Sunday, September 4, 2011

Last Days in Shanghai I: On Film



One thing you need to know about China: you'll never be able to get up earlier than the elderly Chinese people. You just can't do it. There are too many and they're always going to beat you to the punch. Before I left, I wanted to get up early early and take pictures of the city before all the people & cars hit the streets. I got out by 5:30 a.m. and took pictures for about 4 hours. It was great. Wish I would have done that once a month. I took several hundred pictures...more are coming soon. These are highlights from my Seagull camera...

I would not have gotten this shot without a really nice lady who told me to walk into this courtyard.


Now that's a Shanghai chic.

I don't know if I should, but I adore this picture and how ephemeral all the clothes are.

I went to an old park in the former Jewish corner. An elderly man hijacked me and took me to meet his friends. It was great. This is his friend and more on the other old man in a future post.

This man looks like a muppet to me. A really nice one. He was in his 80s (I think), was an engineer, and spoke Russian.

Old apartment building across the street from the park.
The egg and rice seller's signs.
Taken on a different day...my friend Vivigan on her awesome powder blue faux Vespa.

Just like my town in Mississippi, there are chickens running around the streets.




3 comments:

scs said...

George, these are exquisite! I love the b&w clothes hanging shot as well (and how you inserted a "g" into vivian's name, tee hee) and the first courtyard photo. Gosh, they're all great really. And true, true about no one rising earlier than the old folks. Miss you everytime I'm in your old neighborhood...

eva said...

oh my, these are gorgeous! i LOVE the black & white clotheslines photo. absolutely beautiful.

Marian said...

Love these photos! I feel that Shanghai is most likable in the early morning hours and you've certainly captured that feeling. I'm sad you're no longer here.