It has been way too long since I last posted an entry. I have been very busy the last couple of months working on a number of websites. The websites have stretched me and it has taken away from the photography that I love so much.

The conditions were just right for this scene in Shanghai. It had rained most of the day. There were lots of people heading home on their bicycles and it was not quite dark. The colors or the rain ponchos and streaks of light made for a striking scene.

Just think about it. No lines, you can get your umbrella fixed while the dentist works on you. There are just so many conveniences about seeing a street dentist in Chongqing. Here a woman gets fitted for upper dentures. Frankly, I’ll pass.

Only the shadow knows what this man is really up to. Actually, the photographer does too. I was taking pictures of industrial development in the coastal city of Dalian, China and had walked out onto a long cement wharf where I saw this man fishing beside a container. He bent over to check his line and the sunset light cast his shadow onto the container.

Do you ever wake up in the morning and feel like it is going to be a bad-hair day? Just can’t do a thing with it? That appears to be the case with this ferocious lion-figure in the emperor’s garden area of the Forbidden City.

When I am out on the street taking pictures, I always look for moments where people interact with their surroundings. It can take a lot of time and vigilance to capture these kind of moments, but when it comes together it is really quite fun.

In this scene two street cleaners in Shanghai had stopped for a break and a little chat in front of a designer boutique. While they carry on their discussion, the mannequin appears to be pointing out the right direction.

Confucius lived a long time ago - around 2600 years ago, and for thousands of years regular rituals were an important part of the memory of Confucius. Those ceremonies were restored after many years of neglect and held at the Confucius temple in Qufu. It was an elaborate ceremony with horns and drums and many people dressed in traditional clothing. This was one of my favorite scenes with the people dressed in robes and the temple in the background.

One of the reasons why the Forbidden City has lasted so long is because a good portion of it is made out of stone, marble or masonry. The buildings all rest on stone foundations, but they are built of wood and have all two frequently burned to the ground. The stonework however is disappearing more slowly, gradually being worn away by the rain and pollution. This scene, taken in front of the Tai He Dian, captures the stone steps and many of the short walls that serve as a short fence or guardrail around each layer of the foundation.

Historically China has been quite xenophobic and even when foreign “guests”, as they are called, are allowed into China, a lot of effort is made to separate them from the Chinese populace. They live in separate housing areas and attend foreign schools and for a long time had their own stores. Many of those barriers are breaking down as China becomes from affluent and the gap between China’s wealthy and the foreign residents narrows. Still it is nothing like what one would find in other countries. I never saw this separation more graphically illustrated than on a trip to the seaside resort town of Beidaihe (known for the secretive meetings of top officials). Here there was one beach for the general populace and another (slightly less crowded) for the foreigners.

Things are not always what they appear to be. Here it appears that a car is stranded in the middle of a lake, but in reality the family is out for a nice boat ride. The boat/car provides a fun way for the a young family to go out for a ride and yet keep junior from pitching over the side.

If you are lucky and get a clear day in Beijing, the view from Coal Hill is stunning. This was taken a few years ago and I am certain there are more and taller buildings there now, but the contrast between the undulating tiled roofs of the Forbidden City and the rigid “skyscrapers” of the newer emerging Beijing is remarkable.

Admittedly the old buildings weren’t much for comfort (no central heating or air conditioning) but you can’t beat them for shear beauty and wonder. There are times when old is better.