China: A Changing Land

China is a true wonder, at least to the eyes of Westerners. With 20% of the world’s population, 56 ethnic groups, 5 main languages with more than 200 dialects, traveling through it is a vibrant, energizing and exhausting experience.

For the photographer, there is so much rich material it can sometimes be difficult to parse out subjects from the swarms of people in and around it. And that is both a blessing and a curse for photographers. If you are thinking of doing a photo journey there, be aware that 1.4 billion people makes for very crowded shooting opportunities.

Still, China is amazing. The food is beyond description, with 10-14 dishes offered at every meal, each one of them so flavorful you cannot imagine ever getting better… until the next plate comes your way.

The Chinese people are wonderful, and most are still happy to have their pictures taken, so environmental portraits are plentiful. But for me the landscapes are what makes a photo trip there so special. Think of the movie Avatar and when you visit Zhangjiajie you will be transported to an entirely different world. The Great Wall, especially if you can get to a spot distant from the main tourist spots, provides landscapes with texture, patterns and ever changing light and shadow. And the Rainbow Mountains near Zhangye are a special treat.

China is changing rapidly, so if you are even slightly interested, go soon. Even now, modernity all too often intrudes into one’s images.

If you visit my blogs page, you’ll find some features on China, as well as photo tips to improve your odds of great images. Our next photo adventure to China will be in 2020, so make sure you are subscribed to my mailing list (no spam!) to be notified when it becomes available.

Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy these scenes of China.