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Introducing...
George deWolfe
George is a Photo Tours Abroad Guest Artist, and has been a photographer for more than 40 years. His resume is impressive - he has studied with some of the greatest photographers; has been a teacher of photography and has hosted a variety of seminars and workshops; he has published and contributed to numerous works on photography; and has widely exhibited his work. Not only this, but he has also produced two popular Adobe Photoshop plug-ins.
Having studied Chinese landscape painting for 25 years, his fascination is with combining the traditional style of painting with the modern art form of photography - a style that he and his partner Lydia Goetze have termed "Contemplative Photography". He says "it is the special relationship that China has with its landscape and the representation of it that interests me the most", and he is keen to explore the areas of China where the classical painters found their inspiration.
George and Lydia will be returning to China in September to lead the Contemplative Landscapes tour in Guangxi. George says that during the tour he likes to "examine the structure of ancient Chinese landscape painting in some detail and give the participants exercises to help them translate this ancient structure into photographs. All of this information and skills form the basis for Contemplative Photography. It combines both form and spirit, and we show the path to practice this."
If you're interested in joining George and Lydia, please follow the link here.
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Photo Tours Abroad plans to take you further abroad...
We are excited to announce that next year we will begin offering tours to India. We are putting the finishing touches on our first trip to Rajasthan, scheduled for early spring 2014.
We will be announcing dates and itineraries soon, so watch this space!
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Mongolia, a land of impossibly blue skies and endless horizons offers stunning landscapes and magical hospitality. Once visited, this land will never be forgotten.
The capital, Ulaan Bataar, is a surprisingly cosmopolitan city, reflecting Mongolia's place at the crossroads of history - a centre for pilgrimmage and trade, the country has variously been under the control of China and Russia, and was once a powerful empire in its own right. The figure of Genghis Khan still looms large in the national psyche - he even has his own brand of Mongolian vodka!
Outside of the city, the sheer vastness of the landscape will take your breath away. Here the traditional nomad life continues, and it is possible to see herdsmen on horseback tending their sheep and yak on the grasslands. The Mongolians are expert horsemen, with even small children displaying astonishing riding skills.
Buddhist beliefs are still maintained, and there are many temples and monasteries continuing the ancient traditions. Prayer flags fluttering in the breeze bring a sense of spirituality, and the Shaman totems dotting the landscape are a reminder of the spiritual connection the Mongolians have with their land.
Inspired yet? To join our Guest Artist Nick Rains on a photographic journey of discovery this August click here. We look forward to saying "sain baina uu" to you soon!
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Focus on...language
Phrase of the day: 你吃饭了没有?
(ni chi fan le mei you?)
"Have you eaten yet?" is a common greeting in Chinese, and not only expresses the importance of food culture in China; but also harks back to a time when famine years were common, even before the upheavals of the last century. In times of hardship, a person's well-being was obviously linked to them having recently had a meal. It's not intended as a literal question, it functions in a similar way to English greeting "How are you", which only demands a polite reply.
Food is central to Chinese life, and such as the Eskimos have a hundred words for snow, Chinese has a plethora of words to describe food and flavour. Practically every town and city has their own special dish or snack - China really is a gastronomic delight!
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Seen around China...
You can see this man's image on tourist T-shirts, key-rings, coffee cups, and the like, but who is he? This is Lei Feng, the 'model soldier' from the Mao era, who devoted his life to the motherland and the Party. He was unknown until after his early death at the age of 21(he was crushed by a falling telephone pole), but fortunately he left behind a diary chronicling his good deeds and passion for the revolution. The diary was used as part of a propaganda campaign, which urged people to follow his good example and dedicate themselves to the nation (and to Mao).
Although the veracity of the diary is questionable, there are still those who take inspiration from his life and try to "live Lei Feng"; however, enthusiasm for his message among the young seems to have waned in recent years. March 5th is Learn from Lei Feng Day, where people are encouraged to perform various kinds of community service.
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