, snowshoes, lights, snow shovels, clothes, food and water. While I don’t fall into this category, I do often fall into a similar world — the traveling photographer category. I need to carry gear and everything I need to live for extended periods of time. To make it more difficult I don’t want more than one bag if I can help it. Having two bags means while you are walking, you can’t be shooting (without putting everything down).

After years of trying to find the right bag for this situation I stumbled upon a company called F-Stop who has some unique bags for photographer’s shooting in the backcountry and those of us traveling around on assignment.

F-Stop Satori

F-Stop Satori

WHAT THEY SAY: The Satori is our ultimate expedition camera pack. No matter where you go and what the conditions, this pack was designed to keep your gear safe. Functionality Remarks:

  • Our largest Expedition sized backpack. The perfect choice for getting all your gear and supplies to your base camp or a distant shoot location. Ideal for prolonged trips when you have to carry absolutely everything with you.
  • Comes with XLarge ICU – (7.5” Deep x 11” Wide x 19” Tall). All Mountain Series backpacks work with all ICU’s so you can use the correct ICU for the trip. Smaller ICU for less camera gear and more other stuff, or an extra ICU for all Camera gear.
  • Airline Carry-On Friendly – At the legal size limits for major airlines (F-Stop Team flies with the Satori as carry on hundreds of times a year).
  • Molle attachment points work with every piece from our Dakota Component System and the internationally standardized Molle System.
  • Internal padded Laptop Sleeve fits up to a 17” laptop.
  • Rip Stop nylon and high density foam make this backpack a workhorse that stands up to abuse.
  • Full sized hip belt, padded shoulder straps, and adjustable sternum strap allow you to carry heavy loads easier.
  • Numerous, Large external pockets and straps fit tripod, snow shovel, snowboard, skis, and almost anything else you want to carry.

F-Stop Tilopa Details

WHAT I SAY: I can’t believe it took me so long to find this bag. Simply put — this bag can make the traveling photographer’s life easier. To begin, it doesn’t look like a photo bag. You now blend in with any other dirtbag backpacker who probably isn’t carrying $20,000 worth of camera gear with them.

My favorite part of the bag is it feels like you are wearing a backpack, not a camera bag. I’ve tried lots of other camera backpacks but they all feel clumsy and out of balance. The truth about traveling is you spend a lot of time on your feet. You are always walking around, getting lost and waiting. Being comfortable can go miles for your photography.

Having a compact bag that disguises your camera gear and is comfortable is a huge bonus. When purchasing this bag Colby Brown, Community and Events Manager of F-Stop told me:

I am heading back to do some work around Mt. Everest next April. Just about all of us here at F-Stop are either professional photographers or product designers.

Unlike Tamarac and Lowepro, it really does feel like a photographer designed the bag — and a photographer who spends a lot of time in the outdoors. The bag gives you the option of holding different amounts of gear pending on your needs. This is different than most camera backpacks that give you a small and defined space for non camera gear (see some of the other examples of this below). The backpack works with a removable Internal Camera Unit (ICU).

F-Stop Internal Camera Unit

The ICU comes in four different sizes ranging in price from $59-$75. This gives you the freedom to decide how much camera gear vs. traveling or hiking gear you need. All of the ICUs are compatible with all F-Stop bags as well. I purchased two ICU’s off the back (a large and an extra large). With the large one holding a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM, a Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM, a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM, two Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flashes , a Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2 and I still have room for traveling gear, food and water.

I do have to say, when I travel — I travel light. So the above scenerio is completely possible assuming you are not traveling with a hairdryer, kitchen sink or scuba gear. Another words, if you can live with one pair of pants and one pair of shorts for three weeks, you have enough room.

There is also lots of pockets and webbing on the outside which easily holds a tripod or other HDDSLR stabilization gear. A lot of this stuff looks like it was designed to hold skis, snowboards and snow shovels, but these seamlessly fulfill other needs of a traveling photographer.

On a costumer service level the company has been excellent. Follow them on Twitter @ftsopgear here. My initial DM’s were responded to quickly as well as emails. When I did purchase this bag, Colby made sure the order processed and shipped the same morning to China (I told him I wanted it for an upcoming trip). The bag arrived within 5-days.

So far, I’ve just tested this bag around Beijing. I’m traveling through Tibet and Nepal August 20 through September 4 to put it to the real test. Will give an update for those interested when I return.

SPECS:
Volume: 58 Liter / 3,500 Cubic Inches
Weight: 2700 Grams – 5.95lbs (With XLarge ICU) / 1850 Grams – 4.08lbs (No ICU)
Dimensions: 12 in x 26 in x 10 in
Internal Compartment Dimensions: 12 in x 24 in x 10 in
Internal Compartment Space Available with XLarge ICU: 5 in tall ½ in on each side, extra depth taken by laptop sleeve.
Torso Length: 18.5 in
Frame: Metal internal Frame for support carrying heavy loads.
Fabric Info: Ballistic Rip-stop Nylon, Abrasion Resistant Nylon Webbing, High Density foam, Heavy Gauge Zippers, YKK Waterproof Zippers, Waterproof Urethane coasted mesh

Check out the Satori ($349) bag from F-Stop here.
Check out the Tilopa (slightly smaller — $295) bag from F-Stop here.

A long history of bags

Finding this bag meant buying lots of other bags. Here are some of the other bags I own or have owned and some thoughts on them. Hopefully, my expensive habit of buying camera bags can save you some time, money and energy.

Tamrac 5612 Pro 12 Camera Shoulder Bag

Tamarac 5612 Pro 12 Camera Shoulder Bag
Video demo here

WHAT THEY SAY: The Ultra Pro 13 is ideal for the professional photographer carrying two DSLRs with lenses attached, 4-5 additional lenses, flashes, accessories and a 15.4 in laptop. The front pocket is foam-padded and has a plastic reinforced bottom to protect most 15.4 in screen laptops. The foam-padded main compartment features Tamrac’s USA patented Double Lens-Bridge Divider System. The Total Coverage Top combines the security of a zipper with the convenience of quick-release buckles and fast-access hook and loop closures. The top also features a Speed Pocket for fast access to accessories and personal items. A rigid plastic platform in the bottom provides shock protection. Two ZipDrop front pockets feature Windowpane-Mesh and paraphernalia pockets to visibly organize accessories. The front pockets also feature Tamrac’s U.S. patented Memory & Battery Management System that uses red flags to identify available memory cards and batteries from ones that are used up. Two large Windowpane-Mesh pockets inside the top keep other accessories secure. A zippered back pocket keeps manuals or maps within reach, while the Piggy-Back Pocket zips open to allow the bag to be slipped over the handle of rolling luggage. An EasyGrip carrying handle with a torsion bar stabilizer strut in the top helps distribute the weight of your equipment. The bag can also be carried with the heavily padded BioCurve shoulder strap that features attachment slots for our Strap Accessory System (S.A.S.) products to customize this large pro bag to perfectly fit your needs. A removable M.A.S. Rain Cover is included to protect camera gear in extreme weather. When not needed, the Rain Cover can be removed and replaced with another M.A.S. accessory, like a water bottle or lens case.

