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Echoes of the Rainbow

R0015117 (Large)  
This shot was taken in an old area in Hong Kong where the buildings are in bad repair as the signboard "Ming Hing Steelworks" and the smudged wall suggest. 

One of the way for a photographer to improve his photographer's eye is to learn from the masters.  One can get a lot from the photography masters, especially those who film movies.

Movies are more interactive than still photography.  The audience follow the scenes from one moving shot to the next which, as compared with still shots,  is more relevant to a photographer who judges a shot by walking around and gauging the lighting conditions.  The photographer can see a movie as a series of continuous still shots with the benefit of instantly comparing which shot from what angle can give what kind of effects.  Which is not possible by learning from the non-related individual still images.

I go to the movies around three times a month.  The best of this month is the locally produced Echoes of the Rainbow which is set in the 1960s of Hong Kong, a time when this former British colony was fought with corruption, poverty and uncertainty arising from the chaos across the border with China.  It has been awarded the Crystal Bear award at Berlin Festival.  It is beautifully done in both its story line and photography.  I was very touched by it.  Highly recommended.


Captions in English

0:20 – In the years when lives hinged on faith

0:32 – People charged forward with the mixed blessings of faith.

0:41 – In the years when love was sacrificial

1:28 – We were there and tasted such love (1:32) even though life was so very unpredictable.

1:57 – In a life which is fought with unpredictable changes, lots of things wore away with the wearing of time.

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