Father and Son, Banlathan, Laos, 2005
Windows act in much the same ways as doorways do in portraits. They can frame the subject within the frame, creating a simple black background to make the subject seem to pop out at us. They also can carry symbolic meaning as well. All are present in this portrait of a very enthusiastic father and his young son who live in a small village along the Mekong River. This window has a miniature door as a shutter. It is thrown wide open, allowing this man to show off his son to us. His grasp is relaxed, his attitude positive. Incongruously, he seems to wear nothing, while his son is clothed. The colors are warm and inviting. The interlocking bamboo poles holding a garment below the window are symbols of his lifestyle. The young child, meanwhile, incongruously clutches a very large jar in his little hands. Already, he seems to be learning that good things to eat often can be found inside of them.
30-AUG-2004
Fast Food, St. Malo, France, 2004
Brittany is famed for its crepes, and this fellow makes and sells them from an open shop in the middle of town. And if you don't want crepes, he will be glad to make you a pizza or sell you an ice cream cone. I shot him as he worked for about fifteen minutes or so. My pictures were describing what he was doing, and whom he was serving, but they did not say very much about him as a person. Finally he looked up from his work at me, just long enough for me to make this environmental portrait. He is posing for my camera, but in his own way, and for his own reasons. In one hand, he holds a knife above the crepes he is making. His other hand grasps the plastic shield that defines his work area. He never said a word to me. But his expression did. He seemed pleased, almost proud, that someone would even want to make a photograph of him. I think self-confidence, enthusiasm, and patience mark his presence as well. But what really makes this travel portrait tell its story is the context brought to it by his surroundings. The menu behind him is critical. It defines the scope of his business, as well as telling us where this picture was made. The compact nature of his work area tells us more about what he does and how he does it. His little counter is a one-man operation, and every inch of working space is put to use. The utensils in his jars rhythmically repeat the diagonal thrust of his arm, linking the work to the man. I feel that this portrait tells us not only what he does, and what he looks like, but who he is. And that is the primary purpose of any portrait. How do you feel about this image? I hope you will be willing to leave your own comments, questions, and criticisms below, and I’ll be glad to respond. Many thanks.
30-JUN-2004
Dislocated farmer, Shi Bao Zhai, China, 2004
Everyone in our tour group had a chance to talk at length with this woman who has lost her Yangtze River farm because of flooding caused by the world’s largest dam. She is very upset about her dislocation, but is facing the challenge with quiet courage and resolve. I photographed her at the entrance to her current residence, which stands on high ground within the town of Shi Bao Zhai. Thanks to the help of an excellent tour guide who accompanied us throughout China, I asked her if she would help me make this photograph. While leaving her home following our long discussion, I noticed a pair of baskets used by farmers to carry loads of produce on their shoulders. They were sitting on some old planks in the large sheltered entryway to the apartment building where she now made her home. I asked our guide to ask her if she would just walk over and stand in front of those baskets, symbols of her life as a farmer. She graciously cooperated, and just stood there looking at me, wondering what to do. I asked nothing else of her – I only wanted her to stand there in the glow of the indirect light illuminating her from the doorway to the building. The light, the baskets, and the honesty of her straightforward pose create a portrait that expresses aspects of both her past and future. The baskets are empty now, but the glow that envelops her suggests that she will come up with the answers to meet the challenges she faces.
16-JUN-2004
Tiananmen Square guard, Beijing, China, 2004
I stood directly in front of this Tiananmen Square guard for a while and captured variously dutiful expressions as he stared back at me. I soon realized that what was going on in the background was important as the subject, because it implied multiple authorities. This portrait works as expression because of the juxtaposition of this subject with important background information. The short-sleeved guard before us is obviously the lowest ranking person in the picture. Behind him, standing on a podium, is another guard – softly focused but impressively dressed with weapons, jacket, and much gold braid. He’s the guy in charge here. But the person giving this portrait its ultimate context is in the softly focused mug shot on the wall of the Forbidden City in the background. Although Mao’s day may be long past, the presence of his image on the wall between these two guards still symbolizes ultimate authority. Both the god-like presence of Mao and proximity of the officer in charge, bring considerable context – and pressure -- to this young guard’s job.
