吉姆 JIM HOFMAN | Photography Faces & places in China

Archive for February, 2011
Hong Kong Nature
Hong Kong Nature

There isn’t much nature left in Kowloon, so when a muti-million dollar shopping center was built a few steps from the harbor the developer spared no expense to preserve a very old tree so they could excavate a lower level courtyard.

Hanson & Daughter
Hanson & Daughter

I’ve known my friend Hanson for about 10 years. His daughter was a baby when we first starting having lunch together. This photo was taken at Hanson’s apartment after we shared a very good hot pot dinner together.

Sugar Cane Cart
Sugar Cane Cart

One of the popular “sidewalk snacks” in China is raw sugar cane. It’s sold by street vendors and the outer layer is husked after you buy it. Customers chew off chunks and suck the sugar from the cane – then spit the rest out on the sidewalk.

Makeup Lady
Makeup Lady

I bought some “Ugly Girl” brand “Snake Oil Hand Creme” for my daughter. I’m not sure that brand name would play well in the US.

Toys-R-Us
Toys-R-Us

This is the toy lady. She sets up a table at the local open-air market and the kids swarm around her like bees.

Billboard Love
Billboard Love

Sometimes the juxtaposition of advertising billboards is funny. The jewelry girl is totally checking out the Pepsi dude.

Layered Look
Layered Look

It was cold that day and I think this little guy is layered with his whole wardrobe. He stopped and posed while I was taking shots of his little brother.

Dumpling House
Dumpling House

This unremarkable photo of an unremarkable looking restaurant does have significance. For the last 5 years they’ve been feeding me most of my (great) meals while I’m in China. The TsingTao is always cold and the service is fantastic. It’s probably the only restaurant on the planet where I’m considered a “regular”.

At the meat shop
At the meat shop

Shopping with Mom, the pig tails were great. She’s standing on the back of Mom’s bike while Mom is texting. At least she stopped riding the bike…

Staff Dinner
Staff Dinner

After all of the customers leave the restaurant the staff gets to eat dinner. I take a lot of photos at this (“big”) restaurant, so they didn’t mind when I stood on a chair and started taking photos.

Alpha Male
Alpha Male

Pinstripes at that age? The only nearby playground is a pile of construction debris. Boys find fun in stuff like that.

Underwear Shop
Underwear Shop

Bashful clerk went into a giggle-fit when I stopped to take her photo. I didn’t buy anything.

REALLY Old Guy
REALLY Old Guy

We sat at the table next to this guy at the “Big Restaurant” in our village. We offered him a beer and he joined us at our table. Then he drank almost all of our beer. Didn’t speak a lick of English, but a good guy.
UPDATED: 11/16/11

Selling Tea
Selling Tea

A shop keeper selling brewed tea on the sidewalk outside her shop.

Favorite Waitress – Big Restaurant
Favorite Waitress - Big Restaurant

Our favorite waitress has memorized the food we like and helps us order dinner. She doesn’t have an English name and I can’t pronounce her Chinese name.

Lego Boy
Lego Boy

Lego is a boy toy everywhere on the planet. This little dude is always playing outside the barber shop I go to in China. His grandmother watches both him and the son of the barber.

Street BBQ Girl
Street BBQ Girl

This little girl was playing cards on the street near our table at the street BBQ in Qingxi. I took quite a few shots but this was the best.

Baby Boy
Baby Boy

This little guy was incredibly cute. Rolling around the sidewalk outside the grocery store.

Delivery Guy
Delivery Guy

The “FedEx of China”. Motorcycle guys whizzing around town delivering widgets. A tough pan shot at a slow shutter speed.

Neighborhood Kid
Neighborhood Kid

One of the kids that plays on the dirt piles outside our factory in China.

Noodle Shop
Noodle Shop

I LOVE this place. A bowl of soup and a huge bowl of noodles for US$1.50. There are only 6 tables inside the restaurant, but we usually hold out for the “alfresco table” out on the sidewalk. It’s just like sitting in a small cafe in Paris – but with tractor trailer trucks rumbling by.

Collector
Collector

Old woman with lots of treasures, including a 3 legged plastic chair. Changzhen Village, China.