photography :: Nathanial Lynch

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Day 52: Mental Photography

Jul

You don’t need film.

My final full day in Xi’an started slowly as I didn’t roll out of my bed until 11 am and leave the room till about noon. I guess I was more tired than I thought.

I made a plan to go see the two famous goose pagodas in Xi’an the small one and the big one. I knew some of the history behind one of them, but overall I was just on a “wild goose” chase to see the Wild Goose Pagodas. (I think I’m just beating my dad to the comment section with the Wild Goose chase joke. Pre-emptive jokes are hard to beat)

I was impressed with both of them, but particularly impressed with the mini museum next to the Small Goose Pagoda. The big goose pagoda was quite interesting well. If you’ve heard of Journey to the West a famous Chinese folk tale this pagoda has quite significance to that story. However the highlight of my day was riding a bike around the city wall.

Many Chinese city walls are not intact if even noticeable at all, However they have refurbished and rebuilt an entire portion of the wall in Xi’an. It encircles some of the more Historic parts of the central part of Xi’an. I entered at the South Gate and rented a bike for 20 RMB to ride around the wall.

I started off and it was another hot day in Xi’an. My plan had been to ride the city wall till about nightfall, watch the sunset and take photos along the wall.

I rode around each turn with each bump and hole in the city wall walkway rumbling beneath me as I rode across with the city below me. The bike I was given was not quite the best bike I’ve ever ridden on, in fact it might have been one of the worse, but for 20 RMB I cannot complain too much.

So turning round the east side I felt the sun as it shined in my face and the breeze followed me and kept me cool high above the streets below. I made each subsequent return stopping periodically for a photo and drink of water. I rumbled over to the West gate where the sun had begun to sink low and sky grew darker in the east.

I pulled out my camera to begin to take some photos, but then I stopped.

This trip had been full of finding “that photo” or telling “that story” but I hadn’t just stopped and wondered at the beauty of something. So I did. I put my camera away and put my fingers together as to frame the photo and I flashed in my memory a mental photograph of the sunset.

That moment seemingly simple and perfect left me watching the sunset slowly dip into the west as the breeze blew the beads of sweat on my brow away.

I rode my bike to the end of my journey with the last bits of the sun disappearing behind my back. I turned back as I was looking back at an old memory or an old friend. My western sunset and I were in that moment seeing each other eye to eye and face to face. I’ll always remember it.

A photograph stored away for another day.

Photos below are of the small goose pagoda and big goose goose pagoda before and some on the wall before I decided to put away my camera. I know it’s ironic to have photos on a post named mental photography, but I figured you’d want a little photographic evidence.

-NL

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Categories : China, photography, traveling

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Day 48: Oh My Lady Gaga!

Jul

Sometimes it feels like our biggest export is Lady Gaga.

Let me explain. I was finishing another day at work and I was told by my supervisor that we got a free Dinner tonight. I’m all about free dinner, so I was on board.

There is a restaurant that is in a hotel on the campus that the International Affairs office uses for VIP meals with their delegations and other groups that come in. It’s the place that they will show off at dinner and give a traditional big Chinese dinner feel. They were given some free vouchers for meals because they go there so much and spend so much money there.

This dinner however was me and two other student interns in the office. So I walked into the restaurant being followed by these two other Chinese women. I’m not quite sure what thoughts were on everyone’s mind when a white guy dressed up in work clothes is followed and lead by two young Chinese girls.

So during dinner we started talking about anything and everything. Somehow Tibet and Taiwan came up, but I wasn’t the one to bring it up. I’ll leave that talk for another day, but I asked them if there was an English equivalent of “wow!” I knew of one, which was a bad wow. But maybe a good wow. They told me that often they just say “wa!” or some of the younger people say “Oh my Lady Gaga”. To that I said Wow.

I responded with a quick why? And they didn’t have much of answer besides that she is very popular and that everyone in China knows who she is (which I know is an overstatement). Cause I’m guessing that my grandparent who are reading this may not know who she is. (She’s a pop star Grandmother, people compare her to Madonna).

That’s all I got today. I just thought I’d share a new hilarious saying that you should all start saying.

In other news I’ve posted my photos from my trip to Taishan and Qufu on Flickr. Check ‘em out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23292852@N07/

They may even make you say, “Oh My Lady Gaga!”

Categories : photography

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Better Photos on Flickr

Jun

So I found a way circumvent the internet system and take a look at my blog. I’m sorry the photos have been kinda grainy. I guess my e-mail uploader compresses them. So if you’re looking for better quality photos check out my Flickr page once again. I just uploaded some pictures of the University and Qingdao the city.

Qingdao University
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23292852@N07/sets/72157624195181334/

Qingdao
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23292852@N07/sets/72157624070694447/

Hope you enjoy. I’ll be continuing to upload throughout the summer.

-NL

Categories : China, photography

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Day 14: Computer City

May

Got the camera battery charged and I have a new charger that only cost me 60 Yuan, which is less than $10 for those who are keeping track. Here’s some photos to make up for lack of good photos recently.

These are all photos of some sculptures down by the seaside. The big red one represents a flame and the symbol of Qingdao.

-NL

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Categories : China, photography, traveling

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Blurry Photos

Apr

Blurry sometimes equals beautiful. That’s one of the things that make ol’ timey cameras great is the fact that sometimes things came out blurry. That’s where the saying of the camera never lies came from. It was a picture of something, somewhere, that will never be the same ever again. I’ve only taken a few really good blurry photos and I thought I’d share them.