WHAT I SAY: For all intents and purposes, this is my favorite shoulder bag. Its simple, strong and is a rock of a camera bag. I bought mine in 2007 and all of the supports, fabrics and zippers work perfectly fine still. I use it when I need to bring more than one camera body with me and multiple flashes with multiple lenses. Although the bag gets heavy, since it is wide the weight distribution doesn’t hurt so much. Even if jammed pack full of gear, this bag can carry on any plane without a hassle. The walls are all customizable and the depth is big enough to hold a lot of odds and ends. Also, its extremely affordable coming in at only $135. My big complaint about the bag has less to do with the bag and more to do with the type of bag it is. If your ever in a rush, running or need to be agile — shoulder bags this big just aren’t great, which is why I favor a backpack.

However, for formal occassions the backpack doesn’t really fit in. It can be hard to figure out how to dress as a photographer, and the bag certainly counts as part of your outfit. Someone once told me, you — “you should dress as if you were going to the event and not working.” I’ve seen journalists at funerals wearing sandals and shorts and it seems very disrespectful. I’ve also seen journalists in ties at garage sales, and they stick out a bit. A straight black shoulder bag can be formal enough (I think). I use this bag for shooting weddings or formal events. Its black, simple and doesn’t look like I’ve gone up and down a mountain with before arriving at the event.

SPECS:
Material Exterior: 900 Denier PolyTek is a smooth, very tightly woven, extremely strong and double coated fabric to provide superior weatherproofing.
Exterior: Ballistic nylon
Interior: Lined with thick, closed-cell foam for the very best shock and vibration protection.
Type of Closure: EasySqueeze buckles, Internal zipper
Exterior Dimensions: 19 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 10 in (50 x 27 x 25 cm) (WxHxD)
Interior Dimensions: 15 x 6 3/4 x 8 1/4 in (38 x 17 x 21 cm) (WxDxH)
Tripod Holder: Yes
Accommodates: 2 Film or digital SLR camera bodies with a short zoom lens attached, 6-7 additional lenses, flash, and accessories
Carrying/Transport Options: BioCurve shoulder strap, EasyGrip carrying handle
Weight: 4 lb 7 oz (2.01 kg)

B&H Price $134.99
Tamarac official page

Classified 250 Pro Shoulder Bag

Classified 250 Pro Shoulder Bag
Take a product tour here

WHAT THEY SAY: Best Photo Bag of 2009 Award Winner from Europe’s Technical Imaging Press Association (TIPA) Hardworking bags specifically designed for the hardworking photojournalists who carry them. The Classified 250 AW shoulder bag conceals gear (and the mission) while protecting it with artful balance. This nimble, fast-access bag features a slimmer profile, contoured to move easily with the body and help the professional navigate a busy street in Prague or a crowded subway in New York. Soft edges, briefcase styling, leather details at contact points, and an embossed logo create a discreet aesthetic. Collapsible, removable padding in the main compartment allows custom organization. The built-in All Weather Cover™ protects contents from the elements. Premium features include: a padded notebook compartment to protect up to a 15.4″ widescreen notebook; large capacity main compartment with angled opening; removable memory card wallet with space for 6 CF or SIM cards; unique, leather-trimmed divider system to suspend camera and protect lens mounting points; padded shoulder strap with camera keeper to prevent sliding; removable 3-point stabilizing strap; zippered gusset to expand capacity; built-in microfiber cloth to protect LCD screen; SlipLock(TM) attachment loops at side; 2 built-in key clips; luggage sleeve; leather handle wrap.

WHAT I SAY: This bag looks great; however, once you put a 15 inch MacBook Pro, a HDDSLR with a couple lenses, the weight all falls very heavy on one shoulder. While i have other shoulder bags, the compact nature of this bag doesn’t give a lot of weight dispersion. I do love the fact that its top loading — meaning you can take things in and out without taking off the bag. Access to the camera is excellent. But the reality of the weight of professional camera gear made this bag physically painful to use except for commuting purposes. On the bright side, it doesn’t look like your holding a camera which is very nice and most likely more safe for theft purposes. The bag itself is also fairly heavy. For a shoulder bag, it almost weights as much as a backpack.

SPECS:
Material: Interior: Fully collapsible, removable padding
Type of Closure: Zipper
Exterior Dimensions: 18.3 x 11 x 14″ (48.48 x 27.94 x 35.56cm) (WxDxH)
Interior Dimensions: 15 x 6.3 x 11″ (38.1 x 16 x 27.94cm) (WxDxH)
Tripod Holder: No
Accommodates: 1-2 professional digital SLR camera bodies with 70-200 f/2.8 lens attached, 2-3 lenses or flash and a 15.4″ widescreen laptop computer.
Carrying/Transport Options: Carry handle, Shoulder strap
Weight: 4.21 lbs (1.91kg)

LowePro Price 229.99
B&H Price $169.95

Lowepro Fastpack 250 Backpack

Lowepro Fastpack 250 Backpack

WHAT THEY SAY: Go all day with the lightweight, comfortable Fastpack 250 backpack. It protects your digital SLR and 15.4 in widescreen notebook compactly while providing generous storage for your other gear. Side-entry compartments let you quickly grab equipment and accessories, even while you’re on the move. Customize the easy-to-access main compartment with adjustable dividers. A comfortable mesh waistbelt helps distribute weight evenly. To help you make the most of this Lowepro bag take a look at our new product video.

WHAT I SAY: This is by far and away my favorite “office” backpack. Its small enough to travel in a city with a single HDDSLR body with a 200 mm lens attached, a couple additional lenses (nothing big — I usually keep a 50mm, 14mm or a 24-70mm), strobes and a 15 in MacBook Pro. The side access pocket is fantastic and puts this bag above all other small backpacks in terms of ease of access. You can get your camera out without taking the bag off very quickly. I have had problems with the zipper not working entirely great. Also, there is no way to put a tripod on this bag, which makes it a deal breaker for certain shoots.

