Lion’s paw, Forbidden City, Beijing, China, 2004 photo

Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery One: Travel Abstractions -- Unlimited Thought > Lion’s paw, Forbidden City, Beijing, China, 2004

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16-JUN-2004

Lion’s paw, Forbidden City, Beijing, China, 2004

A pair of lions guard the doors to China’s ancient Imperial Palace. One is female, cradling a cub in her paw. The other is male, grasping an ornate globe said to represent the world. Most tourists dutifully photograph both lions. Others may shoot just one. My own choice was to photograph only the paw of the male upon the globe. The claws are fanciful and massive and the globe is a stylization as well. I place this highly cropped subject matter off to the right of the frame, keeping just a hint of the ornate palace for context at left. My intention: to characterize China’s former Imperial power in a simple and graphic form. Isolating a segment of subject matter for symbolic purposes is a form of abstraction. I don’t do it all the time, but occasionally trying a bold concept such as this can energize your approach to travel photography. Less can often become more, particularly when the strong symbolism is intended.

Leica Digilux 2
1/320s f/5.6 at 22.5mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto

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Phil Douglis		22-Aug-2010 19:12
Yes, River -- there is something liberating about abstraction. We do not have to show the entire subject, and instead we are free to search for and then emphasize its essence, and allow the viewer to fill in the rest.

Guest		22-Aug-2010 14:03
I can definitely learn from this image... an image of small part of the lion body represents an unlimited imagination of power yet very calm and peaceful. Conventionally, at least for me, I would very likely to photograph the entire lion, but this image has definitely opened my mind to capture something greater from "partial" or "small", that's the freedom I have desired for a while for my own photography.

Phil Douglis		13-Sep-2006 22:38
Good point, Jenene. Exotic subjects such as this are taken for granted, not only by locals who see such sights every day, but in many respects, by all of us. With the coming of television, all of us have had a chance to be everywhere. As photographers, we must make what seems ordinary into the extraordinary. We can do this by abstracting the subject in some way, making it incongruous in the process, and conveying human values to our viewers. This image does all three of these things.

JSWaters		13-Sep-2006 19:38
I love this image because of it's symbolic abstraction of power to a Westerner like me. What I like even more is the point Emi brings us to, that we often overlook opportunities as photographers in our own environment due to repetition of the familiar. How many times do we see images from Kal, Jen and Emi too, and think about the target rich environment they live in? While it does no good to wish we had their opportunities, it does teach us to be keener observers to find the incongruities in our own world. Jenene

Phil Douglis		01-Jul-2006 19:24
Thanks, Emi. You make a good point here. Our senses are often dulled to the familiar, and are at their peak when dealing with the unfamiliar. It is our task as expressive photographers to make the ordinary appear extraordinary. We do this very often by abstracting our subjects. How many tourists visiting the Forbidden City look at the whole lion, and never even see the foot planted on the globe, and then think about what it means? It is my great pleasure to point such things out with images such as this one. Thank you for noticing, and for caring.

Guest		01-Jul-2006 08:27
To me, as a Chinese, this is a "classical" abstraction example. I wasn't really interested in taking a closer look at this pictures as I understand it quite easily when I was looking at its blog image. However, I am glad that got in and got a reminder from Zebra. That explains why I didn't take a good picture of Hong Kong when I am a local and have lived here so long. I have to learn to have " travellers' eyes" . Always good for me to come to your galleris Phil. Always good to know more and learn more and aware more. Emi

Phil Douglis		21-Aug-2005 19:00
Thanks, Jude, for identifying even more opposites and contradictions within this image. Your observation on how the relationship of color and decoration affects the ultimate meaning of this photograph is quite revealing. I was thinking purely of scale and symbol when I moved in and cropped the image in my frame. When we are shooting, we usually tend to focus on the most striking aspects. Only later do other things come to light -- things I might have instinctively sensed, but did not really recognize at the time. As a viewer, you can sit back and see the whole -- and thereby see those things that I might have only sensed. In doing so, you have added much to this image.

Jude Marion		21-Aug-2005 15:34
Awesome! I am all at once aware and awed by the scale of the claw and the mighty grip (power) it has over the globe. The near-monochromatic colour of the sculpture also indicates a stark, no nonsense attitude set against the decorative yellows and reds of the building. The globe and building are quite intricately decorative in terms of line as well, while the claw is very abstracted, stylized ... again, straightforward, no nonsense. I think you've captured the power these lions are meant to represent very forcefully!

