I just added a new Portfolio called Giga Pixel Panorama. It is a small collection of the better images that I managed to capture using the Seitz Roundshot D3. Unfortunately the ‘tiny’ size of the images on the web do not give an idea of the huge size and detail of the originals. To do justice to these photographs you would need to print them using one of the large format (44″wide and over) Epsons, Canons, HP, ColorSpan etc. to really appreciate the sheer amount of detail the camera can capture. I printed a few at 44″x 110″ and a few well over that size. Ironically, the problem becomes to find walls (or surfaces) large enough to view the prints from a correct distance. Having said that, I should also remark that the quirks and the V.1.0 nature of the camera, software combination almost drove me insane. Seitz is working hard on providing something that doesn’t require the patience of a Swiss watchmaker in order to shoot a good image, something that unfortunately now is a mandatory requirement. The quality of the images is phenomenal if you manage to hit the sweet spot, though not without trial and error attempts. Right now the images are prone to excessive color noise and blooming artifacts unless the lighting conditions are ideal. High contrast areas are also a source of issues, night shots are a coin toss 9 out of 10 times. Despite all these shortcomings, the D3 is a remarkable piece of equipment that will be in a class of its own once all the imperfections get fixed.
Anyone interested knowing more details about the images and/or publishing rights, please contact twistedpixel@gmail.com
I’ve been purchasing regularly every issue for the last 3 years of Chinese Photography Magazine.
I think it’s worth mentioning that it is one of the best magazines in the world dedicated to general photography. The quality of the paper stock it is printed on, including the essays on photographers, subjects and equipment make it a must buy even for those that can’t read much Chinese (like me).
Anyone merely interested into photography HAS to visit this relatively new location in the XiJiaHui district. You can find it on the right hand side corner of Xietu Lu and Luban Lu. They also have a website, in Chinese here.
I found it by accident because my regular place next to the Shanghai Main Railway Station has been shut down. Basically all the little stores that populated the old Mall premises have relocated to this new location. As the photograph I am posting illustrates, the new location is a modern building of seven floors crammed with medium to tiny sized stores filled to the gills with every kind of photographic equipment, from the cheapest digicam to the 39MP Medium Format digital back. Imagine a store the size of B&H in NYC, but subdivided into small stores. The place is organized by categories, in the sense that on each floor you get a certain range of equipment.
On the ground floor you can find all new equipment from the big Japanese manufactures, Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Sony, Fuji, etc. I have found that they usually have a very wide selection of lenses for Nikon and Canon, pretty much everything with the exception of the most expensive glass which needs to be special ordered, not a big deal since in Shanghai both Nikon and Canon have a very strong presence, not counting the fact that Japan is only a couple of hours away by air. The Second floor is dedicated mostly to Point and Shoot, accessories, camera bags and tripods. There are also 2 book stores that are crammed to the gills with exclusively camera and photography related material. Mostly Chinese editions of foreign books, but also beautiful publications about Chinese photographers.
The third floor is dedicated to printing and acquisition both digital and traditional. You can find any size of Epson, Canon and HP printer units. CIS systems appear to be a big thing, with many Chinese manufactured inks and hardware for the big (44″-24″) printers. There are several companies that offer an incredible variety of printing and scanning services. I am planning to have all my slides and negatives scanned and saved to DVD’s. The best part is that I got quoted for 2RMB ($25c) per each 6×6 slide, and that’s before any kind of price negotiation.
I wouldn’t normally post news of this kind, but I frankly couldn’t resist sharing these snapshots I took while watching the evening news at home in Shanghai.
They were having a piece interviewing a family that owns what it appears to be the fattest cat in China. If I didn’t see it with my own eyes I wouldn’t believe it….the poor thing is huge weighing close to 16kg (about 33lbs)! My Chinese is very basic, but I think I understood the cat has some sort of rare hormone dysfunction. Look at his size compared to the other cat as well as his owner. Apparently strangers go visit the family as the cat has become a celebrity around town.
I’ve been adding a few more photographs I have taken recently during a visit around the Wenzhou countryside.
Some are added to the Wenzhou section and a couple in the Portraits portfolio.
I’ve been offline for almost 2 months due to a very hectic schedule and frequent travel. I finally managed to have some bandwidth to update the Shanghai City Life and Shanghai After Eight sections.