SPECS:
Material Exterior: Water-resistant 420 denier nylon fabric
Exterior: 600 denier polyester
Interior: Padded
Type of Closure: Buckles , Zippers
Exterior Dimensions: 12.4 x 9.4 x 18.1 in (31.5 x 23.88 x 45.97cm) (WxDxH)
Interior Dimensions: 11 x 5.9 x 9.3 in (27.94 x 14.99 x 23.62cm) (WxDxH)
Tripod Holder: No
Waist Belt: Yes
Accommodates: D-SLR camera with lenses flash and accessories, Laptop computer with screen up to 15.4″
Carrying/Transport Options: Backpack harness, Carry strap, Waist belt
Weight: 3.62 lbs (1.64kg)

Lowepro Price: $119.99
BH Price: $89.95

Rover AW II Camera Backpack Kit

Rover AW II Camera Backpack Kit

WHAT THEY SAY: Versatility and then some! This three compartment backpack carries a digital pro SLR with lens attached, 2-4 additional lenses (up to 80-200 mm), a 17″ notebook computer, digital accessories and personal gear. But capacity alone is not what makes the CompuRover AW so amazing. It’s packed with features that every digital Adventure photographer will appreciate, a drop-down tripod holder, cable management bag, removable waist belt, built-in memory card pouch and the patented All Weather Cover™. It’s more than enough to impress any photographer.

WHAT I SAY: What a pain it is to get your camera in and out of this bag. The zipper is in the middle of the bag so every time you need to get something out of it, you have to put it down. Furthermore, when accessing the camera, the weight of the top compartment can make it difficult to close and possibly dangerous for anything breakable in the top compartment. My biggest complaint about this bag is actually the description — sure you can have a 200mm lens with you but not attached to the body. When I was using this bag I had to always leave the camera in the bag with a 14mm, 50mm or some other small lens which equates to an extra lens change every time you put the bag away (assuming you weren’t using that lens before). Furthermore, the company claims the bag holds a “17″ notebook computer.” This is just false. I have a 15″ MacBook Pro that I can’t get to fit in this bag if the camera compartment is filled.

SPECS:
Material: Water-resistant 1200D ballistic TXP and 600D ballistic nylon
Type of Closure: YKK water resistant zipper with silent zipper pulls
Exterior Dimensions: 13.4 x 9.1 x 21.7″ (34 x 223.1 x 55.1 cm) (WxDxH)
Interior Dimensions: Top Compartment: 12.6 x 7.3 x 12.6″ (32 x 18.5 x 32 cm)(WxDxH)
Camera Compartment: 11.6 x 6.9 x 8.3″ (29.5 x 17.5 x 21 cm)(WxDxH)
Notebook Compartment: 11.6 x 1.9 x 18.7″ (29.5 x 4.8 x 47.5 cm) (WxDxH)
Accommodates: Digital or photo SLR with lens attached, 2 additional lenses, accessories and notebook computer
Carrying/Transport Options: Contoured shoulder harness, Detachable waistbelt
Weight: 5.6 lb (2.5 kg)

LowePro price 252.99
B&H Price $ 189.95

Tamrac 5549 Adventure 9 Backpack

Tamarac 5549 Adventure 9 Backpack

WHAT THEY SAY: The Adventure 9 is a modern backpack designed for the photographer with a pro digital SLR (such as Canon’s EOS 1D Series or Nikon’s D2 Series) with a grip and 5″ lens attached, several additional lenses, a flash, accessories and a laptop. The completely foam-padded lower compartment protects photo equipment, while the large top compartment holds a light jacket, lunch or other necessary items. Inside the top, a Pop-Off Pocket™ keeps AC adaptors and laptop cords organized. A separate, completely foam-padded compartment provides quick access to a 17″ screen laptop (such as Apple’s 17″ MacBook Pro or other laptops up to 15½” x 11″ x 2″ in size) without disturbing photo gear.

Double zipper pulls provide quick access to photo gear while a weather flap and quick-release buckle provide security and weather protection. Inside the main compartment, foam pillars support the camera with lens attached, ready for action, while adjustable, foam-padded dividers protect other equipment. Tamrac’s patented Memory & Battery Management System™ uses red flags to identify available memory cards and batteries from ones that are used up. A Windowpane-Mesh™ pocket organizes filters, cables and other accessories.

Two mesh side pockets provide quick access to accessories and water bottles. The comfortable, foam-padded backpack harness with sternum strap is contoured to distribute the weight of the camera gear across the shoulders. The harness also features Tamrac’s Strap Accessory System™ attachment points for customizing this pack with optional Tamrac S.A.S.™ products. Two lash tabs on the bottom allow a tripod to be carried (requires accessory straps, Model S-113, sold separately).

WHAT I SAY: This was my favorite day pack that could hold a laptop for a long time. Its comfortable and fairly convenient to get gear out of. However, the front loading compartment is a bit dangerous. There were multiple occasions where I was in a rush and either forgot to zip up the bag part way or completely. The weight of the camera gear against the zipper could actually open up the compartment making a possible disaster. The fabric on this bag didn’t actually stand up to wear and tear as well as other bags I’ve used with tears coming at the zippers and sternum strap.

SPECS:
Material Exterior: 600 denier double coated, weatherproof PolyTek.
Interior: Lined with thick, closed-cell foam
Type of Closure: Double zipper pulls for quick access to photo gear, Quick release buckle
Exterior Dimensions: 13 x 11 x 20″ (33.02 x 27.94 x 50.8cm) (WxDxH)
Interior Dimensions Top Compartment: 11 x 6 1/2 x 8 3/4″ (28 x 17 x 22cm) (WxDxH)
Bottom Compartment: 11 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 8 1/2″ (29 x 14 x 22cm) (WxDxH)
Tripod Holder: Yes with optional accessory straps
Waist Belt: Yes
Accommodates: Pro digital or film SLR with grip and 5.0″ lens attached, several additional lenses, a flash, accessories and a laptop
Carrying/Transport Options: Padded backpack harness
Weight: 4.0 lbs 3.0 oz (1.9kg)

