I received this email two days ago:
Fauna hi …
I still read your website everyday. and I love it! I am happy you are doing well, and your site is very successful. keep it up!
there is a project and maybe its a perfect news story for your website.
a photographer in Los Angeles has a Lomo camera, with just one roll of film. he made a website and found 36 people in 36 different countries. and so, the camera is going from country to country. and everyone person only gets ONE shot.
this started in March, 2006. and I was the one person who registered for the project. so I only have one shot to represent China (Nanjing, because I live here **but Im moving to Shanghai in January, im very excited**.)
anyways, here is the website: Around The World In One Camera
I thought maybe you would be interested in this because this project is quite serious. after China, there is only a few more countries left. then it will return to Los Angeles. and the photos will be printed and published in a book and everyone’s story will be included in the book. there is also a notebook that is with the camera, and everyone is writing things inside, too. its very cool.
so anyways .. thanks Fauna for your time. I love your site, keep up the great work!
best regards,
Joey
I asked Joey Gu what picture he would take.
He replied:
hey Fauna ..
Well, it’s 2008, which is a big year for China. Olympics, of course, natural disasters (earthquake, crazy winter, etc.,) new relations with Taiwan, etc. … Anyways, I plan on taking my One photo on the last day of 2008.
And this photo project has ideals that are very close to the Olympic games. Many countries around the world, all types of people, coming together .. to celebrate our differences, our humanity because, after all, we do coexist in this world.
Also .. I think it would be cool for ChinaSMACK if you asked your readers what THEY would photograph, if they only had ONE shot. Because everyone involved in this project .. all 36 people in 36 countries .. everyone has one shot to represent their country.
And once the project is over .. all the photos will be printed and published and also the notebook and its contents will be made public as well. It will be very interesting to see what happens.
(But, Fauna .. after all, its a Lomo camera, so the quality isn’t the best. BUT .. the photo isn’t the most important. It’s the idea behind the picture, the purpose of the project and the cooperation of so many different people all over the world.)
So I hope this helps, Fauna. What are your thoughts?
Joey
The camera is in China with Joey Gu, and he plans on taking a picture on 31 December 2008.
If you could only take one picture to represent China, what picture would you take?
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I would nut on the lens.
id dump on the lens
Haha
What was the best thing you thought would happen when you asked this question
these comments are going to go downhill faster than a sichuan school
A photo of East Nanjing Road in Shanghai to highlight what China is trying to become. It has the capitalist feel that is a big part of this country these days, crowds of people that show the huge population, cheap tack that represents China’s cheap labour, huge skyscrapers which show China’s world vision and the odd beggar which sheds some light on the harsh reality of poverty in China. I think a picture that represents China should show the good things and the bad things in one harsh reality smack, it shouldn’t try to focus too much on one side of the story.
Another good scene would be from within Yu Garden peering out towards Lujiazui (again in Shanghai), showing the peaceful and tranquil traditional past that China is moving away from, to the booming capitalist future that all of its people want to be a part of.
Genius! Though it’s hard to represent such a large and diverse country in one photo. My first suggestion is that the photo shows EITHER Shanghai’s modern aspect (better) OR historical site (good). It’s not necessary to put everything together, showing details is good enough. The story behind the photo is more important. However, if you really want to mix the old and the new, a senior Chinese practicing morning Taichi on the Bund with skyscraper background is nice.
My second suggestion is technical: try another lomo to get familiar with such kind of camera before the final action, if you haven’t used lomo before. The camera’s picture quality is much lower than consumer digicam so making a simple composition is a good idea.
Flickr.com has lots of great pictures in which you can always find inspiration.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=shanghai
and please search lomo in google image to get the feeling.
One example of the morning Taichi practicer.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xgaomd/2770206425/
something that superimposes ultra-modernity with imagery that represents the past/tradition, such as a picture of the National Theatre in Beijing with the hutong and older buildings surrounding it; or a shot of a Shanghai skyscraper with dejected migrant workers next to it.
2008 is a pretty strange and traumatic year for China (and the U.S).; I think the theme of change/transition is appropriate…there is concensus among the Chinese policy makers that the export-led growth model can / should no longer drive economic development. In consequence, China will likely not finance U.S. debt spending as much in 2009, look for the U.S. dollar to plunge again and high inflation.
I would go with USTCer proposal. It is modern, it is traditional, it is diverse, it is contratast. It is China.
Today I had conversation with my friend, software developer from Beijing. At some point he asked me:
“But you still doesn’t understand China?” It instantly made me pissed off, as Chinese people doesn’t understand themself, and they are just ordinary people. I answered:
“What is there to be understand? Chinese people speaks, laugh, cries,….” and all other ordinary things made by Chinese people everyday.
