Photography: the world and a backpack (IV)
PEOPLE AND THEIR LIVES
In the fourth instalment of this photo series, I am sharing with you a few pictures that portray human activity and traditions in some of the countries I visited during my trip. There are a few wonderful photos I wish I could have shared, but I decided not to post images of people who could be clearly identified, unless they were taken during a public display. This ruled out quite a few favourites, but it seemed more ethical to preserve people's private lives. Still, I am happy with the collection I ended up with, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed reliving these moments that I now share with you.
REMEMBERING THE FUTURE
In China, the pre-wedding photo industry is booming. Here, in the Xicheng district in Beijing, the bride and groom to be have dressed up for the occasion and are being coached by the photographer, creating the first few memories of their future life together.
CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY
We may be living in the age of personal computers and smartphones, but in China calligraphy is still very much an art form of the present and a cherished tourist attraction as well.
A MOMENT OF WORK IN A MAGICAL PLACE
It is hard to put the village of Baisha, in Southwest China, into words. Or pictures, for that matter. Situated at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a few kilometres to the north of the much more crowded and touristic town of Lijiang, it is a place seemingly suspended in time and existing in a world of its own. On the day of my visit, the silence was barely interrupted, safe for the strong wind that had picked up. In this picture, a woman is engaged in work, sifting through some kind of cereal the traditional way. I find it an accurate representation of the heart and soul of this special place.
TEMPLE MAINTENANCE
While in Bangkok, Thailand, I visited three beautiful temples called Wat Arun, Wat Phra Kaew, and Wat Pho. This is one of the pictures I took during those days: a man hard at work restoring the outer wall of a temple. I loved the fact that I could only see the lower half of his body and was left to imagine much of what went on behind the protective curtain.
I have that thought because a children's book of mine will soon be published featuring a mermaid.