Comments on: wenjie yang – low city http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/ burn is an online feature for emerging photographers worldwide. burn is curated by magnum photographer david alan harvey. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:39:31 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: 1416教室 » 周末话题：ICP的摄影作业 http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50557 1416教室 » 周末话题：ICP的摄影作业 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:25:47 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50557 [...] 又：杨文洁（白白）正在在icp的新闻摄影项目中读书，这份作业是我从她那里搞到的，她的Low City刚刚在burn杂志上发表，很久没有看这个网站，发现这里的讨论非常热闹。 [...] [...] 又：杨文洁（白白）正在在icp的新闻摄影项目中读书，这份作业是我从她那里搞到的，她的Low City刚刚在burn杂志上发表，很久没有看这个网站，发现这里的讨论非常热闹。 [...]

]]> By: michael webster http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50303 michael webster Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:33:25 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50303 The look of this essay is not to my taste, which is not to say that it is not good. I dislike the extreme sharpening and contrast in so many of the photos. When I see that I always suspect it's to make up for problems in the original exposure. Necessity is the mother of invention, and all that, but better to get it right in the camera. I'm open to blurry photos but don't feel they work here. Try as I might, I can't find anything redeeming about the blurry cat photo. The balloon doesn't work for me either. On the positive side, which is significant, the composition is excellent in many of the photos, particularly #s 1, 4, and 10. I agree with those who think a year at the ICP will be of great value. Improve significantly on the technical side and your compositional skills can take you a long way. The look of this essay is not to my taste, which is not to say that it is not good. I dislike the extreme sharpening and contrast in so many of the photos. When I see that I always suspect it’s to make up for problems in the original exposure. Necessity is the mother of invention, and all that, but better to get it right in the camera. I’m open to blurry photos but don’t feel they work here. Try as I might, I can’t find anything redeeming about the blurry cat photo. The balloon doesn’t work for me either.

On the positive side, which is significant, the composition is excellent in many of the photos, particularly #s 1, 4, and 10. I agree with those who think a year at the ICP will be of great value. Improve significantly on the technical side and your compositional skills can take you a long way.

]]> By: danclinch.com http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50280 danclinch.com Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:19:41 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50280 don't get it - some nice shots but none of them seem to set this town apart from any other grubby Asian city. don’t get it – some nice shots but none of them seem to set this town apart from any other grubby Asian city.

]]> By: pomara http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50241 pomara Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:11:41 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50241 Wenjie you have a lot of "things" going on in this piece. Another photographer might think this is interesting, but as for telling a story it is difficult to understand. There are some very interesting images that begin to tell something about The Low City, but I want to know more. I do not see the divide between the flourishing city and those left behind for the most part. You are an observant student of technique. I am sure your time at ICP will be of great benefit. You are so fortunate that David has allowed your work to be presented here. Wenjie you have a lot of “things” going on in this piece. Another photographer might think this is interesting, but as for telling a story it is difficult to understand. There are some very interesting images that begin to tell something about The Low City, but I want to know more. I do not see the divide between the flourishing city and those left behind for the most part.

You are an observant student of technique. I am sure your time at ICP will be of great benefit. You are so fortunate that David has allowed your work to be presented here.

