The Olympics, China, and my father

I am particular fond of China, have several personal reasons for this, as well as having had extraordinary experiences when there.
My first trip in 2007.....I had bought a little Olympus camera and took many photographs of the people there. When I arrived back to Italy where I live, I had my first photography show with the photos of this trip entitled "Incontri ravviCINAti", close (Chinese) encounters.

When we stayed in Dalian China for six weeks, I stopped people and took close-up photos of them. It was quite an experience, a very moving one.

But also, I was lucky to be able to photograph all the Olympic sports in magnificent sculptures in a huge plaza in the city of Dalian. Here are just a few on this post.

The Olympics are also in my heart....my father was an silver medalist winner as a javelin thrower in the 1948 Olympics in London.
A curious note, when I discovered that Missoni, famous Italian designer has also been in the Olympics that year (I had read it in the newspaper) I wrote to him personally asking if he had met my father (my dad died years ago). He never wrote to me but I got the surprise of a PHONECALL from him where he burst out with "Sono MISSONI!!" It was a delightful conversation, and on his part, a very nice gesture. Perhaps that is the Olympic way.....

So, here my photos also contain the javelin sculpture.

I have a full collection of all of the sports, and they are magnificent larger than life sculptures.

Chinese photograph turned painting

Perhaps my interest in photography has a lot to do with my interest in art.
When I photograph I do believe that I see a painting in front o me, often it is that way.
Here is a new small oil painting, 30x30cm on canvas. It was a photograph taken in the city of Hefei, a town not too far from Shanghai. The park was filled with beautiful sculptures, and many people were walking around, this little girl was being photographed by professionals, her hair, her clothing, being adjusted by a few people. I was lucky to see this lovely little girl, sitting and waiting to be photographed....also by me.

The Lady in Red

Lady in Red

My trip to China was much more than just a trip to China.
It was my very first experience in photographing people without being able to comunicate with them, without speaking their language. It was a daily experience, stopping people and asking them if I could take
 their photo, using sign language.
This woman has a particular significant value to me, because she just seemed to pose in a public bathroom, making me realize what an opportunity I had to photograph people, IF I smiled at them, and got my message across in a nice way, AND if they in turn smiled back, wanting to pose for me.
This lovely woman really was happy to pose and I am very happy about this photo, also for the memory of the moment I had taking it.
Photography is wonderful. People are wonderful too.