Tamrac Official Page
BH Price: $139.95

Tamrac 5258 CyberPack 8 Photo/Computer Backpack

Tamrac 5258 CyberPack 8 Photo/Computer Backpack

WHAT THEY SAY: The CyberPack 8 combines a laptop, digital SLR equipment and accessories in one convenient, easy-to-carry backpack. The main compartment holds multiple camera bodies, a long telephoto lens up to 13½” attached to an SLR, an array of additional lenses, and strobes. This larger sized pack also accommodates 17″ screen laptops such as Apple’s 17″ MacBook Pro and others up to 11″ x 2″ x 15½”. Windowpane-Mesh™ accessory pockets visibly store AC adapters, cables and other accessories. A professional tripod can be securely carried using Tamrac’s QuickClip™ Tripod Attachment System. A front accessory pocket organizes CDs, a PDA, business cards, pens and cables and features Tamrac’s U.S. patented Memory & Battery Management System™ that uses red flags to identify which memory cards and batteries are available for use. This pack is completely padded with thick, closed-cell foam and has a foam-padded plastic platform in the bottom to provide shock protection. A thickly padded shoulder harness, padded hip belt, and sternum strap ease the burden of carrying this well-equipped pack. Accepts Tamrac’s Modular Accessory System™ (M.A.S.™) and Strap Accessory System™ (S.A.S.™) products to allow for complete customization.

WHAT I SAY: This is the one bag I simply hated it out of the box. When I bought this, I wanted a bag to hold multiple SLR bodies, multiple lenses and be in the backpack format. To be fair — it does that. However, it is one of the more ridiculous looking and feeling backpacks I have owned. It juts out far from your back, distributing weight in a bad way. Almost as if someone is trying to pull you backwards continually as you walk. The bag weighs in at a booming 7 lb. The bag is made with the camera in mind — and nothing else. There is no chance of putting clothes for a week in the bag, water a tent or food (unless you want it in the same place as the camera, which could be dangerous.

I have seen surfing photographers use these bags, seemingly successfully. They are going to be at the beach for a day and won’t be walking around anywhere. They setup a big lens and sit next to the bag all day. It seems fine for that, but you would not want to hike any type of distance if this bag was filled with gear.

SPECS:
Material Exterior: 900 Denier PolyTek fabric
Interior: Closed cell foam padding
Type of Closure: Zipper
Exterior Dimensions: 13 1/2 x 11 1/4 x 20″ (34.29 x 28.58 x 50.8 cm) (WxDxH)
Interior Dimensions: 12 x 6.0 x 18″ (30.48 x 15.24 x 45.72 cm) (WxDxH)
Tripod Holder: Yes – QuickClip tripod attachment system
Waist Belt: Yes – Waist belt adjust to 60″
Accommodates: 2 Pro digital SLR camera bodies with 5-7 lenses, flash, accessories and a laptop computer
Carrying/Transport Options: Thick padded shoulder harness with sternum strap, Hip belt, Carrying handle
Weight: 7.0 lb 7 oz (3.38 kg)

BH Price: $199
Official Tamarac page

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Read more.. Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Happy Birthday Blog

On August 20, this blog will turn one year old. To celebrate I’ve made a reel of some of my favorite content that has appeared on this blog (and its predecessor) over the past 12 months.

In many ways, this is like living a year in my life — compressed into 1 minute and 46 seconds.

The video brings you through China (Beijing Municipality, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Shanghai Municipality, Tianjin Municipality, Shaanxi Province, Anhui Province, Hebei Province), Algeria (Algiers, Oran), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Tioman Palao, Cameroon Highlands) and the United States of America (Lake Tahoe, San Fransisco, Big Sur, San Louis Obispo, Paso Robles), to name a few.

If you can’t tell from that list — its been a very interesting 12 months and I feel very privileged to get to meet so many interesting people and see so many amazing places.

In the video, you see 210 photos go by at an average speed of .06 seconds each. These photographs (with the exception of the slow moving ones) are all actually appearing in chronological order of when they were taken. Since .06 seconds is not much time, if your interested, you can see them individually here. They are arranged by capture time — the most recent being Yao Ming below.

You will notice the crops are all very narrow on these photos as they were sized at 1152 pixels by 648 pixels to adjust for pixel aspect ratio variation of still photographs used in the video medium. Although sometimes this is fine, a lot of them are cropped a little too tight — but when flying by at .06 seconds, it doesn’t hurt too much.

In the reel almost everything has been seen on this blog. However, you do get some quick snapshots into an unreleased film I’ve been working on for months now. Anything you don’t recognize, you can assume is coming from this video.

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Read more.. Thursday, August 5th, 2010

First Sunday edition of China Daily publishes

China Daily pages from this week
I wanted to share a couple pages from this week, all with some relatively enormous photos of mine on them. Most of these photos have appeared on this blog in the past week — however, for those of you not in China, this is a chance to see how they appeared in print.

First, if you remember from last week my shoot with Yao Ming, the photo published today in the first ever Sunday edition of China Daily. For the past 30 years, China Daily has published in different increments; however, starting today — Sunday, August 2, 2010 China Daily has gone 7-days a week. The Sunday edition is more feature heavy than news heavy. Here’s today’s A1 with the Yao Ming portrait.

China Daily Sunday

The Yao Ming blog entry generated a lot of traffic last week — and was actually picked up by a lot of Chinese media. Although the translation of my blog entry was a bit different, the headline used still makes me laugh: “Short man challenged by photographing Chinese giant.”

The Anhui trip generated a two page spread that appeared on Friday, across pages 18 and 19. The first page, about the Anhui Poverty Alleviation Program, followed by a travel story on Hefei, Anhui Province.

Anhui Poverty Alleviation Program

If you missed the post, here is the video that went with this article:

Anhui Travel Article

The last page prints in tomorrow’s (Monday’s) China Daily. Its a portrait of Chinese author Yu Hua.

Yu Hua (simplified Chinese: 余华; traditional Chinese: 余華; pinyin: Yú Huá) is a Chinese author, born April 3, 1960 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. He worked as a dentist for five years and later turned to fiction in 1983 because he didn’t like “looking into people’s mouths the whole day.” Writing allowed him to be more creative and flexible. He grew up during the Cultural Revolution and many of his stories and novels are marked by this experience. One of the distinctive characteristics of his work is his penchant for detailed descriptions of brutal violence[1]

It was very interesting to meet another Revolutionary writer, the last one being Poet Zhai Yongming 翟永明.