]]> By: Nathaniel McMahon http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50239 Nathaniel McMahon Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:03:47 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50239 I don't think this tells me anything about the place or the people, exotic but not informative. It looks like every street corner of urban China, the choice of b&w grain etc, makes this place look drab and dreary, miserable but not in any particularly unique profound way. Very one dimensional. The problem is that this place is nothing special as the circumference of all cities in China are in the same state of regeneration (and that about 50% of every city), in Beijing you can measure expansion of the city by the meter literally by where the road stops all of a sudden with a brick wall. I once got an eviction notice 5 days before my studio got bulldozed. The local Ktv-prostitiution tin-roof drive-through alley was replaced with Nortel marbled Asian headquarters within 6 months. Another 6 months later and they have just dug a hole in the ground for the new subway. So for me the premise for your project is not strong enough and too loose. I don't think you can get away with this unless you tighten up your concept and define what you want to photograph and then asses the style with which you find works. But at the moment it seems you have stumbled upon a site in which you can practice a style and wrap a project around it, and I don't think that does justice to the situation or people you photograph. Some well taken pictures though, but to easy. Sorry Sorry I don’t think this tells me anything about the place or the people, exotic but not informative. It looks like every street corner of urban China, the choice of b&w grain etc, makes this place look drab and dreary, miserable but not in any particularly unique profound way. Very one dimensional. The problem is that this place is nothing special as the circumference of all cities in China are in the same state of regeneration (and that about 50% of every city), in Beijing you can measure expansion of the city by the meter literally by where the road stops all of a sudden with a brick wall. I once got an eviction notice 5 days before my studio got bulldozed. The local Ktv-prostitiution tin-roof drive-through alley was replaced with Nortel marbled Asian headquarters within 6 months. Another 6 months later and they have just dug a hole in the ground for the new subway. So for me the premise for your project is not strong enough and too loose. I don’t think you can get away with this unless you tighten up your concept and define what you want to photograph and then asses the style with which you find works. But at the moment it seems you have stumbled upon a site in which you can practice a style and wrap a project around it, and I don’t think that does justice to the situation or people you photograph.
Some well taken pictures though, but to easy. Sorry
Sorry

]]> By: jasmine.lux. http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50236 jasmine.lux. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:44:47 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50236 Good eye, compositions are strong... but is the b&w a bit too contrasty? There seems to be a bit too much blow-out... and it annoys my eyes. None-the-less... great, great essay. I looked over it a few times, the first was not enough. Intruiging. Good eye, compositions are strong… but is the b&w a bit too contrasty? There seems to be a bit too much blow-out… and it annoys my eyes. None-the-less… great, great essay. I looked over it a few times, the first was not enough. Intruiging.

]]> By: Sean Hallisey http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50207 Sean Hallisey Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:59:41 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50207 Contrary to a couple other comments received, I think that you have done a pretty good job of conveying your sentiments of 'how a community reacts according to architectural/infrastructure planning'. It is tough to show 'transitions in progress' in the present; in my present project I am struggling with this very same prospect, and almost wish I had the ability to span decades, rather than weeks/months, etc. to demonstrate photographically what i hold to be the essence of this 'progress' (i desire 'told you so' moments as much as anyone else haha). The photos I imagine you to trust with the message of 'the depersonification of high rises' arise in the beginning. Where people opt to congregate on a slope of land far away from the building that looms in the background; the third photo, where people are seemingly reduced to their air conditioned blocks of homes; the last photo, where unconventional architecture seems to have taken precedence over the trash in the middle and or the silhoette of a person in the foreground. The other photos, of streetside open-aired restaurants, people dancing in the open-air spaces, symbols such as wreaths and balloons (which are signs of a vibrant community), the barbershop scene (a classic photographic scene), billiards playing etc. all demonstrate a community that exists because of the present organization of the buildings/city. to this end, my favorite image is that of the blurry worker in a narrow alleyway. The aesthetics of the image lend great credence to the architecture of the area, which creates low-light, narrow alleyways that are very difficult to photograph in. What remains to be seen (and is, I gather, the source of your sense of trepidation), is what the effect will be of the dismantling of this order with that of highly organized high-rise buildings. One can surmise this 'x factor', the sense of the unknown from your images of the man sleeping (where he works?) on the ground, and the weegee-esque image of the woman in the alleyway and the idea that these moments are to be destroyed by the coming architectural storm. These already demonstrate the coming removal of 'intimacy', yet are stuck in the present, which i think lends credence to some of the comments on here who say that the essay seemed aloof and detached. Therefore, I think this essay is more of x vs. y : we have the now, and we have the future. I didn't really see too much of the 'transition', or the sense of 'limbo', that results from the project delays, or the results of a community being 'half completed'. I may be completely off on my interpretation of this project, I am unaware a lot of the photographic allusions that Bob Black mentioned, and I hope to educate myself as soon as possible. thanks. Contrary to a couple other comments received, I think that you have done a pretty good job of conveying your sentiments of ‘how a community reacts according to architectural/infrastructure planning’. It is tough to show ‘transitions in progress’ in the present; in my present project I am struggling with this very same prospect, and almost wish I had the ability to span decades, rather than weeks/months, etc. to demonstrate photographically what i hold to be the essence of this ‘progress’ (i desire ‘told you so’ moments as much as anyone else haha).

