Chinatown was our second stop of the day. There was so much to see and as usual I found it quite overwhelming. I’ve come to realize I need at least two to three days in a place before I can even begin to make images that start to express what I feel. As our friend Jeff Fielding took us through the streets and alleys of Chinatown I could sense how comfortable he was there. I felt a little jealous that a tall blonde guy could be more at home among my people than me.
This is Jun. His barber shop has been in this alley for as long as I’ve been on this earth–let’s just say that’s more than 25 years. Today he sits outside and plays the Erhu for donations from tourists who stop and listen. Jun will let you photograph inside the barber shop and Jeff is patiently waiting for the day when someone will actually be in the chair when he is there.
I really struggled with the midday light when making this image so I was pleased that I nailed the exposure in this frame. It was interesting for me to see the images Ray and Dorothy made and how they played with the light. We all seem quite happy with our individual images and even though our subject matter is the same, each image is distinctly different. It makes me wonder what our images say about each of us.
Tomorrow I’m going to take a break and hand this soapbox over to a special guest. He’s part of a series I’ve been working on for a while now and finally it’s come together. Then next week I’ll return to blogging about my road trip; I hope you come back!
Wonderful image, Sabrina. You already know I’m a total sucker for b+w, but it’s the composition that really shines here. Not sure if that’s a set list beside him, or his list of shows to tivo (ha!), but it puts the musician into a fabulous context.
Hey Erin! Did you see this post by Daniel Milnor on B&W? http://www.smogranch.com/the-decision/ I think you’d find it an interesting read.
I believe that is his playlist…LOL. He was very cute and quite entertaining.
It is really interesting to see how each of you differently interpreted the scene.
The chpice of point of view ann focal lenght just made each of them a photograph
about something else. Very interesting post.
Thanks Iza. I used to wonder how to make a different image when we are all photographing the same thing. I’m now learning how to do this by expressing what I feel rather than just what I see.
I love the angle you chose for this image, Sabrina, and how the light plays on his face and his hand. It really tells a story, especially with the playlist illuminated so beautifully as well.
Thanks Dorothy. I used my favourite lens again for this angle…the 17-35mm.
I think you’ve done a great job with the light in this image, as it is a difficult scene to capture. Again, you are practicing and with the histogram we can really see what we have while we are present.
I made a trip to San Francisco a few years ago and walked the streets of the town. I felt comfortable while in Chinatown and even the Italian section. What a great city to photograph!
One of the strangest things (in a good way) was turning the corner in Chinatown and being in the Italian section. I had never experienced San Francisco in that way before and I can’t wait to be back there again.
The fact that you got the sign in the frame just really makes the photo for me.