Zhong Shan University

Guangzhou + Knife 1991

May 14, 1991 Guangzhou

I don't often make a photograph on my own. I owe much to those who provide me with an assignment, given me a grant, and most of all to those who have given me direction. This shot was taken in a street market in Guangzhou and I was led there by my great uncle who was in his 70's at the time. An excellent guide, he would take me to the source, stand aside, and wait for me to finish shooting.

Guangzhou 1991

Guangzhou. May 14, 1991.

Although I've taken some of my best shots there, Guangzhou has always been a hard place for me to shoot. It has something to do with what I've seen there. In a city of millions I've seen situations there that I've never seen photographed and that I've been unable to photograph.

A shot from my great-uncle's balcony. There's a lot of life down there that has not been seen.

Two Scans

May 13, 1991. Taishan

I didn't know this. B&W negatives scan better as color positives than as B&W negs. Now I'm getting somewhere. the better scan above is the color scan.

My maternal step-grandmother on the right, a good family friend on the left. I had just brought my grandmother back to her home from the US. She was glad to be home.

More of the water reservoir

Water Reservoir

Taishan 5/19/91

This is the water reservoir for my mother's village, it's main source of water. In the lower right you can see part of the pump system needed to get the water into the village homes. The water level was below that needed for gravity to do its part so a pump was utilized to get the water out of the reservoir and down the hill. A relative worked at the pump to keep it running - we could see the bottom of the water. I remember asking him what would happen when it's gone and he just laughed nervously.

Taishan. 5/11/91

Yang Shuo 1991

Hangzhou - 1992 - Hula Hoop

Hangzhou. May 10, 1992
I shot this during my honeymoon in 1992. It is from a series of negatives that I was never able to print from because of the excessive contrast and exposure in the negs combined with the heavy density from the film development. I had no success (or patience) trying to burn in the highlights. Shooting Konica Infrared film in a 12 exp Mamiya M6 certainly is unlike shooting digital now. However finding a camera such as this that is digital capable is not going to happen. Definitely a challenge, and a worthwhile one. For me it was only the scanner that is bringing life into these negs. After 20 years I finally see a little detail in the highlights and hopefully this image and more will finally find there way to a sheet of paper.

I sometimes regret my failure to see beyond what I was shooting in China on this day. This transition period for China was a beautiful time to see and I was blessed to have a wife and companion to guide me through it.