My 杭州 (hangzhou) photo set

bodawei, kesirui,

they must all be westerners!  as in japanese from western japan.  i just now realized this, having completely forgotten that even in our little country we have a little diversity as well. the people there are different from us. to us, their culture is foreign. which would explain not just the lack of shyness but the lilting as well (was thinking, hmm but we're not lilters either ...), esp if they're from the 関西 kansai area (osaka etc).  ah yes that explains everything.   i love that diversity btw.  and love going to osaka to eat etc, even though the cultural difference always makes me a little nervous.

@calkins

Well actually they do the photos before or after (and on the actual wedding day too, but those are not the "official" photos,) but either way not on the actual wedding day, much less stressful!!!

We went to about 4 different studios when we were picking the right one, they all have really good stuff! Its just a matter of picking the best one.

I will try and post some of my photos but my account is going to expire on the 28th and the shoot is on the 27th! I don't know if I'll be getting another subscription for a while.

Anyone can also feel free to add me on facebook, I will have the photos there! (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=505196944&ref=profile)

@zhenlijiang

Actually all the Japanese I know are either in the U.S. or Japan, I don't know any in China, which seems odd...

I am the same as you, I would never do that in the U.S. but everyone in Asia seems to love taking silly/cute photos. In fact, I just went to a Japanese photo booth with some Chinese friends! (the famous "photo booths" from Japan, that prints out with all the cute stuff on the sides to full up the photo, I assume you know :)

I actually don't remember how many dresses I have to the wedding photos! Haha I pick out about 5 or 6 I think :P 

We already had the Chinese wedding (we will have one in the U.S. as well) and there was a DVD of that AND photos so I think we will only have photos from this shoot. And the whole photo modeling thing goes completely against my nature so this will be interesting!

As a former wedding photographer from the states, I have to say I love the way Taiwan (and China) do the photos before the wedding.  Soooooo much less stressful for everyone (especially the photographer!).

You don't get all the photojournalistic shots of the big day, but you get a lot less stress.  And the photos are better from a technical standpoint (easier to set up lighting, scenes, etc. prior to the wedding).

I love walking by the wedding stores in Taipei and looking through their books.  Pretty nice stuff.  Kesirui, I hope you post some of your images...would love to see them.

oops, kesirui

older japanese (yes it's true.) like me apparently don't know what the kids these days are doing!  i also suspect it's got something to do w/being in SH that the japanese you know are extremely dramatic. that sounds--wrong, like they've put on new personalities because it seems ok in exciting, happening SH. i find it rather embarrassing to be honest.

in SH my friend really wanted to go to one of the studios and be photographed dressed up in period costumes because in all her years in LA she had never done the Glamour Shots thing. ended up doing it myself, and must say i'm glad i did even though i was very tough material to work with. because i will never do that in japan. for the non-period costume i had, a dress i had worn to my teacher's wedding, the photographer made me do things w/the skirt and pose like idol singers from the 70s (麻丘めぐみ!).  weren't meant that way, but the results are pretty funny.

i really have to get back to work.

how many wardrobe changes are you having (shooting DVD too i presume? all ready to act for that?)?  hope you don't get rain, but like you say a bit overcast is good.  恭喜恭喜！

@zhenlijiang

Hahaha, All the Japanese I know are extremely dramatic, much more than other Asians :D especially when it comes to taking photos (but maybe that's because they are all under 25...) I always think of most young Chinese as being rather shy. However older Japanese and Chinese seem very much the similar in their behavior to me.

@changye

Thanks for the vocab!  Our daughter and I like to take our own 明星照 at various landmarks, following the Chinese practice.  I believe there are different classic poses for men and women..

Those "dramatic pose" photos are called "明星照" (star photo) in Chinese. Even children love to take 明星照 here in China.

@zhenlijiang

You are right, I have no way to be sure; I have never asked 'Are you from Japan?'  The 'Japanese wedding trade' is written about in the newspapers - I have read that Japanese couples like to come here for their honeymoon.  And then I have observed many times couples engaged in photo shoots, speaking what I assume is Japanese.  (No I don't speak Japanese but I had lots of Japanese class mates learning Chinese and got to recognise the 'lilt' without understanding a word!)

