Shanghai, Hong Kong and Yellow Mountain

© The Yellow Mountain

I am packing again for my upcoming trip to China in a few days.  Besides my hometown Shanghai, I also plan to visit Hong Kong and the Yellow Mountain this time, possibly some little villages in between.  I am a little more confident about this trip, because I have learned a lot from my last trip to China.  I have been doing some leg press at the gym lately.  I heard climb the Yellow Mountain is not easy especially with a backpack full of heavy cameras.  I cannot wait to see the Yellow Mountain which is famously being very dangerous and cloudy.  Even though I have seen hundreds of photographs it already, but who cares, I just have to go experience it myself and shoot it in my own sentimental way. 

I will also attend the opening of the The 9th Shanghai International Photographic Ar Exhibition. My exhibition which contains about 30 images from Almost Naked will be included in the festival.  The festival will have more than 60 exhibitions of photographers from all over the world.  The event will be held in the Thames Town in Shanghai, which is a bazaar piece of art itself.  The opening ceremony is on July 2nd at Song Jiang Art Museum.

I will get back to you more about my trip and the exhibition later.  Meanwhile, I am once again frustrated about the decision on what cameras to bring, you know, Mamiya ... Pentax ... Mamiya ... Pentax ... Canon ...

Louis Vuitton audio guide to China

Louis Vuitton has produced a series of three audio guides to China.  Voiced by 3 top Chinese actresses, Gong Li for Beijing, Joan Chen for Shanghai and Shu Qi for Hong Kong.  The audio guide is selling for RMB130 (US$19) each, what a bargin, consider it is labeled with LV.  I am quite not sure how they decide the routes, definitely not for the tourist, oddly narrated.  Gong Li and Joan Chen are my personal favorites, nothing can go wrong with them.  The photographs are beautiful!

Check it out here!  

Photographs of Monkey

©CNImaging

©Dimas Ardian/Getty Images

Last night I stopped to see some monkey photos.  Large, stunning and glossy prints, beautiful and soft light, extremely detailed close-up of the money faces, you can count their eyelashes.  But, I left the gallery with little response.  I just couldn't relate to the work.    

A few month ago, I climbed a mountain in Southern China.  After 30 minutes of climbing alone, I suddenly realize there is a HUGE monkey had followed me along, a king as I notice his straight-up tail.  I was very scared, he looked at me with a lot of curiosity.  He is 15 feet behind me, never made a move or a sound.  When I got to the peak of the mountain, he finally came a bit closer to me and sat down on a rock.  He was watching me the entire time I set up my camera and the minute I point to him, he sort of smirked and ran into the woods.  I guess they don't like to have their photos taken, not even at their home.

I actually really like images of animal, many of them are very entertaining, but I prefer those when they are truthful, emotional and real.  Above are a couple of really special monkey photo I absolutely adore.    

Chinese Sentiment

Just updated my website and added some new work from my new project Chinese Sentiment. It is a fresh start and only in its very early stage, but I thought I would like to give a bit of preview and hopefully receive some useful commons and critique.

HIJACKED: Book Launch and Photo Exhibition

This Friday, June 6, from 7pm to 11pm is the book launch photo exhibition of HIJACKED: VOLUME ONE, AUSTRALIA AND AMERICA (Big City Press) at The Arm (281 N. 7th St., Brooklyn, NY). The book is included 44 photographers and is a survey of contemporary photography in both The United States and Australia. Some of my work is included in the book and I will definitely be there and hope to see some familiar faces, too.

Here is the list of the photographers:

(American - 20 Photographers)

Timothy Archibald | Angela Boatwright | Alana Celii | Nick Chatfield-Taylor | Brian Cross | Todd Fisher | Jonathan Gitelson | Dean Karr | Lisa Kereszi | Jason Lazarus | Suzy Poling | Robin Schwartz | Tod Seelie | Sarah Small | Amy Stein | Jennifer Juniper Stratford | Bill Sullivan | Shen Wei | Grant Willing | Ed Zipco

(Australian - 24 Photographers)

Greta Anderson | Duncan Barnes | Karron Bridges | Sean Cordeiro and Claire Healy | Michael Gray | David Griggs | Caitlin Harrison | Nathalie Latham | Mark McPherson | James Mellon | Graham Miller | Martin Mischkulnig | Fiona Morris | Tony Nathan | Jack Pam | Emily Portmann | Brad Rimmer | Janelle Ryan | Flavia Schuster | Juha Tolonen | Joshua Webb | Toni Wilkinson | Gareth Willis

The exhibition and book launch will also be held in Germany and Australia.