Author Yu Hua

All four of these are good examples of the evolution of the new China Daily. Although these are all feature pages (with the exception of the A1), they show a lot of progress since before the redesign. If you haven’t seen what China Daily used to look like, there are before and after sample pages on my main site here.

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Read more.. Sunday, August 1st, 2010

Anhui Poverty Alleviation Project

Last week I spent some time with NGO Shanghai Roots & Shoots in Yangshan Village, Anhui Province. The above video is the product of this trip. Here is the story behind it, click photos to embiggin them.

A long journey

Getting to Yangshan Village reminded me once again, how difficult getting to rural areas can be in China. After about two hours into our flight from Beijing to Anhui Province, the pilot announced he couldn’t land the plane in our planned destination city due to weather. At the news of this information, it all of a sudden became acceptable for passengers to begin smoking cigarettes on the plane, which I thought was very entertaining — a glimpse into 1970’s air travel perhaps.

In stead, the plane landed in Nanjing, a city just West of Shanghai. We had the choice to wait for the plane to takeoff and fly back to Hefei or forfeit our ticket. Not wanting to waste anytime we decided to attempt to get to Hefei by land instead of air.

After almost swimming to a bus through thick rain, we arrived at a train station jammed packed from people avoiding the massive amounts of water coming from the sky. The general Chinese travel chaos was in full force, with ephemeral and evasive queues and the normal population of people who look like they have spent many days at the station. Although we bought train tickets, while waiting for the train we decided to try to rent a person (with a car). This was clearly a seller’s market and prices were way over the top. We really lucked out here when our driver in Hefei offered to come to Nanjing and pick us up (about 3 hours away). After waiting for 3 hours he arrived and we began our 10 hour car ride to Yangshan Village. It looked like this (for 10 hours):

While I’m sure I’ve been on more dangerous car rides, this one featured our driver speeding up the side of a mountain at 120 km per hour, with no guard railings, seemingly hydroplaning continually for hours on end. However, he did have his 4-way flashers on, which I was sure would keep me safe. From our 5 am departure time from Beijing, we arrived in Yangshan Village around 2 am the next day.

Yangshan Village Morning

Officially, the average income of a villager in Yangshan Village, Anhui Province, China is 1,200 yuan per year ($177). However, villagers there said it was 700 yuan per year (less than $100). So apart from a single small store that thankfully sold coca-cola, there was no commerce in this village; ergo, no hotels.

We slept at Yangshan Elementary School on a classroom floor. Although I only had about 3 hours of sleep, I woke up the next morning to a break in the rain. It lasted about 4 hours, and would be the only break in the rain for an entire week. However, it was a great break. As the clouds opened up I had a wander around the village before people had woken up. Fog, mist and a vibrant sky made some pretty neat landscapes.

Layered Foggy landscape

This type of light, combined with moisture creates great layers of fog for landscape photography. Here are other examples of this from the Sierra Nevada range or Malaysia.

Anhui Bamboo

The sub-tropical environment also creates some pretty interesting bamboo forests. The bamboo is much more “tree-like” than the species I have seen in the South Pacific or Southeast Asia.

Hut with Ladder

Structures ranged greatly from “house with many walls” to “house with some walls” to “hut with ladder.”

Waking up at Yangshan Village

This peaceful serene environment would soon come to an end when 50 Yangshan Village children would come rip-roaring down the street. This is why I was here …

The Anhui Poverty Alleviation Project

To combat the multigenerational cycle of poverty in Yangshan, Shanghai Roots & Shoots sends volunteers to teach children and create infrastructure. Five years ago, they built a school. Since then, they have been continually returning to help the village during the summer.

Most of the students’ parents don’t live in Yangshan Village. When the villagers get old enough to work as laborers, most will go off to big cities leaving their children with the grandparents. This makes for an interesting demographic in the city — everyone is either really young or really old. Regardless, they are all photogenic. The children especially kind of go off the cuteness chart. Since the kids don’t have their parents around, the volunteers of this program end up acting as big brothers and sisters.

The reason I believe this program is successful is its multidimensional effort to help impoverished people. The combination of efforts from hardware to education helps now — and down the road. This year, the NGO made a new bathroom for the school.

Old bathroom

This is the old bathroom …

New Bathroom

This is the new bathroom …

While the new school and new bathroom are surely a huge step up, watching the children in class was also pretty amazing. The students were far more engaged than at some urban schools I’ve been to. I’m not sure if this enthusiasm is quite as strong when the volunteers aren’t there, but regardless the villagers and students loved having the NGO around.

In the video at the top, towards the end you see a bunch of photographs flash quickly by. The collection of “cute kid” photos I came back with was immense. Here’s some of my favorite that appear in the video, but only for .4 seconds.

If you were wonder, the song used in the video is a classic exercise song that you hear throughout China in the morning hours.

Kids exercising
Student in Class
Playing with volunteer
Girl in class
Full classroom
Volunteer with student
Art class
Lunch time

Although there was some tough weather and tough shooting/sleeping conditions, this shoot ended up being a lot of fun and I’m glad I could see Shanghai Roots & Shoots at work again.

An earlier post on Shanghai Roots & Shoots work in Inner Mongolia here.
An earlier post on Anhui tourism here.

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Read more.. Thursday, July 29th, 2010

From lotus fields to ancient cities in Hefei, Anhui Province

Girl in Lotus field outside Sanhe

Last week I returned from a shoot in Yanshan Village, Anhui Province. I went to a rural school with NGO Shanghai Roots & Shoots to check out a poverty elevation program for an article for this Thursday’s China Daily. Much like the last story I did on this organization, this program was very impressive. More on that shoot later this week.

On my way back from the village, reporter Erik Neilson and I stopped to hang out with the Anhui tourism officials. They told us, we were the first foreign reporters ever sent to Anhui by a Chinese media group (meaning, plenty of Western journalists had been there, but none that worked for Chinese media). To celebrate this momentous occasion they made sure we had a good time by feeding us excessive amounts of food (some of which was a bit hard to stomach) and copious amounts of alcohol (in the form Baijiu and Meijiu) throughout the day, everyday.

While most people wouldn’t think Anhui and tourism are synonymous (its normally known for being poor), the province actually does have a lot to offer. Beyond the famous Huangshan in the Yellow Mountain Range, there are pockets of ancient history throughout the province.

Sanhe-An ancient town.

While the quality of the places I was shown ranged dramatically, one place I did like a lot was Sanhe — the ancient city of Hefei.