It should be everyday Chinese people, doing everyday jobs.
I agree with krdr, ordinary peeps doing everyday jobs or enjoying a popular leisure activity or something. If you are taking pictures of monuments or skyscrapers or whatever it’s not going to be much different from a postcard innit.
I don’t think you can represent China in one photo! Maybe just a city.
I’d represent Shanghai with a shot from the Jin Mao, Pearl TV or Bottle Opener towers of Shanghai. Might be a bit smoggy, but I think that smoggy air is very representative of the Shanghai experience.
I seriously doubt anyone, whether foreigner or Chinese can conclusively say they understand China.
Morning tai chi teacher, how cliche.
@pieman
depends on how you define “understand”. Its not too difficult to get the whole picture from a perspective view but once you go into atomic level nobody can understand anything. there is always room for more knowledge. so people who claim others don’t understand certain shit may not themselves understand any better.
as for a photo to depict china’s 2008, here is my choice:
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/01/17/us/17depress.span.jpg
PROZAC is a potent antidepressant drug. my logic is this: this year is basically a messup, from the snowstorm to tibet riot to disrupted torch relay to devestating earthquake to weng’an riot to yang jia’s death to economic crisis and massive layoff/clorsure. however you look at it, its an sad year in chinese history. so the drug is for two purposes:
1. helps you forget 2008.
2. gets you prepared to confront possibly worse situation in 2009.
Hi Joey,
What a job you have now on your shoulders !
But i know you’re gonna shoot a nice one :) You always do.
I, myself, really like Chinese people’s true smiles, they always warm me up and have so much to say.
Good vibes from 常州 ！
Picture of a bamboo garden. China used to be so green, now it isn’t, that’s too bad. This country is going downhill so fast it’s ridiculous. Pollution will cripple this country if not dealt with soon. But a picture of a bamboo represents the irrepressible will of this country and its people (bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world which is a great metaphor for China).
i’d take a pic of a panda taking a crap.
I’d take a shot of the hottest KTV hostess line-up in China with a famous dirty politician at the end giving the thumbs up.
How about a taxi driver blowing a snot rocket out of his window.
This is definitely a tall order and unfortunately, a lot of pictures meant to convey a specific theme is going to look cliche just because they’ve all been done before. It sounds like Joey wants to do a New Year’s Even kinda picture with a composition of people as the main subject. Like others, I like the cliche contrast idea, maybe getting a good picture of two or more people in one frame that shows the diversity and change (perhaps across generations) apparent in China.
Or you could do something entirely off-the-wall and random. Like a picture of the insides of your pocket. Maybe have a few yuan jingling around inside.
you guys are all so supportive, thank you for your thoughts and comments. Your country, culture, heritage and people: one photograph to represent them all. What would you shoot? This has been on the minds of everyone involved in an international photography project celebrating our differences and bringing us closer together as a global community.
Founded by Wojtek Gil, a Polish photographer based in the US, “Around The World In One Camera” is in fact a Lomo Action Sampler with one roll of film and quite the itinerary. After visiting its first participant in Canada, the “Traveler” has made its way to various countries in South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. And with the end of 2008 nearing, it now suitably rests in China, a country that had a milestone of a year.
Along with the camera is also a notebook in which participants can include extra photographs, thoughts and other tidbits to better show their country and perhaps themselves as well. And upon completion of the project, the roll of film will be developed and eventually a book will be published illustrating the entire journey and everyone involved.
@ Kai … I think shooting the inside of my pocket with Yuan jumbling around is the best idea yet! hah.
The point is, one photo just will not cut it. But I will do my best for China!
How about:
1. Natural Scenery – A coal fired power station
2. Wildlife – Some rats or some caged cats
3. Human Interest – 2 rich businessmen smoking 1500 RMB cigs with rolexs hopping out of a mercedes with 2 scrungy half-starved beggars with no legs next to them.
4. Kids – Some disinterested regimented mob of kids doing school exercises
5. Culture – A game of Mahjong being played
or maybe a combination of all of the above would make for an interesting photo, if you could put it in panorama.
How about the Great Wall?
i really hope the above post was being sarcastic, otherwise it gets my vote for the douschebag comment of the year
Hey Joey~~~
I like the picture of you~~~
Well since the negative is only a quater of the size of a normal 36mm frame it’d have to be something fairly simple and recognizable. And lomo cameras like that don’t do details or fine stuff like that so it’d have be fairly bold.
But then it it gets through customs 100+ times with no one x-raying it I’ll be amazed.
