XMAS DAY in Xanyou on 25thDEC On Xmas day some friends I were invited to a Christmas dinner in Xanyou, a small town 40 km away from Putian. We had a delicious meal (turkey, mash potatoe, veg and an exquisite cheescake), and a very nice time! Perfect for a Xmas day! XMAS AT SCHOOL ... on 27thDEC We made up a Xmas party for the international students Senior 1 and 2.
4 classes all together 240 students, 1300 Yuan (180 €), 90 minutes to entertain the students, 4 teachers. We started with a short introduction about Xmas. First, the principal also had a speech but he had nothing to do with Xmas but study. Students should study harder to have a better life. We hold a fun speech about Xmas traditions in our country, then we had secret santa. Finally we organised games and I was with Mark, my Canadian colleague who dressed up as a reindeer. Students had to know him out. It was a very fun game and the students loved it but at the the reindeer was K.O. Another other game was bowling, a very popular one and the other one... I dont even know as it was too complicated to follow it! The best part was when I threw candies in the room and students started chasing me. They wend mad! It was also great, at least they could have two hours break from their studies :)
0 Comments
Christmas in China, only few people celebrated it: Christians Chinese will mainly go to church and Westerns will enjoy a nice meal! Shops will be decorated few days before Christmas to give "Christmas atmosphere" in towns! Xmas in the supermarket and the streets of Putian.
MEANWHILE IN JINAN ... Önder celebratig Xmas it snowed a bit and he went to assist to charity concert monitored and performed by the students of his chool! a 2 hours show. Afterwards he and some teachers had dinner. Everything was organised by the school!
Tell us about yourself, your passions, why you love photography, what drives you to take a better shot, where you would like to go with your photography etc. Help us form a picture in our mind of you as a person with your text.
My name is Ingrid and I am from France. I have been a hobby photographer for 4 years now. Robert Doisneau was the one who made me discover photography: I was fascinated by his photography especially “Le cadran scolaire” (year 1956). I admired that picture which I hung in my room as a teenager. When I was 20 years old, I wanted to learn photography. Unfortunately, I was told that I had better choose a study that I can make a living out of it. So I did! I had to forget about photography and I decided to concentrate on business! 15 years later I took a break from my Business career to spend 6 months in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During this period of time, I had the chance to meet some people who were/are into photography. It made me want to start photographing again. It was so much fun to discuss about photography and share moments with them. But I was missing the most important thing: technical skills. Once I was back in Europe I decided to attend travel photography seminars but it was not enough. I needed to learn more than listening than I could from listening to some advice and looking at great pictures! I wanted to take great pictures, experience it and feel it. I was looking for a combination of practical and theoretical aspects of photography. It took few weeks to find a suitable project. I went on a 2 weeks tour around Ireland with a German professional photographer and 4 other hobby photographers. From morning to evening, I learned and practiced; it was all about photography. It was a regeneration! I started developing an eye for photography, we were taught how to take sceneries, sunrises, and sunsets etc. I was often told “get the most of the actions” and “keep it as simple as you can”. Within two weeks, ISO, AF; WB, RAW; Aperture, Shutter, Editing with Lightroom etc were not a secret any more. It does not mean that I mastered them all! Based on these techniques, the photographer’s valuable advice and critics I put into practice regularly what I had learned. It requires time, patience, perseverance meaning lots of practices. It has been a fantastic challenge ever since. What drives me to take a better shot is this constant improvement, movement, and experiment by bending the reality. I am well aware that a 2 weeks tour will not replace an entire study course but it literally changed the way of seeing things and taking photos. Everything around me looks different when I have started to see the world as a photographer. Suddenly I noticed (and still noticing) lights, shapes, colours, textures, people, buildings, trees, flowers, emotions, tiny details that (for me) make the differences etc. Something I was not taking attention before. I try to see the beauty all around me. Photography is a way of expressing myself too. I considered cameras as a mechanical art. It is not only to capture memories but the essence of a person, the atmosphere of places, the beauty of water drops on petals, animals etc. It goes beyond boundaries, languages and culture too. A picture can make people smile, laugh or it can express sorrow, surprise, wonder or even anger. Indeed, photography at its best speak (my) emotions. This very moment shared with others has no price. As I shoot, I learn more about myself, what I value, and how I see the world. I am so focused that forget my worries. I enjoy every moment. The last but not the least, what would mean for me winning the competition? During a 22 months Asian tour from 2014 until 2016, I had the opportunity to associate travel and photography. My pictures got inspired by people, places, and the beauty of the nature. I developed interests in photography that I was not even thinking of i.e macro. It was both exciting and challenging. Travelling and photographing was magic and it was an unforgettable experience but I have to admit it was sometimes complicated and tough. This photo tour took me to places where I would never have thought of going not only in countries or cities but also in remotes areas. Thanks to photography, I lived in places where tourists don’t go and I had the chance to meet some tribes and villagers. They were pleased even without asking when I took a picture of them. It remained until today incredible memories for each other. Wining a ten days travelling and photographing trip is a unique chance to come further. I am eager to develop my skills especially learning from a professional photographer with experiences in that field. Robert Capa said: “if your photograph aren’t good enough, you are not close enough”. Are my pictures good enough and close enough to be the winner? It started with Facebook when friends liked “to win a photo contest”. I had a closer look and I said why not! The prize is to win a 10-day photography assignment to Japan! Plus be mentored by professional travel photographer Richard I'Anson. Result on 12th January. How to participate? Easy write an essay (1500 characters and not words) and send 5 pictures and not 6! Tell a story with the pictures. Let ´s get started. I misread and I thought I had to write 1500 words and send 6 pictures!!! It all made a difference at the end. The selection of the pictures were quite difficult but I already had an idea. It would be India but what???? To choose 5 pictures out of 1000, it is not an easy job! Önder helped on this. Convinced that I had to write 1500 words on a specific topic was good exercise! Before sending the whole thing, I had to cut down on words and one picture, it was also a fun game! Here are my story in pictures followed by the essay. From North to South a 5,5 month surreal trip in India. Story about a guy, kids and a cow!
Yvi is an English teacher, I contacted her on Couchsurfing too. As a coincidence, she lives in the same building, 4 floor above me! Small world I would say. We meet when she has time. On this sunday, she organised a hike with some Chinese teachers. We left early 7.30am and came back around 11.30. It was fun discovering the area and more temples! An activitie in China has to be mixed with food.
After 2 hours hiking, we stopped at a temple and had lunch at .... 10.30 am. It was delicious food and vegetarian. Thanks Ivy for giving me your pictures - see below. Yoki - a Japanese name for a Chinese friend! In China, it is very unusual. I contacted Yoki on Couchsurfing, to meet locals and discover Putian. She travelled in Asia that is also not common in China, and she does not want to get married which goes against the Chinese customs. If a woman reached her 25th birthday and is not married yet, then it is over for her! There is no chance to find the soul mate. You are considered as too old! The first time, we went to visit temples and this time Yoki and some of her friends who are interested in photography went for a photoshooting. It was not traditional costumes but cosplay (costume play). We had two models and our creativity to take any pictures in Soshi parc. Here are my results! The day was a sunny day and we enjoyed first the photoshoot, then they took me to a place outside the city quite in the nature to play archery and finally we had some food! Great day! It was fun and everybody was enthuthiastic. During the photoshoot, I also took pictures of the parcs, and kids.
It was inspiring... |
What s next?
Archives
September 2018
Categories
All
|