Phil Douglis		19-Jul-2005 06:35
Thanks, Iannis, for your comment. The less we include in an image, the more open it becomes to interpretation. That's what's happening here.

Guest		19-Jul-2005 06:31
Your image here for me is symbolizing two things, the foreground is the power of the Emperors to rule and depress people, the background is symbolizing that the palace still exists as is not blured. The meaning of the picture can be also diachronical if we put into consideration that China has still an Imperial style of administration. Iannis

Phil Douglis		07-Jul-2005 18:17
Images do change, Alister, as our perceptions change. I come back to my old images and see them afresh all the time. Thanks for coming back to this one and bringing a new Alister to bear on it.

alibenn		07-Jul-2005 11:59
You know Phil it's funny coming back to this image after 7 months and completely disagreeing with what I said before!!! The DOF is fine as is and the two colomns on the left lead the eye into the frame and the pulling power of the lions paw!!

Phil Douglis		09-Mar-2005 23:04
A very interesting observation, River. Abstraction can freeze time as much as the shutter. Because, no doubt, it leaves so much to the imagination. I agree with you. This is a symbol of power, yet without a head or body. Only a clawed foot upon the earth. Because of this degree of abstraction, it seems poised and frozen in time. Yes, he may well be waiting. Perhaps his time will come again? If the 20th Century was known as the American Century, is it possible that the 21st Century may be known to history as the Chinese Century?

Guest		09-Mar-2005 20:23
Hi, Phil, To me, time is freezen in this photo, for some reason, I felt a sense of peace Yet the old power has gone, lion is still sitting there, witness all the changes around the world... is he waiting for something? that's what I feel from this image, and maybe very differnt feeling from others.

Phil Douglis		14-Dec-2004 22:27
I agree, Mikel, that this abstraction captures the authority and power, and as you put it, the "ostentatiousness and meanness" of China's emperors. That was my intention as well. To say all of that, in as simple and powerful way as I could.

Guest		14-Dec-2004 21:36
This kid of abstraction is quite usuall in me, specially before I had the 17mm for the digital and had to use my 24 (a 35mm in digital). In any case, the grasp of the lion says all about who lived in the prohibited city, the Emperor and his opression on the Chinees, don't think that much has changed up to our days but this image explains two things, the ostentosety of the rulers and the meennes of these. Perfect abstraction.

Phil Douglis		11-Dec-2004 20:23
At 37, you are still in your prime, Alister. When I was 37 back in 1971 I was just starting my 33 year workshop career. I used to schlep huge cases filled with heavy cameras, projectors, tripods, light stands, screens, and assorted crap from city to city, year round. You can see now why it is such a joy to travel the world with a few lightweight digicams on the hips. As for Photoshop, it is wonderful to have a darkroom under your fingertips. But that is all it is to me. A darkroom/editing table. At tool. I try to make the most effective image I can in the camera, and use the electronic darkroom to enhance, but never manipulate, my efforts.

alibenn		11-Dec-2004 19:27
I empathise totally with the weight issues. I'm 37 and grumble furiously about the weight of gear I carry around. As for photoshop manipulation, I'm weaning myself off it, and only do so, if I feel there is the possibility to drag a great shot out of the ashes.

Phil Douglis		11-Dec-2004 19:16
What you say here makes good sense, Alister. When I am on a tour, being hustled from place to place, there is limited time to study each shot and play with exposure combinations. For that reason I concentrate on content over form, put my camera on program, and let it do the work. It choose f.5.6. I could have taken more time, chosen aperture priority, and set it on 2.0. However the sensors on a digicam are so small that DOF is always great. I doubt if two stops would have made much difference. Actually, the background is softer than the claw, but it is still sharper than I would like it to be. It is just one of the tradeoffs I make for the comfort of not having to carry full sized DSLRs and lenses for hours end. At age 70, I will gladly take the sharper background to the extra weight. As for taking pictures into Photoshop and manipulating them, it's just not my style. My roots are photojournalistic. I will crop, adjust exposure, contrast, color, saturation and sharpness in Photoshop as needed. If I have a shadow/highlight issue, I will use the shadow/highlight tool or a gradient to solve it. But I don't go further than that. It's simply a matter of choice.

alibenn		11-Dec-2004 16:32
Hi Phil, I know this statue and like what you've done with it. My question here applies to the composition and your reasons for certain technicals. In my mind the power point is the claw on the globe, the background is purely context. By shooting at f5.6 you have rendered quite a bit of detail in the BG, was this intentional? If I had done this, I think I would have been tempted to have a narrower depth of field, rendered less detail in the BG without loosing the implication. I feel the detail in the BG, with it's converging verticals is a little distracting and pulls the attention away from the power point, rather than adding the flavour which you intended. I do like this though, but looking at it for a long time makes me want to drag it into photoshop and selectively blur out the BG and sort out the two columns on the left :)

Guest		01-Dec-2004 17:18
I think your description is perfect. The image translates the power of that empire, rather malevolent.