The photos I imagine you to trust with the message of ‘the depersonification of high rises’ arise in the beginning. Where people opt to congregate on a slope of land far away from the building that looms in the background; the third photo, where people are seemingly reduced to their air conditioned blocks of homes; the last photo, where unconventional architecture seems to have taken precedence over the trash in the middle and or the silhoette of a person in the foreground.

The other photos, of streetside open-aired restaurants, people dancing in the open-air spaces, symbols such as wreaths and balloons (which are signs of a vibrant community), the barbershop scene (a classic photographic scene), billiards playing etc. all demonstrate a community that exists because of the present organization of the buildings/city. to this end, my favorite image is that of the blurry worker in a narrow alleyway. The aesthetics of the image lend great credence to the architecture of the area, which creates low-light, narrow alleyways that are very difficult to photograph in.

What remains to be seen (and is, I gather, the source of your sense of trepidation), is what the effect will be of the dismantling of this order with that of highly organized high-rise buildings. One can surmise this ‘x factor’, the sense of the unknown from your images of the man sleeping (where he works?) on the ground, and the weegee-esque image of the woman in the alleyway and the idea that these moments are to be destroyed by the coming architectural storm. These already demonstrate the coming removal of ‘intimacy’, yet are stuck in the present, which i think lends credence to some of the comments on here who say that the essay seemed aloof and detached.

Therefore, I think this essay is more of x vs. y : we have the now, and we have the future. I didn’t really see too much of the ‘transition’, or the sense of ‘limbo’, that results from the project delays, or the results of a community being ‘half completed’.

I may be completely off on my interpretation of this project, I am unaware a lot of the photographic allusions that Bob Black mentioned, and I hope to educate myself as soon as possible.

thanks.

]]> By: Ramon Mas http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50188 Ramon Mas Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:16:34 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50188 Wenjie, absolutely love it! One thing that cought my attention tough is #11. After all the grainy pictures, that one, I don't know why, stands out to me like "too clean"... Maybe is just my eyes.. Wenjie, absolutely love it!

One thing that cought my attention tough is #11. After all the grainy pictures, that one, I don’t know why, stands out to me like “too clean”… Maybe is just my eyes..

]]> By: Patricia Lay-Dorsey http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50183 Patricia Lay-Dorsey Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:06:39 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50183 I am quite taken with this essay. There is something about the raw unfinished look of the photos that, to my eye, fits the subject. Wenjie has taken me inside the Low City and I can not only see it, but smell, touch, hear and feel its particular rhythms of life. The people feel real, as does everything around them. The juxtaposition of high-rises and shanties, as in #3, is very strong indeed. Good work, Wenjie. May your year at ICP be fruitful. I'm sure it will. You are a photographer whose development I will follow with interest. And congratulations on being published here on Burn! Patricia I am quite taken with this essay. There is something about the raw unfinished look of the photos that, to my eye, fits the subject. Wenjie has taken me inside the Low City and I can not only see it, but smell, touch, hear and feel its particular rhythms of life. The people feel real, as does everything around them. The juxtaposition of high-rises and shanties, as in #3, is very strong indeed.

Good work, Wenjie. May your year at ICP be fruitful. I’m sure it will. You are a photographer whose development I will follow with interest. And congratulations on being published here on Burn!

