The Traveling Suitcase: Great Wall of China
Part of an ongoing series entitled The Traveling Suitcase. Taken on my birthday hike to one of the highest peaks of The Great Wall of China...
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Part of an ongoing series entitled The Traveling Suitcase. Taken on my birthday hike to one of the highest peaks of The Great Wall of China
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Jun, 2018Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This image was taken roughly 3/4 of the way up to one of the highest peaks of the Great Wall of China. I found this secluded spot off to the side of the main staircase/path. I liked the way that the Traveling Suitcase fit between the small temple and the wall, with the recognizable sight of the Great Wall rising above it.Time
If I am not mistaken, the image was taken around 2-3pm. My tour group and I had an early morning walking the grounds of the Beijing Olympic Park, home of the 2008 Summer Olympics. We then took a shuttle out to a jade factory/shop far outside the city limits. Here we had an opportunity to have lunch before we made the trek to one of the most visited sections of the Great Wall. Being that it was Winter, our tour group was one of the only visitors out on this particular day.Lighting
Since there wasn't a cloud in the sky, the Sun was entirely unobstructed, so the lighting was a bit harsh. Fortunately, the location I chose to shoot had the right amount of light, space, and shadow that I feel complimented my suitcase.Equipment
Since I started at the Academy of Art, I have used a Canon Rebel SL1. Its compact size works well for me when traveling and hiking. I don't feel like I have a lot of weight around my neck. For this ongoing project, I have been using my standard 18-55mm lens with the smallest f-stop that the focal length will allow. I want to create a shallow depth-of-field, that way the suitcase is in focus with the background slightly out-of-focus, but still recognizable. Since I tend to shoot from a lot of different angles, to discover the best possible view, I rarely use a tripod. That may change as I experiment with lower light situations/scenes.Inspiration
One of my first photography professors gave me the best, and simplest, advice for wanting to pursue photography as a career; "Photograph what you Love" I have always loved to travel and dreamed of adventures around the World. This past Winter, I was taking a Concept and Design class where our final project was to produce 8 images that were a cohesive body of work. I applied my love for travel and exploration and came up with the idea to photograph an inanimate object in different locations as if it were traveling on its own. That object quickly took shape in the form of a vintage style suitcase. Soon I found myself taking short road trips all over Northern California. I had so much fun discovering places to photograph the Traveling Suitcase that I decided this wasn't just going to be a one-time concept, but an ongoing concept that I could continue when/wherever I travel to. In a way, the Traveling Suitcase has become a physical embodiment of inspiration and motivation for me to continue pursuing what I love.Editing
Because the light was pretty harsh, I had to drop the highlights significantly on the front of the suitcase, particularly the wooden frame. I also brought up the shadows in the background temple so that more details and colors could be seen. I always like to add a touch of clarity and vibrance, with a slight vignette to add a little more depth to the scene.In my camera bag
My Canon Rebel SL1 came packaged with a 18-55mm and a 75-300mm lens. I have since added both a 50mm and 10-18mm lens. Each lens is fitted with a KUVRD universal lens cap. I grew frustrated with having to keep track of different size lens caps when switching lenses. I also have a LCD viewfinder/hoodman that I use to review my images when onsite in bright outdoor lighting, such as this image. And of course, extra batteries and SD cards are a must!Feedback
I will give the same advice that my professor gave me; Photograph what you Love. Find your passion and pursue that. I think we have all experienced having to read, write, produce some piece of work that we had little to no interest in. In those instances it is hard to put your best foot forward because your heart is not into it. I can't tell you how many novels I was assigned in school that I never ended up finishing. But when I have something I love reading/writing/doing I will pour my heart and soul into it. That is what this project is for me. I will continue to progress my skills as I continue to travel. I hope that anyone reading this finds what they love to photograph and continue to create beautiful works of art.
