Phtos from China

Nanjing & Yangzhou

This was my first trip to Nanjing and Yangzhou. My wife was working in Nanjing for a couple of days and we thought it would be a good chance to visit somewhere new. The bulk of my photos this trip focus on the boys and attempt to capture how their relationship is developing and how they experience China. Presented here are a few photos where I turned the camera away from the family and tried to tell the story of my own experience.

We visited Nanjing and Yangzhou during the first ever regional spring break. The festive atmosphere was everywhere, particularly at night. What I hope comes across in the images is a sense of festivity punctuated with moments for real calm.

blurred photograph of people moving through nanjing station a man plays a saxophone outside nanjing zoo a view of residential nanjing taken from a subway platform a black and white photo of Xuanwu Men, the gate to the Xuanwu lake a chef looks towards the camera, steam rising from the stove in front of her looking down on a table full of food night sky lit up by large light sculptures featuring flowers and a horse a relatively quiet market street at night crowds gather to enjoy the festive atmosphere int he central square a lady and child settle in for a rickshaw ride a night market stall serving large soup dumplings a moped rider pulls up to rest, birdcage on the back of his bike looking out at the bamboo that lines the lower parts of purple mountain a couple rest by the side of the road leading up the mountain an overcast day looking over Nanjing families leaving the Xuanwu lake after a day out together a look up at the Xuanwu Men gate at night a courtyard in Yangzhou, small bonsai trees and plants break up the concrete lined space a busy market street in Yanzhou a small local restaurant, food being prepared out front rather than out back loooking up at residential buildings away from the crowds, three people dress in traditional costume for social media looking along the slender lake in Yangzhou lanterns hanging from a tree at night a temple lit up at night, the red paint and red lanterns dominate the image a quiet temple at night, missing the crowds present during the day families enjoy a local breakfast spot a small coffee shop, only recently opened

Beijing

Beijing has become a bit of a second home for us to the extent where we’ve started to leave things there to make future trips easier. The boys both feel at home and at three, Ethan is already comfortable navigating the local neighbourhood. This familiarity is wonderful for the family but it comes at a price; I start to miss things. Seeing them as routine I miss the beauty or the quirks that give them personality. Things start to feel normal.

As I look back through photos of Beijing, the majority are of the family. Ethan turned three while we were there, there were family gatherings and countless hours spent in shopping malls. We didn’t make it to central Beijing this trip and the closest thing to a tourist hotspot that we visited was Temple of Heaven. This was my wife’s local park growing up so it remains a family favourite. As before I have tried to eschew family photographs and present photos that represent Beijing as I experienced it this trip.

the chinese flag waves above the entrance to a residential compound a large middle school building looking up at blossom on a branch an expansive cross roads, free from traffic, looking over to residential compound people enjoying time in a local park people fishing in a small river two men in discussion in the temple of heaven three people walking along talkig in the temple of heaven three girls in traditional costume walk through the temple of heaven a view of the lake in Niantan park looking out over the kitchen sink to the yard outside silhouette of indoor plants against brightly lit blinds