I wanted to highlight the location of the Nikon Showroom in Shanghai, situated on the corner between Nanjing Xi Lu and XinChang Lu.
The Showroom does not sell any products, but rather have on display every Nikon camera past and present, as well as the full lens lineup along with current DSLR’s for customers to try out. Ever wanted to try out a 600mm f/4D ED-IF AF-S II on your camera body and feel the sheer weight in your hands of that mighty glass? Then, you should definitely go check the place out. There is also a full range of point and shoot cameras as well as film based bodies including the F6. Staff is knowledgeable and generally one representative is English speaking.
Shanghai Fish Market - part 2
Sadly enough, among the vast number of creatures that make it onto Chinese dining tables, aquatic turtles are quite a popular choice.
The ones I photographed here are the same species (just bigger) that many kids keep at home in terrariums and are the ones commonly sold in most pet shops across the US.
While I was returning home after a night out with my camera, I encountered a grandmother holding proudly her 4 month old grandson. As I approached her smiling at the little boy, she jokingly asked if I wanted to buy him, (this is not the first time I am asked that question, which makes me sometimes wonder what whould happen if I said yes) after which I smiled even more (I guess sarcastically) prompting the toddler to produce a hilarious series of funny faces I was able to capture thanks to my Nikon 50mm lens set wide open all the way at f1.4.
Today I added 2 more photographs I took while I was visiting the temples of Jiuhua Shan.The first one is a pool of molten wax reflecting one of the intricate roofs of a temple.
The second is a pool of hardened wax mixed with rust sediment from the tray that collects molten wax deposits of votive candle altars.
If you happen to be in Shanghai and have an interest in photography, I highly recommend checking out the solo exhibition of Italian photographer Olivo Barbieri. His well known ’site specific’ series is a collection of aerial photographs taken using a large format camera with heavy use of tilts and shifts to create blurred and distorted areas of various international cities.
He photographs from a helicopter at about 500 feeet above ground, reducing massive city structures into toy like miniatures. I’ve been to a few of his exhibitions in Milan, Rome and Siena, and each time I leave mesmerized by the images and technique. Here are a few links to images taken in Italy, China, India, you can also check a short video here.
The exhibition is going to be held at the Bund18 Gallery . Exhibition Date: September 5 to Septemebr 24, 2006
Hours: 10:00 – 19:00 daily. Address: Bund 18 Creative Center, 4/F, Bund 18, Zhong Shan Dong Yi Road, Shanghai.
While I was walking towards the end of the Shanghai Fish Market (it is along a wide street), I noticed some commotion at about 50 yards away. Once I got there I discovered the reason. About three men and two women were selling snakes to willing customers. Please note that in Shanghai this is in theory illegal. I say in theory, because if it really was illegal, then the 2 policemen who were busy handing a ticket to a car driver, just 100 feet away would have done something to stop the sale.
I think they were more concerned about me taking pictures while they killed (beheaded with a pair of scissors), skinned (in a tug of war fashion) and bagged (still twisting) those poor snakes. The way they handled the snakes (which I bet weren’t poisonous) was a mix between Crocodile Hunter and Snakes on Plane, nevertheless impressive in a gruesome kind of way. I just hope the Shanghai government would really crack down seriously on this activity.
Two weeks ago, I ventured for some night action (taking pictures that is), ending up at the Shanghai Fish Market. That place always amazes me for the sheer amount of fish, crustaceans, seashells, amphibians and anything else in between, all for sale at prices that would bring tears of joy to any Los Angeles restaurateur. Of course, everything is still alive in a wide array of water tank sizes, from a foot long all the way up to SeaWorld size.
Frogs and anything else that moves for that matter, are also on the list of creatures that end up on Chinese tables. I’ve always been fascinated with amphibians and considered frogs as pets so my first instinct would have been to set them free especially considering how they are kept crammed in baskets.
I divided this series into 2 separate portfolios, BEFORE and AFTER, to show the demise of the well known Shanghai Xiangyang ‘fake’ market, an institution among tourists and locals, that attracted thousands of people a day. Besides the fake merchandise, it was also home to thriving community and a daily farmers market.
