吉姆 JIM HOFMAN | Photography Faces & places in China

Under the Big Top
Under the Big Top

This circus’s “big top” was scaled down to village size, with about 8 guys acting as ringmaster, acrobats, clowns, animal handlers, ticket takers, poop scooper, etc.

My Barber in China
My Barber in China

Considering I’m a bald man (and proud of it), I spend an inordinate amount of time at the barber shop in China getting my “hair” shampooed and cut. Let me explain.

Night BBQ
Night BBQ

This is another place in China I love, the night BBQ. It’s just down the street from our factory and next to my favorite alfresco restaurant. It’s a smorgasbord of inexpensive treats-on-a-stick that are barbecued right in front of you. The smoke and smells are part of the experience, but unfortunately they aren’t captured in photographs.

Boys Night Out
Boys Night Out

So, after eating dinner at a Thai restaurant, a German guy and three Americans walk into a German bar in China owned by a guy from Scotland. Sounds like the build-up to a joke, but it accurately describes my evening last night.

Saturday Afternoon in the Village
Saturday Afternoon in the Village

I took these shots on a cool January afternoon on the weekend before the Chinese New Year holiday began. The overcast weather produced some nice flat outdoor lighting. The lighting in the meat market was a different story.

HKIA Sunset
HKIA Sunset

I arrived at Hong Kong International Airport at sunset last night.  I ran down to the check-in counter area, sat on the floor and started firing away as fast as possible with both a 8mm fish eye and my trusty 18mm – 270mm zoom.  There was only a short window of time to shoot before […]

Chinese Daycare RANT
Chinese Daycare RANT

I was riding my bike around our village early on Saturday morning and rounded the corner in a new technology park and found a 3 year old girl sleeping on the sidewalk.

China Village Night Life – 11.15.11
China Village Night Life - 11.15.11

Another night of prowling the village for some interesting shots. I used a fast F1.8 lens + high ISO to turn night into day.

Tibet | Mt. Everest
Tibet  |  Mt. Everest

What a trip. Literally and figuratively. No altitude sickness thanks to “better living through chemistry” (Diamox pills). It took about 2 days to travel from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp (EBC).  The road was not straight.  Not even close.  We slept in a Yak hair tent, which was surprisingly warm.  It’s insulation was really tested […]

Tibet | Monks & Monasteries
Tibet | Monks & Monasteries

Most of Tibet’s history centers around it’s faith in Buddha. All of the temples and monasteries are now the key attractions to visit in Tibet. Our hotel was in Lhasa’s old town and only a 4 minute walk from Jokhang Temple, one of the holiest places in Tibet.

Tibet | Faces
Tibet | Faces

The faces of the Tibetan people are distinctive, beautiful, and often telegraph the hardships they’ve endured.

Tibet | Daily Life
Tibet | Daily Life

I once read that “you can accidentally drop a point-and-shoot camera in Tibet and it will take an award winning photo”. We found some interesting subjects just walking & driving around the countryside.

Tibet | Art
Tibet | Art

Most of Tibet’s art is religious themed – centered around images and sculptures of Buddha. The creation process hasn’t changed in centuries.

Tibet | Food (Yak)
Tibet | Food (Yak)

YAK – it’s the other red meat.

Tibet | Traveling
Tibet | Traveling

I kept telling my son Colin, this was “an adventure and not a vacation”. It definitely lived up to it’s billing.

Tibet | Shadows & Reflections
Tibet | Shadows & Reflections

The light in Tibet is amazing. It’s VERY bright and casts deep shadows.

Sunday Afternoon in the Park
Sunday Afternoon in the Park

Chill-axing in Kowloon Park (Hong Kong) on a hot Sunday afternoon. Everyone was moving slowly – including the turtles.

Nighttime Street Food
Nighttime Street Food

I love street food. Especially at night. I enjoy supporting the local entrepreneurs. I guess I’m a nocturnal locavore.
Eating street food in China is like bungee jumping, every once in a while there’s a small risk of death.