13-JUN-2004
Making Zongzi, Zhujiajiao, China, 2004
Zhujiajiao, a river town 25 miles west of Shanghai, dates back to the Ming Dynasty, and still retains much of its original atmosphere. I saw this cook sitting in front of a shop along its main street, painstakingly preparing Zongzi, a dish that will be stuffed with grains of rice. She so absorbed in her task that she never seemed to notice me making her picture. Normally I make sure that the eyes of my subjects are visible, because the eyes, along with the hands, are often the most expressive parts of a portrait. But in this case, the downcast eyes worked. She seems to be using her teeth and two hands to tie the food up in a little package. The image is all about concentration, detail, dexterity and determination, and we don’t need to actually see her eyes to know this. The coordination between head and hands is intense and extremely skillful – this woman has been doing this for a long, long time, seems very good at what she does, and that is the point of this portrait.
14-JUN-2004
Elevator Operator, Peace Hotel, Shanghai, China, 2004
The Bund was the commercial and financial hub of Shanghai in the early years of the 20th Century. And no building on this elegant riverfront promenade was more famous than the Cathay Hotel, built by Sir Victor Sassoon in 1929. The Cathay still stands on the Bund today, but it is now known the Peace Hotel. Its smartly uniformed elevator operator blends seamlessly with the elegant Art Deco lobby. My goal was to say something about both past and present in this portrait. I took about twenty or thirty pictures and never said a word. I just kept smiling and working from a vantage point on a balcony just above the elevator door. Eventually she grew disinterested in what I was doing, stood as far back as she could within the small niche in front of the elevator door, put her hands behind her back, and gazed up and away from me. She seems discrete, polite, yet also shy, boxed-in and far, far away. Surrounded by symbols of a colorful past, she must stand and wait until her elevator can carry someone else into the future. This portrait is one of my favorites because it deals with a bit of history and the nature of work, and simultaneously reveals the character of a very polite and patient young woman.
23-JUN-2004
Rural life on a farm outside of Xian, China, 2004
Most of my travel portraits relate people to what they do, rather than what they happen to look like. We were walking through an old farming village near Xian where such amenities such as running water are non-existent. A teenager was doing the family dishes in the yard, using a bowl of water and lots of soap. She was talking with her mother and father when our group arrived. Our guide asked them if it was OK to make photographs, and they agreed. As members of our group questioned the family, I concentrated on making a portrait of this young woman, primarily because of how the light was falling on her at the moment. I call this “Rembrandt” light because it is soft and indirect, and allows me to expose for the highlights with my spot meter and thus put the rest of the scene into darkness. Most of the time, the subject had her head turned toward her work, away from the light. I waited until she turned away to look at her mother. As the light struck her face and shoulders I made this photograph. Her body language, expression, and task are very characteristic of life in rural China, and that is why I made this portrait in this manner.
27-JUN-2004
Tibetan woman at home, Lhasa, Tibet, 2004
During the three and a half weeks I spent in China, we were given a chance to converse with a cross-section of people in their homes. One of our most memorable home visitations was with this proud Tibetan woman, who spoke at length to us of life in one of the most world’s most distant outposts. What struck me most was the similarity of the vivid, forthright primary colors that envelope her, and the positive, outgoing nature of her personality. Her demeanor seemed to match those strong colors in her clothing and upholstery. In spite of her age, she is strong and alert. She stands with one hand open, the other holding her ever-present prayer beads. I found myself comparing the young woman featured in the Tibet travel poster on the wall to the lady of this house. Both women display strongly positive attitudes, and both are dressed in similarly colorful traditional Tibetan costumes. Yet one is older and very much present, the other younger and ephemeral. Tibet is a region still remote, impoverished, and considerably distressed. Yet this portrait can show us another side of Tibet -- a look into the spirit of its people.
