Through
The Lens
Hobby
Photography
Because I love to travel, I always carry a camera with me or any thing I can record memories.
There are two reasons that pushes me to travel as much, dying young and the corner ceiling of my room.
Is traveling a luxury? I guess it differs from people to people. I have this notion that since I am not super fit, I should travel and go places that’s challenging while I am young and with vitality. I also have a long fascination with high altitude places even if I have an altitude sickness. I love the beach and the ocean, I dove twice in the open sea and love snorkeling but I can’t swim. I love nature and wild life so much even though it triggers my allergies. I visit concrete jungles and sometimes sketchy places even if it stresses me out. What I am saying is that, I wanted to see the world in spite of, and not be afraid to explore howbeit I am with limited means. I don’t even own a credit card.
My grandmother, bless her! Every time I would meet her, she will recount the story when I was a baby, I’ve heard that countless of times… then tears starts to flow, “the life you are living is a gift, it could be taken anytime”. So at a young age I told myself before my time come I wanted to see as much of the world as I can. But my family live in relative poverty, and travels are for people with money. But if I could earn I could go places, that’s the dream.
I was on the 3rd grade when my classmates noticed I can draw cartoons. One close friend, a fan of 80’s Transformers ask if I can draw for him a character, I said I will if you pay me. I got my first paid artwork at 9 years old, 50 centavos. That was an epiphany, if more classmates asked for my drawings then I can earn more. From an early age I knew the value of my skills and time. I know that if I can draw fast I could get paid twice. I don’t have perks growing up like most of my friends, I have to work for my own money. I draw a lot and did part time at silk screen printing shop. By age 13 I was able to buy my dream bike. I got me a modest mountain bike, which I bought parts by parts. It took me several months to complete and assemble. That orange bike brought me many places in our province, the 90’s was still a safe time for kids.
Many nights I would have bouts of rhinitis and have difficulty breathing, it would keep me awake. I would lay in bed staring at the ceiling feeling restless until my nasal inflammation cease. My family incessantly moving doesn’t help my case either. I never had a lasting residence growing up, a constant impermanence I suppose. To these days I could still remember those corner ceilings as far as 6 years old me. The last I counted I moved 30 times from childhood ‘till a year ago. I still have rhinitis but I’ve got nasal spray for it now, but what messed me was at times I would lay in bed looking at the same ceiling for months or even years and It would absolutely make me feel restless. I remember buying my first house and designing an elaborate ceiling on the master’s bedroom so I won’t go anxious.
Traveling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a story teller.
In 2010, a year prior to my divorce I was in state of depression, obviously the decor ceiling did not help. I wanted to leave China. But before I closed that chapter of my life I booked a flight to Yunnan and travel the Himalayas. It was a journey that gave me peace and answer I suppose. Up there I experienced the most pain physically and emotionally, suddenly it was about survival. A week before my month long journey ends, the reverberating mental anxiety and the feeling of desperation and desolation was replaced by acceptance and a strong yearning. I just wanted to see my daughter again. With a renewed perspective on life, I went back to Shenzhen. I decided to stay and find a new job. I dedicated that part of me in guiding her and nurturing her talent. Fast forward to now, she’s an artist by her own right, an award winning mathematician and a splendid classical pianist, and pursuing higher education at NYU. In hindsight what happened to me is a bit of an enlightenment.
I picked up Photography again, ditched my film camera and got a decent DSLR. Made a bucket list of places I wanted to visit and actually made it happen. I have along list of places I still want to travel to but the low hanging fruit is East Asia. First on my list Ulaanbataar, ride horses in the grass lands of Mongolia. Cross the Gobi desert and follow the silk road route. An autumn in Lhasa, Tibet and visit the Potala Palace. Wander around the first Chinese Emperor’s city of Xi’an and check out the terracotta warriors. Go to Heilongjiang, also known as Manchuria and stroll the yearly ice city sculptures like the one in Sapporo. Seoul, Korea was unceremoniously canceled (still waiting for refund) and West India was suppose to be last year but we all know what a disaster 2020 is.
I have always love traveling, specifically backpacking. That’s the only luxury I do that’s worth the money. I do not count the countries I have been, what counts most was the memories and stories in those particular places I visited. Just a few things I do whenever I travel far away, I budget and make itinerary this way I can maximize the time and places I could visit. Travel insurance is a must, just to be ready when unfortunate thing happens. Through the years I have accumulated terra bytes of photography alone not including the film photography of my early travels. Presented here below after that long preamble are few selected travel photography I manage to edit. I will be adding more as I finished selecting. For my works not related to travel please checkout my portfolio page.
