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  • Archive: December, 2009



    Beijing through an iPhone (redux)

    Sunday, December 20th, 2009

    A while back I started capturing images from Beijing via my iPhone. Even though my Kalashnikov (my SLR) is my third hand, I don’t always have it on me. Enter the iPhone. It’s like a hidden pistol you surreptitiously sneak into a masked ball while on an under cover assignment. (Ok, maybe that’s a *bit* of a stretch)

    I’ve decided to create a project based upon this tool. Much of this is inspired by Chase Jarvis’ use of the iPhone as a photographic medium. I truly believe that a photographer shouldn’t be defined by what they use. Even a simple point and shoot can produce amazing images.

    This will be an on-going project as I finish out my year in Beijing. I want to capture more of the every day, the “only in Beijing” moments, and document some of the sights that have been such an integral part of my life here.

    Below is a sample of some of the images. Follow the on-going development on Facebook or “live” on my Twitter feed

    Wangfujing, Beijing.

    The Man. The Myth. The Legend.

    In search of the Beijing Underground City

    Window washers in Sanlituen

    Elderly Beijingers playing chess on the streets in winter

    Read what I’m reading

    Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

    I hope the title of this entry doesn’t come off as overly vain, but for weeks (nay, months) I’ve been trying to think of a way of showcasing some of the enormous body of inspiration that I have come to rely on for inspiration and learning as a growing photographer. While in high school and college, I took photography classes (mostly to get to use the darkroom) and found that this was a kind of education I couldn’t get in the classroom. Most of what I learned while studying in New York, consisted of hanging out by the local camera store where I became best buddies with one of the staff, an elderly gentleman who took me under his photographic wing. Vance taught me everything I knew about lighting, working with models, and learning to see the image in my mind before clicking the shutter. That is, until I started tapping into teh intarweb for this stuff.

    Since then, I can honestly say my photography has grown by leaps and bounds. Part of it is seriously studying other photographers’ work. Sometimes I’ll see images that blow my mind and challenge preconceived notions of art or push me (sometimes in envy!) to strive towards a higher standard, and to not be so easily satisfied with my work. I read voraciously and track on average at least 30 prolific photographers, who blog about their latest work, inspiration and photographic techniques, among others.

    I use Google Reader as an RSS aggregator and recently figured out how to create (an RSS) page to hi-light specific articles I want to share. Pros: I don’t spam peoples’ inbox, you get to opt out with privacy, and you get all the low-down from yours truly. Cons:…. I can’t think of any. :)

    If you have an RSS reader, you can add it to your reading list. Otherwise you can just check back periodically for updates like a regular blog. Heck, you can even add comments! :D

    Most of what I’ll be sharing is photography related (from my reading list at large). I can’t guarantee that it will be all that’s there though :) There might be the occasional news/economics article, possibly a geeky one on the newest gadget I’m drooling over.. but by and large, it’ll be photo-inspiration worthy.

    My RSS page
    OR
    add me at http://www.google.com/reader/shared/eva.y.chan