Patricia

]]> By: OZ http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50177 OZ Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:04:28 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50177 This essay is under a lot of influences... Bertrand Meunier is not far, Marc Riboud hanting...and all the exhibitions realized by Alain Julien (nephew of Marc Riboud) in all the photofestival he created their (from Pingyao to Guangzhou) I don't see the critical point here, not at all... It's a mix of style, just some copy without any specific documentary interest...it say nothing about China... It just show some places where you just have to stay for few minutes to bring a good shots... As many Chinese photographers I had met told me... In China today their is two jobs: Architect and photographer....as you just have to shot something then come the day after to shot again and it realized a serie...things are going so far to the west and so quick... So anyway good luck at the ICP (in the Barbarian land...)... Hope Wenje will not be also under ICP influences...or just take Gen Smith blood and then come back to China and take same risk to show the reality there...in that case it's a really good start... good luck This essay is under a lot of influences… Bertrand Meunier is not far, Marc Riboud hanting…and all the exhibitions realized by Alain Julien (nephew of Marc Riboud) in all the photofestival he created their (from Pingyao to Guangzhou)

I don’t see the critical point here, not at all… It’s a mix of style, just some copy without any specific documentary interest…it say nothing about China… It just show some places where you just have to stay for few minutes to bring a good shots… As many Chinese photographers I had met told me… In China today their is two jobs: Architect and photographer….as you just have to shot something then come the day after to shot again and it realized a serie…things are going so far to the west and so quick… So anyway good luck at the ICP (in the Barbarian land…)… Hope Wenje will not be also under ICP influences…or just take Gen Smith blood and then come back to China and take same risk to show the reality there…in that case it’s a really good start…

good luck

]]> By: Steve M http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50176 Steve M Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:03:17 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50176 Mmmm... gritty, challenging... I'm not sure that I like many of these and then I find myself agreeing with Panos - all messed up, excellent... And then I don't like them again. Well done Wenjie! You're challenging me hard with these. I love the 3/4/5 sequence - and then... what is 6 doing there? Aaargh! Some captions might have eased the pain - maybe that's not your intent! Steve Mmmm… gritty, challenging… I’m not sure that I like many of these and then I find myself agreeing with Panos – all messed up, excellent… And then I don’t like them again.

Well done Wenjie! You’re challenging me hard with these. I love the 3/4/5 sequence – and then… what is 6 doing there? Aaargh!

Some captions might have eased the pain – maybe that’s not your intent!

Steve

]]> By: Mike R http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50172 Mike R Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:38:13 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50172 Good essay Wenjie, you obviously feel an affinity and are comfortable with your subject. Number 4 is my favorite. Enjoy New York! Best wishes, Mike. Hey Panos; are you buying the M9 or are you going to pay off California's budget deficit? Good light, Mike. Good essay Wenjie, you obviously feel an affinity and are comfortable with your subject. Number 4 is my favorite. Enjoy New York!

Best wishes,

Mike.

Hey Panos; are you buying the M9 or are you going to pay off California’s budget deficit?

Good light,

Mike.

]]> By: colin. http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50171 colin. Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:01:27 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50171 I love the grain and constrast used here, it gives the pictures a 'grittyness' that echos the nature of the content really well - would love to see these as prints. Not sure from your text if this project is ongoing, but if so it might be an idea to focus on an individual or family as well to develop the idea of transition you speak of. cheers I love the grain and constrast used here, it gives the pictures a ‘grittyness’ that echos the nature of the content really well – would love to see these as prints.