03-JUL-2004
Antique market vendor, Hong Kong, China, 2004
On Cat Street, home to Hong Kong’s liveliest antique stalls, a vendor offers an unlikely variety of used items -- ranging from a golden bust of Mao to Chinese puppets and bronzes. In this incongruous environmental portrait, the subject is overwhelmed by the colorful context of her setting. And that’s the point of the picture. Dressed in black and white stripes, she is no match for the vivid colors of the things she sells. She stands amidst a cross section of Chinese objects representing an odd range of artistic, ethnic and historical statements. Cat Street is a cultural treasure house, and this woman certainly helps make it so. But one would never expect it from her. I photographed her for several minutes as she was standing to one side of her stall, assembling small cardboard boxes. She seldom looked at me. When we finally made eye contact, I made this portrait.
26-JUN-2004
Tibetan Monk, Lhasa, Tibet, 2004
This monk was sitting outside of the Jokhang Temple, the holiest Buddhist temple in Tibet, watching pilgrims at prayer. I wanted to do more than just photograph him – I hoped to express an aspect of his character essential to his calling. He was sitting on a stool, and remained absolutely still. With one hand on his leg and another tucked under the folds of his robe, he never moved a muscle. This takes self-discipline, a characteristic essential to those in religious orders such as this one. I saw a contrast here as well. His robe is a rich, deep red color. He sits under Buddhist prayer flags that decorate the Jokhang area, which are also very colorful. He is dispassionate, still, thoughtful, focused. Black seems to suit his mood and manner, yet he wears color and sits surrounded by color. An empty stool is by his side. Will he soon be joined in contemplation? This is one of those portraits that asks as many questions as it gives answers. A good start for a photograph intended to characterize a monk.
24-JUN-2004
Flower shop worker, Chengdu, China, 2004
This portrait tells us what it must feel like to water flowers all day in a Chengdu flower shop. In the face and body language of this worker I saw exhaustion, resignation, and tedium. I created the frame of my picture out of the shop's doorway and sign, and waited for her to spontaneously arrange herself within it. I call this kind of image an environmental portrait, because the setting is as important to meaning as the subject. In this case, the watering can, the plants arrayed behind, and the sign, which identifies the store as a flower shop in Chinese, provide critical context for meaning. She did not pose for me – she simply went about her work, and after awhile she seemed to forget that I was even there. That was when I was able to make this portrait work as an expressive message.
20-JUN-2004
Woman at rest, Temple of Heaven, Beijing, China, 2004
Thousands of Beijing residents visit the parks and gardens surrounding the Temple of Heaven, including this woman I found relaxing in one of its many pavilions. This portrait expresses a sense of ease and comfort. She appears confident and secure in herself. She knows I am photographing her but does not look at the camera, and instead quietly jokes with her friends sitting nearby. When I want to make portraits of people I encounter on my travels, I point to them, then to my camera, and smile to let them know that I am enjoying photographing them. More often than not, people will smile back in return, indicating that it is OK to continue shooting. I will often share with them the results on the display screen of my digital camera. In most cases a connection is made, even though I can’t speak to the subjects in their language. I chose this woman as a subject because I liked the way the light fell on her face and arms. I also enlisted the help of my Chinese guide, who explained to this woman that I was a serious photographer and would feel honored to make pictures of her. She is seated on a bench on a covered porch, causing late afternoon sun to illuminate her from the side rather than from the top or front. She seems to be basking in all the attention she is getting. I moved my vantage point to juxtapose the angle of her arms to the angle of one of the softly focused tree branches behind her, which makes her seem closer to nature. The field of green grass stretching behind her is fresh and open and there are no distractions upon it. This is very much a portrait of a fully relaxed, self-confident person.