Merry Christmas Shenzhen

This year is turning out to be a very busy year for me with my creative juices flowing very slowly, but after attending my second Steem Saturday in Johannesburg the past weekend I decided that the only way of getting over what seems to be a psychological barrier, will be to actually just sit and pen a few words down.

My previous post was way back in February (yes really!) about my Hong Kong New Year experience, so I thought it appropriate to start where I left off - The week before the Hong Kong experience. In Shenzhen.

There was one specific photo that stands out for me. It is one of those photos that makes it worth while walking the streets searching for that elusive special moment.

I do not normally photograph homeless people or beggars, but this specific time I could not resist taking a photo.

Ibarionex Parello, host of The Candid Frame podcasts, in one of his videos says that the three things he concentrates on when photographing in the streets are "Light, Setting and Gesture".

(If you are into photography then go check out and listen to his podcasts, you will not be disappointed. http://ibarionexperello.squarespace.com/thecandidframe/ ).

This photograph is one of a few where I managed to get all three these elements working together.

The Christmas setting is supposed to be a joyful period, and photographing a homeless person in such a setting is giving a message of desperate times with nothing to celebrate and loneliness with nobody to share this joyful festive season.

The dim light in front of this shop window with a spotlight on the words "Merry Christmas" further emphasizes his desperateness.

But the most important element for me is the gesture. The gesture of the character in the window looking with big eyes and a timid smile towards the homeless man while he is counting his money. This gesture is further emphasized by the character on the LCD display of what seems to be a vending machine, almost as if he is saying "There you have it!".

Seeing beggars and homeless people in China is not something one sees very often. This does not mean that they do not exist as I am certain they are part of China just as they are part of almost all communities around the world. I have seen a number of beggars playing music and singing to the public, and even once saw children who were obviously used by their parents to beg, but as it is against the law to beg they do not do it so openly and they will quickly disappear when a person of law is in the surrounding area.

After photographing him, I made a contribution which hopefully helped to make his Christmas a little bit better. But, like with many beggars, this could just be his regular spot which happened to be decorated for Christmas, and maybe, just maybe, I will see him in the same spot this coming December on returning to Shenzhen for Christmas...