I’m in Hong Kong

I was trying to take a picture of a bee.

Radio in the car at night… and a shaky hand.

Memphis Bar

Categories : photography

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Camera Experiment

May

What Is It

I, for some reason, have become infatuated with disposable cameras. I have a Polaroid, and I plan to use it more often. But I have this one disposable camera that I take two photos with every month, and only two photos. I was telling a friend about this, and he gave me a great idea. Why not send a camera to other people. I thought, and really liked the idea.

So…

I took 6 Kodak FunSaver Cameras and sent them to 6 friends of mine. They will in turn send the cameras to another person, and so on and so forth until the entire 27 photos are used up. Then I ask the last person to send the camera back to me.

The instructions I included inside the package explain everything they do, and I promise to send them a copy of their photo, plus all the other photos as well. I’m excited to see what happens. The packages should have made it to their first destination by now, and we will see how many I get back.

Art

The friend who told me about it said that it was kinda like art. I’m excited to see what happens. It’s something that if it completely finishes then will make an impression on 156 people alone. I hope that people really get into it, and even do it themselves some day. I don’t know what to call it yet, but I think it’s an experiment at the moment a mix between chain letter, flat stanley, and I don’t really know what.

I’ve sent my little cameras out. Let’s hope I get all of them back.

~nwlynch

Categories : art, photography

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The First Twitpic Day

Apr

Yesterday I decided to Twitpic every hour. It didn’t have to be on the hour, but somewhere around ten minutes on either side. This is the Thursday in a Life of me. Twitpic-ing my way through it. It’s also every hour I’m awake. otherwise the other 8 hours would be me sleeping. And that’s no fun. Here’s a voyeuristic look into my life. I hope you enjoy.

WAKE UP!

I am not a morning person. Going to breakfast is often a sacrifice.

7:23 am

I decided to start off the morning right with a trip to Mom’s… It’s a local eatery in Stillwater. I think a part of heaven may have a Mom’s or a cheeseburger tree, or will be so amazing it won’t really matter.

URL – Tweet

8:11 am

Mom’s was great. A friend of mine named Jordon read from the ‘Good Book’ and we talked about the power of God. We had some first timers that were sold on coming back for another go round at Mom’s

URL – Tweet

9:20 am

I then scurried on over to work. I give it a thumbs up because they always have a fresh pot of coffee, and I get to write article. Which is always a fun gig.

URL – Tweet

10:20 am

Work was a grand old time. I was super multi-tasking. Working on homework for my Islamic History class, writing an article, updating the blog, and tweeting all at the same time. great fun. My desk has a dual screen set up, which is just fantastic.

URL – Tweet

11:11 am

Today my voice for some reason disappeared. I was left with something half way between a boy hitting puberty and Louis Armstrong. It was awful, but these cough drops are the bomb diggity. They look and taste like the nastiest Altoid you’ve ever had, but they work.

URL – Tweet

12:04 pm

I dropped by the OSU Student Union to say hello to some of my buddies. They are obviously excited to have me take a picture of them. Oh well now they’re famous-ish.

URL – Tweet

1:08 pm

This is my class on Islam in the Cultural Perspective. Overall it’s an interesting course, but some days can be particualarly long and moaning. This day was a good day, but every time I joined in on discussion I sounded like an little boy with my messed up voice.

URL – Tweet

2:37 pm

I kept on messing with my friend Andy. He wasn’t having any of it. He tried to gnaw off my hand after I took this photo. It was quite funny, but he owes me my pinky back someday.

URL – Tweet

3:12 pm

Hey it’s my friend Kelly. He often will introduce himself as Steve when people first meet him. It’s kinda of funny, because I know some people that still call him Steve out of ignorance.

URL – Tweet

4:13 pm

Today was presentations in my class. One guy did his on Dante’s Divine Comedy, which has his famous explanations of Hell, Heaven and Purgatory. This book was it, plus all of the crazy artwork people have made over the years.

URL – Tweet

5:09 pm

I had a meeting with my Boss. It was a good meeting. End of the year stuff for my RA position. I’ll be glad to be done, but excited for the next thing.

URL – Tweet

5:52 pm

I got to get on the roof of my residence hall, Parker Hall. I took some photos and this is one of the better ones. It’s only 5 stories high so not a huge height jump, but still an interesting view.

URL – Tweet

7:00 pm

So I laid down for a nap, and I guess I lost track of time. Here’s some picture to let you know what I might have dreamt about during my 3 hour nap.

8:00 pm

9:00 pm

9:56 pm

So I finally awoke. This is my little bed that I slept in. What’s creepy is is looks like there is someone in the bed, but there isn’t at least not to my knowledge. I was the one taking the picture.

URL – Tweet

11:14 pm

@connorham came by and asked if would like to go get a snack. I of course said yes. We went and found this pint of delectable goodness. Blue Bell Southern Blackberry Cobbler… mmmmmm.

URL – Tweet

12:00 am

I am an RA, and so I had certain duties I had to take care of at 12:00 am-ish… This picture should give you an idea of what I had to handle, but at the same time I don’t get a sweet radio like that.

1:08 am

My old roommate Michael dropped by while I was in my room and brought me a McFlurry. Everybody has a Michael, but mine just happens to bring me Ice Cream.

URL – Tweet

BED!

As much as I am a night owl, I’m a bigger fan of sleeping.

Categories : photography, Social Media

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Archive for photography

Day 52: Mental Photography

Day 48: Oh My Lady Gaga!

Better Photos on Flickr

Day 14: Computer City

Blurry Photos

Camera Experiment

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