Walking into Sanhe, you almost feel like you are leaving China and entering medieval Europe. Although the city is certainly a tourist attraction, the residents are still living within the ancient city walls. Most of the streets are too small for cars, and the streets are lined with cobblestone paths. Given the rainy environment, small shops and people drudging around in big boots — the city really feels and looks ancient.

Sanhe Ancient City

Villagers pride themselves with their sea food which is swimming and slithering in small buckets of water on the sides of the small alleys. At one banquet, the officials insisted that I eat one of their famous mud eels — some type of snakefish that lives in mud. They are black in color, about 10 inches long with a bumpy, slimy and spiny back. The inside of the eel is filled with bones that someone from Sanhe probobly wouldn’t spit out. The rice wine I was being force fed was a true savior to wash this one down. When I say ‘force fed’ it doesn’t necessarily mean someone is holding my head back — however, at these types of meals someone will cheers you about every 1 to 2 minutes. Rather than the entire table cheersing, individuals standup and cheers each other. However, as a foreign guest in this situations, you end up raising your glass very often (another example of this here “Lessons from getting into a drinking match with Mongolian farmers”).

Two person alley

The alleys of Sanhe were measured in entertaining terms — one person, two person or three person alleys. Meaning, how many people can fit side-by-side while walking. One of the one person alleys I was in was small enough I couldn’t keep my umbrella open. The alley in the photo above is a two person alley.

Lotus Field

While the tourism officials held my hand from attraction to attraction (through the rain), during lunch with the mayor of Sanhe, I was informed me of an enormous lotus field on the outskirts of the city. However, this wasn’t on the tourism officials – official, list of things to do. In a quick deal with the officials, I agreed to do portraits of the tourism officials, party officials and mayor in the lotus fields, in exchange for getting access to the fields.

Lotus Flower

And she wasn’t kidding, it was enormous. Hanging out in the rain in a field of lotus just about as far as you can see is pretty neat. Frogs are jumping off lotus leaves and the saturation of the color is extremely vibrant. Some of these leaves and flowers can grow much bigger than your head.

Lotus Giants

The mayor told me she thought most of these plants were about 3.5 meters tall. The plant itself can get even bigger as Wikipedia tells us:

The plant normally grows up to a height of about 150 cm and a horizontal spread of up to 3 meters, but some unverified reports place the height as high as over 5 meters. The leaves may be as large as 60 cm in diameter, while the showy flowers can be up to 20 cm in diameter.

When we weren’t eating slimey foods and strong alcohals, we spent the rest of the time was visiting historical spots, houses and ruins (see slideshow below).

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Read more.. Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

Yao Ming much taller than me

Yao Ming

Today at an “exclusive interview” with Yao Ming, I realized how short I am.

Although I’ve seen him on television before, you really feel small when you stand next to a 7 ft 6 in man trying to take his picture. For reference I am 5 ft 5 in. If your unfamiliar with Yao Ming, Wikipedia tells us:

Yao Ming (Chinese: 姚明; pinyin: Yáo Míng; born September 12, 1980) is a professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is currently the tallest player in the NBA, at 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in).

Although he is very famous in the United States, he is a pop icon in China, and a very positive symbol. The interview was 30 minutes long. At the end, I got about 45 seconds to take a portrait (the shot above). I was fortunate to have a mobile lighting kit with me today (the interview was filmed for chinadaily.com.cn).

The shot above was taken with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM (at f=1.2). I can’t say enough good things about this lens and its ability to give you raser sharp accuracy with depth-of-field.

If you notice, in this shot I’m actually looking down at the man who is more than 2-feet taller than me. Although I thought about bringing a ladder, it didn’t fit into my backpack. Friend @beijingdaze recommended:
Beijing Daze
Since I didn’t have a chainsaw or bat with me I ended up climbing the wall of the hotel room we were in, until I had a foothold high enough to shoot down on Yao Ming, allowing me to catch one of his eyes in focus (which his PR people thought was very entertaining), in my allotted 45 seconds for the portrait (not much time to screw up).

Yao Ming tight shot

The other 30 minutes proceeding the above portrait, I spent watching the interview and shooting. However, there is two cameras rolling which makes it pretty hard to navigate the room without getting in their frames. On top of that — in this situation, you are really just shooting a man sitting in a chair (be it, a very large man).

Since the cameras were rolling, it also stops you from using a flash. As a self admitted ISO snob, this could be a problem. For this interview, I managed to stay under 400 ISO, and given the Canon 5D Mark II’s sensor, it didn’t produce much grain. The lights also produce some very warm temperatures in the film representation. Most images all had to be bumped down to around k=2800.

Yao Ming Interview

The images from the rest of the interview, mostly are tight frames (like the two above) of his head, in an attempt to find some emotion in a relatively emotionless room.

You may have noticed at the top of this post, I quoted the words “exclusive interview.” This was an interesting lesson I learned today. I’ve noticed the Chinese use this term differently for a long time, but today it really clicked what the difference is. In the west, we consider an exclusive interview an interview that no one else gets. However, in China — it only means that you (your media organization) is the only one in the room at the time. So even if the subject gives 15 interviews on the same subject that day, if you were the only one there — it’s exclusive. Non-exclusive interviews refer to those that happen at press conferences.

Yao Ming Group Photo

Surely the funniest part of the shoot was while we were packing up. One of the camera man asked me if I thought it would be ok, if he asked Yao Ming for a photo. I replied something simple like “it probably wouldn’t be very professional, and I wouldn’t do it.” But sure enough, about 2-minutes later I’m taking the China Daily staff’s picture with Yao. He’s standing about .5 feet behind the group, and still towers over them. Their expressions are priceless.

On a final note, I wanted to point out that Yao Ming is actually quite the philanthropist (unlike Tourise). The Yao Ming Foundation helps the lives of children in the U.S. and China. Check out his official NBA page here, his foundation’s page here and his fan page here to get an idea of the scope of Yao Ming’s reach.

Yao Ming in chair

Update: Thursday, July 21, 10:17 am

At the request of friend @sueannetay, author of Shanghai Street Stories, I’ve added a shot where you can see his legs. In the photo above you actually get an idea of how big he is — the person doing the interview is not a small guy; however, next to Yao he looks miniature.

Yao Ming Sitting

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Read more.. Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Photo illustration: Creating something from nothing

Sweaty bald head

Click photos to enlarge

Recently China Daily decided we needed to work on the presentation of our health pages.