Phil Douglis		19-Nov-2004 04:12
AMP, thanks for your comment. Glad you grasp the point I am trying to make here. But please understand that there is always more than just one way to make picture. If you want to take a lower angle to bring a blue word you say is on that building into your picture, that is fine. Each photographer brings his or her own interpretation to an image and makes it their own. If we all had to make the same picture from the same spot in the same way, photographs would be very boring to look at, because they would all express the same idea over and over again. Be your own person, AMP. More power to you!

AMP		19-Nov-2004 02:29
See this image.I have to say the viewpoint.This history and this places Is understand.September of in 2003.I also went to this place.From the performance of this photograph.Completely understand you think the emphatic point.This I learned.But...I feel if want such performance.Should there is better angle taking view.I will use the much lower angle.This building above contain blue mark.I may take the last word into the appearance.Probably to Chinese.This word is very important.According to the skill that you express.Do not need to let all of three words enter the appearance.Let the last word appeared.Even appear a word in half.This photograph should even have the history space and convictions.

Phil Douglis		09-Nov-2004 04:50
You've done it again, Nut. You understand exactly why I related these symbols to each other in the way I did. Thank you for pointing it out.

Phil Douglis		09-Nov-2004 04:31
Thank you, Yanan. As I said, you and I see many things in the very same way. And I've been shooting for 50 years and you've just started!

nut		09-Nov-2004 04:18
The palace is represent the Chinese Imperial power, which is the context of this photo. The Lion is represent the Chinese Empire. A ball under lion's paw is represent his people and his land. This is a subject matter with purposes. Brought the Lion's paw to the front and put the palace into the back. This photo told you about the great power in the past, but it gone.

YNW		09-Nov-2004 03:52
Yes, Phil!!!! Actually I noticed this photo already before your leaving me a message on my photo with the same idea. I am so happy for your wonderful comment on my gallery!

Phil Douglis		29-Oct-2004 21:49
You are right on! This image is about power, but its time has past. It symbolizes a powerful empire that, as you say, has gone away.

nut		29-Oct-2004 18:00
I can see the great power but gone.

Guest		23-Oct-2004 09:47
Phil,in this morning I look at it again,when suddently I remember a photo taken by Andreashttp://www.pbase.com/polier/image/25452362 You must have seen it before.I ever looked at that photo again and again,but I cound not understand why it move me.Now I know it.The nicks VS the branches.As same as the claws VS the palace in this photo.The relation between different things is the life of photo.

Phil Douglis		22-Oct-2004 20:08
Very good point, Zebra. When were are in familiar places, we wear blinders. We see only what we want to see. When we are in a new place, we take our blinders off, and try to note everything. You said it all. Look at familiar things with the "curious heart of a traveler" and you will see things you never saw before!

Guest		22-Oct-2004 17:11
When I look at this photo,I ask myself: why a foreigner take it better than me? I have been in this country for twenties years but he just be here in several days! Why? Then I find out the reason. Something which is very normal to the local people is really special to a foreign visitor,and some word which is too easy to notice is exactly the truth.In this photo,Phil noticed two things to describe old China,the Lion and the name of the palace:Forbidden City.Statuary of Lions is very normal in China and every chinese know about Forbidden City.But nobody notice them.Power of Forbidden is the character of old China.How easy it is! Phil,you got it!One photo is better than a large history book. when I wander in this familiar city,I will look at everything in a curious heart,a heart like a traveller.

Phil Douglis		16-Jul-2004 17:38
Thanks, Tim, for pointing out the symbolism here. Those very claws (China) have been grasping at the world for now 500 years, and while the wear and tear is evident, the grip has not lessened. If my observations and premonitions are correct, the emerging productivity of China may well determine the economic balance of power in the 21st Century.

Tim May		16-Jul-2004 17:02
The "wornness" of the claws speaks to me in this image. This lion not only holds the world but has gone through travail to get it.

Anna Yu		13-Jul-2004 20:18
Welcome back! A picture of a guardian, great Chinese background.

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