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The Split Second She is in Focus

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R0012862 (Small) (SHE: When I took this photo, the song SHE from the movie Notting Hill sprang to mind. I risked being caught taking this photo because I actually remained stationary three or four metres behind this girl for a while. She just walked and paused, back and fro, seemingly looking for someone. I got my GX200 ready for the split second when she turned her head, and took a few photos of her without her notice. This is the one I like best)

This is the Valentine’s Day. First up, may I wish you and your loved one sweetness in love forever. May love be spread to the people around you.

I picked some Chinese lines for the photo, as you see on the upper left side of it, which were written by an ancient poet, Xin Qiji (1140-1207). These famous lines are mostly quoted for people searching for love, for which I did a translation:

I seek out her In an assiduous quest When I turn my head in a split second It occurs to me She is where dim light is shed Away, away from the rest

Xin was not just a poet. He joined the army to fight for his country and was later made by the imperial emperor a high-ranking official equivalent to what we call governor of a state today. There is a cultural aspect about adding a poem in an image. The history of Chinese paintings is actually a history of how to present poems as images and use poems to decipher images. If you see an exhibition of ancient Chinese paintings, there is probably no works without any poem on it.

If you are still seeking the right one, may I wish you every success in your seaching! Happy Valentine’s Day.

R0012868 (Small)(Fancy a French Kiss: I had stood outside the store so long for the decisive moment that a shop assistant kept peeking from the store at what I was up to. Having found that people shunned my GX200, I pre-focused, held it down and only raised it up speedily to the girl coming along my way. Her gaze back at the posters and the shy gesture make this photo to my liking)

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ch said…
I like the second one better...especially with those ads forming a contrast with the foreground lady...

PS.I guess you have a typo...the poet's name should be Xin Qiji
14 February 2009 at 17:28
Nevin said…
I consider the second one better too.

It is not a typo. I wrongly figured out the Pinyin. Thank you.
15 February 2009 at 07:02
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