Who s the man!

(DRAFT only..... Need to put pictures)
Viewer, if you stop by, please come back this weekend...

MUGHECUR, was the first serious spot of the trip. It was a national park where you went up to the top by the mini bus, then you walked further up to the Tibetan village for 45 minutes. It was very good exercising and you could now see who could survive this trip and who may not.

Shot of me in front of the Tibetan house. After a long walk up, thanks for the training i did in BKK before coming here, I felt no complication and I felt more manly than some of the Thai guys who never exercise.
Some gave up and had to be on the horseback, some almost fainted and began speaking to the stranger.
There was The one we had to give him the medal, Simon, an Australian photographer, whom I helped designing his first published book, joined our Thai group and came together from Bangkok. He is 65 years old, carried two very heavy cameras, but managed to walk like flying!

After the Tibetan village, we walked down to shoot the water stream, the Du Juan flower. The big lake..... All what Chinese came for, natural landscape.
I began to feel like I could no longer shoot mountain and forest. I need culture, people, and a better lunch!

Captured by KanJANA

Location:Mu Ger Xua

Ugly Kids are all the same

These were shot during my first spot of the latest trip to Shangrila, China. A small village in Shang Li.

I was wandering around without interesting in shooting landscape and spotted this young attractive boy who stepped out from the shop. I always shoot kids so I would like to update the portraiture portfolio. so, I called to get attention from the boy ( on the right in the second pictures) and began shooting. Not quite yet get the shot I satisfied, I kept trying and then, the other boy came in and tried giving me posses and signed me to shoot him. I did not want to capture him because I was more interested in the other cute boy. But as same as all the ugly kid i met everywhere, he sticked around and never left. And he wanted to be in every of my picture. I could not shake him away. I stopped shooting to distract his interest but every times I began to shoot, he came in the frame. I was tired and gave up. So,the best shot I got was to compromise my intention and captured both of them having a fun time eating some sweet snacks together. It came out lovely and of course the ugly one want to be at front!

More portraiture picture from this trip, please see post "The Portrait of Chinese"

Captured by KanJANA

The Portrait of Chinese

Trip:Grand Shangri-La Voyage
May 2011




I used to be very shy to get close to the subject when shooting portraiture. But what I have noticed from this trip was that I have been mastered my skill to get really close and was able to capture the unguarded moment; as well known word describe Steve McCurry's portraiture work.

I was very happy when I got this shot, it was the best one from about 8-10 shots I captured her. In the same time, a bit surprised that she did not smile in any of these shots at all, not even a giggle. she let no other emotions shown, just this straightforward look to the camera. This really reminded me of my passed Chinese grand father who always stood still and gave no emotions when he was photographed.




This little guy was running around the small Tibetan pagoda that we forced the driver to stopped for us to take picture. Tibetan kids are very similar to Hmong kids, very attractive, smiley, red dusted cheek, and importantly watering all the time on their nose or dropping out from their mouth.
Here is the best example to show you what I meant. Anyway, He still very lovely and this is one of my best picture of this trip.






Another girl nearby sitting with her uncle. Both photogenic but I am more favor to shoot kids.





He was the carrier who help my friend carry all his bags and his Tri-pod. He attracted my eyes and while everyone else tried shooting the mountain, I following him and shot his portrait. He did not want to at first but at the end, I managed to get pretty good shots in the soft afternoon sunlight which is nice.

Captured by KanJANA

Warm up my creativity,the first frame of the trip

This was my first shot of this trip. The wall of the store, hanging the beer bottles. Look very graphical to me.
Other than a photography, I did a simple sketch of the entrance of this small village.

Our first spot was at Shang Li, nice wooden architectural village but a little touristy for me. I was not so interested to go shoot the lake or its landscape. I stepped out from the photographer crowds and went by myself to sketch a picture with some Chinese school students. They were in their art class and were assigned to draw and paint the scene. I talked to few students but they did not understand much English but I managed to borrow a small chair, searched my spot and began drawing. I spent an hour to get this drawing done hopefully when i am back, I would have time to refine it.
It was a good exercising for my hands and eyes coordination. Now it was time to produce some good photographs!

Captured and Sketched By KanJANA

Grand Shangrila Voyage

The 14 days trip itinerary begins from Shanghai, Chengdu, Kangding, Xinduqiao, La Rural, Yading, Xiangcheng, Zhongdian, Lijiang, Shuhe, Shanghai

This time I was pretty prepared. Physically and emotionally..............walking training....gym....clothes....pack....beauty......photography....all the gears were ready. The whole trip was about shooting, landscape mostly, Chinese who ware half of the crews, enjoy, appreciate, and crazy about mountains. They could be in the car traveling to certain spot, waited for 4-5 hours to shoot one picture in the specific lighting.
Here are the brief stat' of this trip.
The highest we were : 5217 m.
The main attraction : Mountainsssss
The longest time in the car: 6 hrs.
The physical challenge level : No complication
The emotional challenge level: High....How to stay in same location for 5 hrs. waiting for the right light ( said who?) and how to get through the Chinese toilet?
The level of fighting: High.....all the times with driver and his son request them not to smoke in the car.
The best body benefit : Every one lost two kilos.
The best scam of the trip: the caterpillar fungus A.K.A. The plant worm.
The survival food: The boil eggs, and the packet tea eggs.

......the list is still coming....I will come back to add it up if I recall other situation.

It might be a torture for me on some locations but generally, I enjoyed the city time off and never a day goes by without shooting!......

By KanJANA