So - is it possible that they TRANSFORM themselves when getting their wedding photos?? :-)  (I am kidding.)  you provide another possibility - perhaps they have already had 几杯白酒 by the time they meet the photographer!!

bodawei, are you sure they're japanese--? we're really not dramatic posers esp in public (and sober).  we do know about those wedding shoots and elaborate albums that everybody likes to do in korea and china, so it's possible it's also catching on among young people here.  but i doubt we've developed the flair for it so suddenly.

@kesirui

Wow - congratulations!  Well there are lots of charming locations in HZ if you are in that area.  I hear that it is a full day experience - hope you have the stamina. Good luck!

BTW I think there is a similar industry here in Sydney - particularly popular with Japanese couples.  When I see them in dramatic poses near the Opera House or at Balmoral Beach I always wonder if there is a real wedding around or if it is just a fun day out!

@bodawei

I am getting my wedding photos done next week! I recently married a Shanghainese man.

I've heard of some couples even get their wedding photos years in advance!

@ewong, kesirui

Ah, the wedding photos.  It surprised us to learn that the happy couple are probably not getting married on the big 'photo' day as is the custom in the West.  In HZ couples might do this photo thing before getting married, after getting married, or with no particular wedding plans. It's just fun to get dressed up.  A married HZ friend of ours did this a year or two after getting married, when they could afford it.

@bodawei

You're welcome! :D

@ewong

I'm not sure what kind of blossoms where in that shot by the lake, but they were not cheery blossoms.

I may have gone to the same place but known it by a different name or it may hav just been a similar place. There were lots of couples getting their wedding photos done when I was there as well!

@kesirui

thanks for your photos - HZ is indeed beautiful. 

@sebire

Actually I always saw the sky as red, particularly at night. (I don't think it was my blood-shot eyes.)  The red sky is my strongest memory of Hangzhou.

HZ has featured the 'mist' since the Song Dynasty when much was made of it in poetry and painting and no doubt a long time before that.  Much of it is wrongly attributed to air pollution although the vehicular traffic now is of course making its contribution.  

@tvan

Your recollections of Winter are accurate - it is the coldest place I have experienced, and I have lived through a Canadian Winter.  It is a damp invasive cold .. I got chillblains that didn't go away until Spring!  The typical heating is totally inadequate (south of the Yangtze). At our university there are strict rules about when the heaters are turned on and off - so we sat around class in our overcoats, beanies and gloves. 

hi kesirui,

Your photos are lovely. Thanks for sharing them. Were those cherry blossoms by the lake? I love your shots of the bamboo hallway :) I was also in 杭州 last March. 杭州 is a tranquil, relaxing place (even in the presence of many tourists) to stroll and bike around. We were in a hurry going up the 六合塔, 我們以爲  there are still five 塔s to climb- we found out later that the name "Six Harmonies -六合" comes from the six Buddhist ordinances, oh well...

Our taxi driver- turned tour guide took us to a beautiful place called 九溪- Nine Creeks. The place was a great location to take photos- we saw a photoshoot of a new bride in her wedding gown being chased by her groom :) We also stopped by for tea in 梅家塢 - Longjing Tea Village and drew water from the dragon well :)

Were you able to visit these places too?

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@matt_c, Thanks I added you too!

@bababardwan, Thanks, it was really fun!

很美丽！！

@Tvan, I sort of wanted to go to Hangzhou in the winter as well but I decided to wait, I didnt think the tea would still be alive and green, thats amazing!

Hehe, my photos look dull and grey, and with a dodgy white balance which makes it look like Hangzhou is shrouded in some unhealthy kind of yellow mist.

@sebire, It was really a great time to go, sunny every day! However, not so good for my camera. Less sunny days are actually better for photo taking.

@svik, Going to the Art Institute was one of the things I really wanted to do, but I ended up not haveing enough time T_T... Oh well next time I will!

wow,lovely pictures kesirui

Nice Pics! I added you on flickr (chabuduo78)

keserui,  I only visited hangzhou once, long ago in the winter.  Thus my recollection is of a cold, snowy place.  However, your picture of tea fields brought back memories.  

In retrospect, tea must be an evergreen because the plantations were green, even in winter.

The colors in spring are incredible, shades of green and all the flowers.  We were out in Hangzhou on April 8 also,  There has been some sunshine the past two weeks.  We are staying for 3 months.

Nice photos.  Have you visited the Art Institute at the SE corner of the West Lake?  I have forgotten the Chinese name.

Nice. I like Hangzhou. Was there last year for a couple of days, but looks like you got some nice sunshine!