I really like the idea of superimposing modernity with pre-modernity. My favorite view in Nanjing does just that. Get on to the wall at the south-west corner of the lake and take a shot towards downtown that includes the temple, the wall and the massive skyscraper they’re building downtown. Actually, I should call credit for the movie 求求你表扬我 for making me spend two days searching for this section of the wall when I first visited Nanjing. I really hope your picture is of Nanjing and not Shanghai. If there is one city in China that magically sums up everything we love about this country, it must be Nanjing.
@Joey
As I’m from Serbia, I would take a pic of little girl, sitting on grass, with Belgrade (capitol city) in background. Girl should eat Smoki (flips) or Bananica(chocolate desert), a very popular snacks here. Or bunch of my friends or family.
I would not go deep in symbolism or strive for artistic expression. Just a nice, warm moment.
@Joey
I just took a look (or many of them) on your site. You are very modest if you are asking us for advices! I like those pics from 1000 islands.
PS: We were in Dashanzi in same time ;)
wait .. WAIT .. krdr ..
what the hell is Dashanzi? I know I SHOULD know that because it feels familiar. but I cant remember ) :
and thank you for your kind words. Im not really a professional, but photography has always been a hobby. hence, my website.
thanks again for your support!
wait, WAIT .. krdr ..
what the hell is Dashanzi? I know I SHOULD know that because it feels familiar. but I cant remember ) :
and thank you for your kind words. I’m not a professional but photography has always been my hobby, hence, my website.
thanks again for your support.
ah YES I remember now. Beijing .. 798!
ha small world. wonder where else we were, at the same time.
How about something really original like juxtaposing Mao, a skyscraper, a can of coke and a homeless person. That’s never been done.
Even better, you could do it in black and white, with a single dash of red somewhere, represented by a 100rmb note.
edit – I just had a great idea. Start a human flesh search engine campaign to find the girl who is always posing with one tit out, poring water from a clay jug. She should also be a part of the picture.
@Joey Gu
Yes, Beijing art district. It was the year when DIAF become annual event. Maybe we are. I could send you link to my facebook pics, so you can try to find yourself!
Even better, you could do it in black and white, with a single dash of red somewhere, represented by a 100rmb note.
It is already done. Look at Red Gate gallery.
@ krdr
heh heh, great. my facebook is Joey Gu (joey@itsbeensurreal.com) add me and then we can stay in touch.
and YES RMB! that notebook that came with the camera .. inside I will write a few thoughts and add some things, one of which will be a 100RMB note!
Take a pic of the ticket booth at one of the famous temples. It’s shows a hallmark of progress toward modernity — the relegation of cultural and historical relics to tourist attractions.
@Joey
According to your pics, you should take pics of your friends, cheering the life, buzzing around city, putting your perspective on China.
joey freaking gu!
Try to get a picture of some Chinese dude getting a NYE kiss from some hot foreigner gal. It’ll be cliche yet, like, oddly unacceptable at the same time.
Hey Joey Gu,
I take a picture of a Large Door Knob to symbolize what a great country of opportunity this is!!
Screw Shanghai and screw juxtaposition. Take a picture of a freaking farmer because 7.6 million people (i.e. twice the population of the United States) are still rural and neither Shanghai nor a “juxtaposition of old and new (which implies balance between the two)” could even remotely pass as representative. Just take a picture of some farmer huddling next to his coal brazier waiting for the winter to pass.
Lol correction 760 million people
whatever you do, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF LIGHT FOR YOUR SHOT!!!
These cameras need a lot of light to get any sort of decent picture. whilst the project is a good idea, he would have been netter off with one film per location rather than one shot. He’ll be lucky to get 18 images out of one roll that are worthy of any viewing at all.
Good luck and lomo-on.
Yes, let’s find out who that one boobie exposed girl is. But she must be at least 8 years older by now. So maybe she is around 30. What year did that picture start to show its nip?
it should show construction
How about a pile of crap?
I love this project! What did you end up taking a pic of Joey? I’m really curious. Myself, I think the contrast (new vs. old; poor vs. rich, etc) idea is getting very cliche; at the same time though, it’s still a very real part of China so if you’re looking for one shot that’s probably the best one.
You guys should check out the website if you haven’t done so yet, it’s cool.
I change my mind. This idea is nuthin but a big waste of time. Why don’t these twerps go plant a tree –everyone will be better off!!!
This thread needs more update.
**update**
thank you all again for your thoughts and support. the camera is now off to Osaka, Japan, for the remainder of its journey before returning to Los Angeles:
http://aroundtheworldinonecamera.wojtekgil.com/
I guess all we can do now is wait until the photos are developed and the book is published!
Joey, can you tell us what is your final choice?