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Tim May | all galleries >> :Asian Journeys:: A Collection of Galleries :: >> A COLLECTION OF GALLERIES::China -September 2007 >> GALLERY:: Impressions of Beijing, China - September, 2007 > "I'm happy as I participate and contribute"
Beijing, China September 2007
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15-SEP-2007

"I'm happy as I participate and contribute"
Beijing, China September 2007


According to a comment at a picture that Phil made of this same scene. The slogan is one of the Maoist Chinese banners urging working together for the good of all and says: "I'm happy as I participate and contribute."

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2
1/40s f/2.8 at 6.3mm iso200 full exif

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Iris Maybloom (irislm)11-Apr-2008 20:08
With Shirley's translation of the banner, a great image became an even greater image!
Tim May15-Mar-2008 16:39
Thanks, Shirley, for adding the new level of meaning to this image. With the actual translation, I love it even more. I am going to change the title for the picture.
Shirley Wang15-Mar-2008 11:38
It's an ironic contrast. The banner says "I'm happy as I participate and contribute" while the guy says "I'm happy the way I am".
Phil Douglis10-Mar-2008 00:16
I used the same wideangle lens you did, only your angle of view made a big difference in how you interpreted the scene. Cameras don't make pictures. Photographers make pictures.
Tim May09-Mar-2008 22:06
Thanks. While this image is cropped it did use my Lumix for the broad view.
Phil Douglis09-Mar-2008 20:58
In commenting on my version of this scene, (http://www.pbase.com/image/86310216 ) you noted that it reminded you of the famous painting known as "The End of the Trail." You said that this guy "represented the end of the trail for Mao's China." Our mutual Chinese friend Sheena Xin Liu, in her comment on my image, noted that such banners are "an obsolete means to advocate socialism." You choose to show the entire banner in your own image, as well as much more of the "trail" than I included in mine. I think that given your own interpretation of this subject matter, your vantage point and framing is absolutely perfect.
You give him much more room to slumber as China rolls into the 21st century.