In the past, health articles would normally come from a wire service and would often not include any art. China Daily editor’s would than pull stock photos to help illustrate the topics. Often these images were dry and even off-topic (for more on my feelings of stock photography, see this post). In an effort to create better presentations I’ve picked up this beat (photographically and design wise). However, rarely is there anything to actually photograph, so week-after-week I’ve been given the job of making a picture to match a story.

I used to do this a lot while working at the Tahoe Daily Tribune and I had forgotten how much fun it can be. Essentially, each assignment is like having a blank canvas in which you can represent things in a million different ways. For example, today’s China Daily features an article about the recent heat wave’s effects on health.

Dripping sweat
For this one, I grabbed China Daily intern Yi Wei Liu and asked him to run in circles in the sun untill he started sweating. This didn’t take long and the result is above. However, as I was waiting for the intern to begin sweating, friend Mark Hughes strolled by with a sweat already on his brow (very top photo). The relatively funny photos turned into this design.

Summer's Heat
Slightly before this article, China Daily featured an article on habitual actions. For this article I thought about what I do habitually, and natural the first thing that came to my mind was coffee.

Coffee Dream

I tried to create a dreamy effect with depth-of-field only focusing on the liquid in a cup of coffee while blurring out a silly amount of coffee beans (I had to buy to take the photo) below.

Men in the park

While looking for a secondary photo I found a habitual action in two of my neighbors who sit in a park at nearly the same time everyday. While the article talks about habitual actions actually making us happy, when I went to the park I caught this “slice-of-life” style shot. The two images resulted in this presentation:

Habitual Actions

Photo Illustrations and representation

This weekly assignment is really turning into a lot of fun (mostly making interns run in the sun); however, photographic representation or illustration really has no limits. While these photos aren’t so far from the subjects, other photo illustrations can be. However, combined with the right headline and layout they can really make a great technique for story telling. Here’s some other photo illustrations I’ve made in the past.

Apple Season

This illustrated a food story about different things to do with apples.


Earth Day

This illustration used for an earth day article referenced clean energy light bulbs.


Is your iPod too loud on the ski slope?

Is your iPod too loud on the ski slope?


Wondering whether winter will welcome white weather

Wondering whether winter will welcome white weather (Hows that for alliteration)


Tightening laws on sex offenders

In this example, even the headline can be the illustration. This headline was used to illustrate a story about tighter laws on sex offenders. Looking back at this years later, I say this is borderline inappropriate.


In Ted we trust?

A politician (Ted) was being accused of some messy things. The headline — In Ted we Trust?


The 'ol Tahoe almanac

Yet another, weather related cover of the Tahoe Daily Tribune. On the day this published, we actually printed this on the cover/a1 instead of the normal layout. A great way to get reader's attention.

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Read more.. Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Not in Beijing? You can still wander the hutongs from your home

Shot on anyday — this is a moving glimpse into an average day wandering through the hutongs of Beijing. A visual chance to float through the narrow alleys which contain and represent thousands of years of history and culture.

This isn’t a special day, there are no protagonists and for the most part — nothing is happening. It’s simply life as it was and as it is.

This digital tour of Beijing’s ancient alleys (“hutongs”) was shot with a Canon EF 14mm f/2.8 L II USM, Canon 5D Mark II and filtered with a Final Cut Pro SmoothCam Filter. The video was used as a visual background (on loop) for the Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Agency’s “Do you hutong? 看!胡同” fundraiser and event aimed at helping to preserve Beijing’s culture that lives within the second ring.

Essentially, this was eye candy for a party.

The smooth camera filter is very interesting. According to the FCP manual:

Unlike other filters in Final Cut Pro, the SmoothCam filter must analyze a clip’s entire media file before the effect can be rendered or played in real time. Using the SmoothCam filter requires two independent phases:

Motion analysis: Pixels in successive frames are analyzed to determine the direction of camera movement. Analysis data is stored on disk for use when calculating the effect. Motion compensation: During rendering or real-time playback, the SmoothCam filter uses the motion analysis data to apply a four-corner transformation to each frame, compensating for camera movement.

So essentially, this filter is cropping every frame of the video to give the illusion of a leveled horizon throughout every frame. I use this quite a bit when I have no tripod handy, or in this type of case where the camera is just strapped to something that is being bumped a lot (in this case a rickshaw). Its much cheaper than renting a crane …

The video has no sound. At the event the loop was played behind a band on a big screen. Although its very simple, for those not in Beijing, its is a chance to see an average day in Beijing’s old city. Some of this footage will also be used as b-roll in a larger project I’m working on about this foundation. Look out for that video in the upcoming weeks.

Destroyed Hutong

Click on the above photo for an enlarged view of this destoroyed block of hutongs.



Other posts on hutong life and photography

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Read more.. Sunday, July 18th, 2010

Tianjin: Images for the 2010 World Economic Forum

Tianjin Promotional Shoot

Note from Jonah: Some big improvements on image viewing on this post. Click on images and they will appear larger in your screen. The images are also scrollable if you mouse over on the left or right sides of the photos.

Last week I spent three days shooting in Tianjin in preperation for the 2010 Summer Davos.

The annual meeting held by the World Economic Forum brings business leaders together from around the world to help coordinate sustainable and responsible economic growth.

Driving growth through sustainability is fundamental for global, national and business competitiveness in the 21st century. This year’s programme will focus on how to increase energy efficiency, lower carbon emissions, develop green technology and rebuild basic infrastructure.

It will also provide a systemic overview of key economic, industry and technological developments that will reshape business and society for the foreseeable future.

I was brought in to photograph downtown Tianjin (not the Binhai new area) for an 8 page advertisement on the forum. The goal here was to show varying cityscapes and some general “life” images throughout the city of over 10 million people. Although they were looking for mostly what I would call generic images, some strange weather ended up allowing me to get some fun images, that will surely not be used for the advertisement.

Tianjin Night Fog

On arrival in Tianjin, I was greeted with fog, rain and a thick cloud of pollution. This essentially killed most day time shooting; however, trying to salvage the shoot, I shot at night, hoping the lights from Tianjin’s skyscrapers and bridges would texturize the fog.

Night Bridge

Sure enough, two nights of night shooting throughout the city, with some indoor shooting during the days created some interesting landscapes that almost make Tianjin look evil — or, someplace out of a horror movie. Hence my point: You won’t see these images in any brochure for the forum, but they are quite fun.

