Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/09/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Tina, I've traveled a good bit through a lot of China over the last 11 years, and I've never had any problems of any kind. I was always carrying two cameras - one around the neck, the other in my left hand - (R3's, then R8's) with Stroboframe attached to a Metz flash connected by cable to a Quantum battery with 20+ lbs. of camera bag slung on the shoulder. I'm 6' 2", 190 lbs., so I'm hard to miss to begin with. That makes for a large "footprint" but I never had any problems. The configuration worked in large cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, out west in Muslim country in Urumqi,) as well as along the Yangtze river. I had a similar experience to Jim Laurel's in Guizhou province where we were greeted with a great amount of curiosity and human warmth. The farther away from the cities we got, the more fascinating were the textiles and cultures. I was generally not able to find anything other than negative film, and, as I was shooting slides, I took along plenty. I actually felt more accepted in China, no matter where I was, than many times in the States, where I'm looked at with suspicion and doubt about my real purpose. In China, I took slides of kids playing in a playground at a school. Try doing that in the States. In China, I entered classrooms in the hinterlands of Guizhou Province and shot freely among the desks while classes were in session. Try that in the States. Etc, etc., . . . Go and enjoy the freedom to shoot in China where it may be no longer possible to do so in many cases here in the States. Some images from across China and Asia that I'm talking about can be found at: http://home.comcast.net/~jnelon Hope you enjoy your trip. It, no doubt, will be memorable. Jim Nelon (Formerly Hong Kong, now Boston area) -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+jnelon=netvigator.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+jnelon=netvigator.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Tina Manley Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 4:25 PM To: Leica Users Group Subject: [Leica] China Photography LUG: I need your expert advice again. They called today from the Chinese embassy about my visa application. I had put on the application that I was a photographer - evidently a no, no. I had to agree to either write a letter saying that I would not be taking photos professionally while I am in China or change my profession on the application to Housewife. That's a no-brainer. I changed the profession to Housewife (my husband is still laughing). What I want to know is, will I run into problems trying to take photos with professional-looking equipment? Do I leave my business cards at home? Do I not ask people to sign model releases? What kind of trouble can I get into? I'm definitely planning on taking photos to sell as stock but should I try to keep a low profile? No photo vest? No camera bags? I had asked the family that we are renting an apartment from to make arrangements for me to stay with a family in the country for a few nights to take photographs, since that is what I do in most countries. They said that would not be a problem. Will it? Thanks in advance! Tina Tina Manley, ASMP www.tinamanley.com _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information