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Photo festival puts images in everyday places
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SINCE the Hangzhou Citizen Photography Festival aims to entertain people, its exhibits are put in various places where people are likely to come across them.
This includes subway stations and tourist sites, as well as cafes and bookstores that hold small exhibitions.
The annual festival this year packages a dozen exhibitions and features works ranging from local photographers to internationally renowned talents. The 12 small exhibitions are being held at 10 cafes, a bookstore and a private library, spread around different nooks of the city.
Some of the exhibitions echo their host cafes. For instance, Out of the Window Cafe holds “Window Scenery,” Innocent Age Book Bar on Baoshi Hill exhibits “Record of Baoshi Hill,” and Vanish in Flowers Cafe shows “Poses of Flowers.”
Shanghai Daily highlights some venues so people can go for a tour. The exhibitions run through June 30.
Where people don’t pay attention — Exhibition ‘If’ by Kou Zi
Around West Lake, many aim their cameras toward things at eye level. But Kou Zi gives her lens to things either near the sky or in the water, and some places that people don’t usually pay attention to — like the back of sculpture.
A withered lotus’ reflection in the water might seem too common, but when the water is rippling and the photographer adopts the right light and angle, magic can result. An example is Kou’s photo that comprises a few curls and a some dots in a light-gold and grey color, like a Chinese ink painting.
Kou also shows works with the sky as a backdrop, like a photo of a crown — which though is the only thing in the photo — is of aesthetic taste. She also focuses on two birds perching on branches without a single leaf, which symbolizes a feeling of emptiness due to the composition and the overexposure.
The exhibition is at Inlake Cafe, where a lot of flowers are employed. So enjoy “If” in the aroma of blooms.
Venue: Inlake Cafe
Address: 5 Luyang Rd (opposite to China Academy of Art on Nanshan Road)
What’s special? — Exhibition of Common Stuff by Zheng Zhongmin
A mop, a box of toothpicks, a dozen of other common items — Zheng Zhongmin is moved by their beauty and takes photos of them.
From some daily products Zheng finds geometry, as in a high angle shot of toothpicks scattered in a box, a profile of a pile of newspapers, and a bunch of keys.
Also he shots ordinary stuff at home and captures the details, like the head of toothbrushes, part of a pearl necklace, two legs of Barbie doll, with a very simple background.
The photos do not use a long lens or wide angle but instead are done in a simple fashion that anyone could do with a cellphone camera.
Venue: Cappuccino Cafe
Address: 145 Tiyuchang Rd
Defocused romance — Exhibition of Xiao Man’s West Lake
In photography, capturing an image in focus is, of course, a basic skill and requirement — normally. But Hangzhou photographer Xiao Man deliberately took pictures out of focus to build a photo series of West Lake.
Xiao used defocusing plus overexposure techniques to make people and plants appear hazy and misty, with the overall effect showing a picture that is shadowy and quite clean with a few colors.
He also went out of focus and used longer shutter speeds.
For example, a photo of willow branches swaying in the air look charming because the open shutter recorded the branches’ motion trail while the defocus endows a visional and romantic feeling.
Xiao’s works are showcased at C Strait Cafe at Beishan Road.
The nearby Broken Bridge is a spot where Xiao likes to take his shots.
Venue: C Strait Cafe
Address: 28 Beishan Rd
Other exhibitions in cafes and bookstores
• “A View of People’s Back” by Le Ni
Address: C+135 Cafe, 135 Qujiang Rd
• “Window’s View” by several photographers
Address: Out of the Window Cafe, 55 Hushu Rd N.
• “Record of Baoshi Hill” by several photographers
Address: Innocent Age Book Bar, 8 Qianshan Rd (Climb on Baoshi Hill from Beishan Road, and you will see it)
• “Little World” by Xiao Bai
Address: Simple Love Cafe, 15 Fengshang Rd
• “Poses of Flowers” by several photographers
Address: Vanish in Flowers Cafe, 2/F, Pudding Hotel, 407 Hushu Rd N.
• “My Campus” by several photographers
Address: Panini Cafe, 418 Xixi Rd
• Exhibition of Awarded Photos of West Lake Photography Award
Address: C Strait Cafe, 79 Beishan Rd
• “Small Photos” by Vision Hui
Address: Zhang Ming’s Music Library, No. 7 Shengtang Scenic Area
• “Library of Birmingham” by Piao Xincheng
Address: Xiao Feng Bookstore, 527 Tiyuchang Rd
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