吉姆 JIM HOFMAN | Photography Faces & places in China
Ping Pong & Lunch
After spending thousands of hours playing ping pong as a youth I decided to test my rusty skills with some friends here in China. Because it’s one of the national pastimes most people tend to be pretty good. Unfortunately I was not. I got smoked by the “number one lady player” at our factory – along with everyone else.. We had a nice Sunday afternoon reunion lunch before playing.
Badminton in China
I went to my first badminton match to watch my friend Mike play some of his friends. Badminton is a national pastime and is played the same way Americans bowl – as a social sport. They were very good, but I couldn’t help but chuckle as one of the girls chatted on a cell phone while playing.
Uighur Family Portrait
Today while eating lunch, the wife of the restaurant owner (not an English speaker) used “charades” to ask me if I would photograph her daughter. Of course this was a great honor for me, so I came back with my camera gear and started shooting away.
Things-on-a-Stick
These two happy guys are selling stuff on a stick. It’s actually a traditional Chinese candy called “iced sweet gourd” because the shape is like gourds strung together.
Sign of Change
What was once a field growing vegetables is about to become a high tech industrial park. Progress…
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
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
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
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
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
Sometimes the juxtaposition of advertising billboards is funny. The jewelry girl is totally checking out the Pepsi dude.
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
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
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
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
Pinstripes at that age? The only nearby playground is a pile of construction debris. Boys find fun in stuff like that.
