A Different Culture

I'm studying the Chinese language (in China) and made a friend who wants to be a movie director.  He invited me to his village over the school break to document the making of his movie.  It's a movie of his people group the "Yi" people.  He is hoping to promote his culture while making movies.  It was a good trip as I was able to visit a small village where it's unlikely many foreigners have been.  Here are a couple photos I was able to capture.



I wish I could of framed this photo a little better by not cutting the top of her head off but, unfortunately, it was a photo of opportunity and I had to react quickly.  


I wish I could of not put her feet so close to the bottom of the frame but I was laying on the ground and trying to get shots while they were filming a scene.  I was laying under the view of the camera filming.  Maybe burst mode would of helped?  She is the leading female actress and I was able to get some decent shots of her in between filming scenes.


This is one of the crew/cast who I got to pose for some photos for me.  This trip I had access to some actors and actresses who were willing to have their photos taken.  It helped that photography was my job for the ten days I was there.  This trip is the first time I've really tried portrait photography/shooting people as I generally don't like people in my photos unless doing street photography.


a woman in traditional Yi clothing during the filming of a scene.  It was getting dark and I had to up the ISO with f2.0 and it was shot handheld.  

I do share the same fascination for the Chinese people and
history but at the same time a real discomfort that I cannot
explain or justify… xenophobia? This work of yours brings ho-
pe and builds bridges. Thanks for sharing!

WOW !!  

Your pictures are cool, and really good, and yes of course you will not crop tops of heads and bottoms of feet one day.  Your skill will only increase until a perfect frame becomes automatic in you. What I think is so amazing is that you went there on this trip, somehow !!  You got to be a part of it !!  What a fantastic opportunity !! You are highly favored I think !! 

So different. It's learning! 

These are good. Very unique! 

Beautiful people! Nicely done! 

Interesting shots! I like the 1st one the most. 

A movie set in a remote Chinese village. You must have been counting your blessings.

Nikon Shooter... Discomfort vs dislike are two different things.  Something that is unfamiliar will always be uncomfortable but that doesn't mean you do not like it so I am not sure that it's xenophobia.  Thanks for your thoughts.  

This was a low-budget indie film but it was still an amazing experience in a rural, interesting, beautiful location.  Thanks everyone for your comments.

It was a lot of fun practicing a documentary style of photography.   I tried to get interesting things as they happened for storytelling and for memories the cast and crew can keep.  You take hundreds of photos and are only happy with maybe 10... it's a little frustrating.  Although, my "happy with" is probably much different than the rest of the cast and crew's "happy with"

Nice shot! Very unique!

Good nice people! well done! 

I especially like the first shot. The second shot is like a scene in the movies. Nice! 

These are very nice.  #1 is my fave ... but I'd crop the top a bit to my it look intentional.  While we are all different and some of us quite different .., we are all still people with more tangibles and intangibles to bind us ... than to separate us.  Thank you for sharing, please post more.

Thanks @GaryA.  I posted a few photos from another opportunity I had dealing with Chinese New Year also known as the Lunar New Year because other cultures celebrate it as well.

I'm wondering about the traditional/colorful clothing.  Is that their daily wear ... or are they wearing the clothing for the cameras? In the second photo of the second set, the guy on the left seems to to wearing everyday clothes, while the person on the right is wearing traditional/ceremonial clothing.  (Assuming the guy on the left is a local and not part of the camera crew.)  Tell us of difficulties and surprises rising from this assignment/job/shoot.