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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Fifteen: Making travel portraits that define personality and character. > Antique market vendor, Hong Kong, China, 2004
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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.

Canon PowerShot G5
1/50s f/3.2 at 14.4mm full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Jun Wu12-Feb-2005 22:24
Confucius once said, show your reverance to gods and spirits and keep them away at an arms length. I think such a caption might well fit the occasion.
Phil Douglis12-Aug-2004 20:07
Thanks, Bryan, for viewing this image both before and after reading my caption. That's a good exercise. It can help you validate both your own perception as well as the intentions, in this case at least, of the photographer.
Guest 12-Aug-2004 19:57
Phil what I initially saw in this foto (without reading your comments first) is a woman who is making a conscious or unconscious effort to NOT draw attention to herself -- that would be a distraction to her beautiful and colorful booth and a distraction to potential sales. Smart?! And now that I read you comment my feelings are only strengthened in the fact that she hesitated to make eye contact. Bryan
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