Not sure from your text if this project is ongoing, but if so it might be an idea to focus on an individual or family as well to develop the idea of transition you speak of.

cheers

]]> By: panos skoulidas http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50151 panos skoulidas Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:30:39 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50151 All messed up, wrong exposed etc... Excellent.. loves it All messed up, wrong exposed etc…
Excellent..
loves it

]]> By: kathleen fonseca http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50148 kathleen fonseca Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:05:36 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50148 Nice...#10 is the only one i'd get rid of. It's too gray and flat for me. Have you seen the book, "Phantom Shanghai" by Greg Girard? A beautiful book. Good luck in NYC! best kathleen Nice…#10 is the only one i’d get rid of. It’s too gray and flat for me. Have you seen the book, “Phantom Shanghai” by Greg Girard? A beautiful book. Good luck in NYC!

best
kathleen

]]> By: Jonathan VDK http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50144 Jonathan VDK Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:16:26 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50144 #6 and #10 didn't work for me at all, whereas #13 is fantastic! a nice little essay. i would have liked to have seen at least one more 'from afar' image to give the shanty town some more perspective and depth for me. cheers! #6 and #10 didn’t work for me at all, whereas #13 is fantastic!
a nice little essay. i would have liked to have seen at least one more ‘from afar’ image to give the shanty town some more perspective and depth for me.
cheers!

]]> By: Bjarte Edvardsen http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50130 Bjarte Edvardsen Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:46:16 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50130 I'm confused here, don't quite see where the photographs are heading and I'm missing a stronger link to what you're saying about the familiarity and intimacy in their block, because that doesn't shine through the essay like it should. On the contrary I'm feeling a strange and cold distance to the subjects. I think you are getting somewhere with #4 and #9 (my favourites), I want to see more people, I'm curious how they look like and how it looks like where they live. The streets doesn't seem too relevant in this essay. Lots of messed-up thoughts from me, hope they give you something. Good luck with more! Bjarte I’m confused here, don’t quite see where the photographs are heading and I’m missing a stronger link to what you’re saying about the familiarity and intimacy in their block, because that doesn’t shine through the essay like it should. On the contrary I’m feeling a strange and cold distance to the subjects. I think you are getting somewhere with #4 and #9 (my favourites), I want to see more people, I’m curious how they look like and how it looks like where they live. The streets doesn’t seem too relevant in this essay.

Lots of messed-up thoughts from me, hope they give you something. Good luck with more!

Bjarte

]]> By: Tommy http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50127 Tommy Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:50:40 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50127 really like this. well done. i'm thinking large format (very large) would work wonderfully here. love the style. interesting compositions. interesting location. interesting set of images. well done. really like this. well done. i’m thinking large format (very large) would work wonderfully here.

love the style. interesting compositions. interesting location. interesting set of images.

well done.

]]> By: Herve http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50121 Herve Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:48:04 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50121 sorry... I should have written PJ, not "essay seen lately" (since I did not refer to just things seen on BURN). sorry… I should have written PJ, not “essay seen lately” (since I did not refer to just things seen on BURN).

]]> By: Herve http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/09/wenjie-yang-low-city/comment-page-1/#comment-50120 Herve Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:45:25 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3616#comment-50120 I think this essay, whatever its merit, illustrates perfectly what John Vink wrote yesterday after Audrey reported Willy Ronis's death. The problem, or the solution!, with these pictures, is that we can definitely put a lot of thoughts and things into it, if we wish to. With the regret that actually, some of it was really there (not a construction or an after-thought), to begin with, but now may need a lengthy and referential prose to be extirpated. Also: an observation more than criticism actually since it's emerging photography, hard to differentiate much of the style from many other essays seen lately. In its simplicity and scope, I like the buildings picture in the beginning most of all, which releases all the complexities of crazy urban and social developemnt we can wish for! I think this essay, whatever its merit, illustrates perfectly what John Vink wrote yesterday after Audrey reported Willy Ronis’s death.

The problem, or the solution!, with these pictures, is that we can definitely put a lot of thoughts and things into it, if we wish to. With the regret that actually, some of it was really there (not a construction or an after-thought), to begin with, but now may need a lengthy and referential prose to be extirpated.

Also: an observation more than criticism actually since it’s emerging photography, hard to differentiate much of the style from many other essays seen lately.

In its simplicity and scope, I like the buildings picture in the beginning most of all, which releases all the complexities of crazy urban and social developemnt we can wish for!

]]>