Italian District Fountain

When shooting landscapes and cityscapes there’s a lot of pressure to create “perfect” or “iconic” images. Your subjects are not moving and you can really control your frame; however, you can’t control the weather. With a deadline, this can be a problem. These long exposures highlighted the fog and created some really interesting colors in the sky, as well as some big issues with white balance.

Tianjin Girl

Impressions on Tianjin: While most Beijingers will constantly make fun of our neighboring city, the small village of 10 million is actually visually very impressive. A bullet train from Beijing’s South Railway station will put you in Tianjin in just under 40 minutes — this is an easy day trip from Beijing. Although the Italian city has a bit of an Epcot Center feel to it — the area actually has a little but of a Shanghai Bund feeling to it. Lots of European restaurants around — as well as the always amusing Chinese waitress dressed up as a St. Pauli Girs can make for a fine evening of entertainment.

Also worth a visit, is Tianjin’s food street (which I would describe as better than Beijing’s) as well as some pretty excellent antique markets (also better than Beijings — and significantly cheaper for the same fake antiques).

Photo Stitch

Although most of the images above won’t be used for the advertisement, I did get some blue sky my last day. I created some wide landscapes and stitched some photos together (the photo immediately above is a simple 2 photo stitch taken with a 14mm. See more images form last week’s shoot in the slideshow below.

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Read more.. Saturday, July 3rd, 2010

Do you hutong? 看!胡同

Do you hutong?

… yes, I do …
Last week I donated some photographs to Thai friend and Beijinger @Napatra at the Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center. The photos are going be used to help the local NGO’s visual communication and also help promote an upcoming event called “Do you hutong?”

I got involved after some photos I took of some destroyed hutongs circulated a little around town. See that blog entry here. Now, we’re hoping to collaborate and create a multimedia presentation on their projects and for China Daily. To see some of the photography donated to CHP visit my China portfolio of my main site here.

I’m helping to give a shout out to artists interested in helping spread awareness of the value of culture and history. CHP is looking for artists to get involved with their July 17 event. Please help and pass this link along to other Beijingers or people who might be interested. Also available are PDF versions of the information below to download and pass along to people who might be interested:

Overview

Beijing’s landscape is dramatically changing. Gone are the hutongs, once characteristic of the city, as well as the way of life associated with courtyard living. Now, ubiquitous towering skyscrapers dominate instead, leaving much of China’s rich cultural heritage at risk. Lack of awareness and enforcement of Chinese heritage-protection laws, which are well conceived but poorly implemented, are factors facing the capital city in its effort to balance the old with the new. Rapid economic development and social change have forced redevelopment of the built environment and, the Beijing of years past is now an urban center with splendor and style but, many believe, no soul.

About Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center (CHP)Old Beijing
New Beijing CHP is a pioneering Chinese NGO that empowers local communities to preserve their cultural heritage. CHP gives Chinese people a voice through capacity building, education, training, networking, and support. Current projects focus on protecting old Beijing.

About Do You Hutong?
To highlight the importance of preserving Beijing’s unique cultural heritage, CHP celebrates with Do You Hutong? – a cocktail and fundraising party featuring a signature collection of individually designed courtyard (siheyuan) gate artworks available for purchase by silent auction.

CHP and Do You Hutong? Identified the courtyard gate as the centerpiece of this event as a nod to the days and people of old Beijing. It is also a look ahead to saving what remains of a country with one of the richest cultures in the world.

CHP is inviting selected artists/designers to volunteer time and talent to a finished piece of art to donate to the event. Working from a clay model of a traditional courtyard gate, this symbolic ‘canvas’ provides a platform for individual, artistic and interpretive design. The final collection of custom artworks will be exhibited at one of the most anticipated Beijing events of the summer – Do You Hutong? – 19:00 – 23:00, 17 July, 2010. Proceeds from entry ticket and silent auction sales will benefit CHP.

How to Participate

  • CHP is providing a simple, clay model courtyard gate to each participating artist/designer. Each participant is then given the challenge to create a final piece of artwork celebrating the hutong and old Beijing tradition and lifestyle based on individual interpretation and desire. The 3-D clay model is approximately 35cm x 45cm x 35cm and weighs more than 15kg.
  • Artists/designers may use any additional materials to produce the final piece of art. All additional materials used are the financial responsibility of the participating artist. Please keep in mind that the model is designed for tabletop display only.
  • Do You Hutong? is open to all invited artists and designers – local, foreign, established, emerging and all who create across a variety of media and disciplines.
  • The Do You Hutong? event provides a platform for independent thinking and creativity. In this spirit, CHP encourages all participants to produce tasteful and mindful work.

Step 2 (One 一)
Step 2 (Two 二)
Step 3 (Three 三)

Timeline

To register, please contact Napatra Charassuvich immediately via email or phone (+86) 010 64036632 ext 605.

Submissions are open by invitation only. Space is limited and early registration is highly recommended.
Submission deadline: No later than WEDNESDAY 14 JULY

How to Submit Work
Artwork can be dropped off at Studio-X Beijing between 11am-7pm.
A103 No. 46 Fangjia Hutong
Andingmennei Dajie
Dongcheng District
Beijing

For directions to Studio-X Beijing, please visit this link.

Why Participate?

  • Raise awareness of the importance of preserving the remains of a culture with the richest history in the world
  • Strengthen ties between CHP and Beijing’s creative community
  • Expand in future years as an iconic and innovative fundraiser, and support the launch of CHP’s volunteer program, Cultural Action Network (CAN), which will have trained volunteers providing up-to-date reports on at risk sites of cultural and heritage significance in Beijing and across China.
  • Upon registration to participate, please submit a brief bio (English or Chinese) and a hi-res color photo of yourself
  • A Do You Hutong? microsite is launching very soon and CHP plans to promote participating artists and designers accordingly
  • Upon final submission, we encourage you to submit an artwork title, the medium and also how you would like for your name to be listed. Each final artwork piece will be displayed at the event and and for sale by silent auction. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the artwork will support the work of CHP.
  • Each artist receives two complimentary tickets to the 17 July event

Terms & Conditions

All donated artwork is property of Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center (CHP). By submitting work, artists give CHP the sole right to use the donated artwork for its publicity, marketing and educational purposes. CHP is supplying the clay model at no cost to each invited artist. CHP is not responsible for costs associated with final design of the model, including materials, supplies, artist/designer fees, transportation, etc.

Other posts on hutong life and photography

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Read more.. Monday, June 28th, 2010