sunwei

<p>Whoops! A Shaman is someone who can perceive what others cannot. Well done Steve for spotting my deliberate mistake. Hope we get to meet in that other dimension!</p>

<p>A sharman is someone who can perceive what others cannot. Give a sharman a camera and he's likely to achieve awesome results. "Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder"- some people are only interested in tits and bums, others appreciate mastibating green bugs. Technology is twofold, firstly its the <strong>hardware</strong> you use and secondly its the <strong>knowhow</strong>. For example, a hammer is hardware, but hammering involves knowhow. Many older photographers, including me have experienced a steep learning curve in photography, going from film to digital and from mechanical calculators to laptops and photoshop. Give me a good camera and I'll do my very best to really learn how to use it.</p>

<p>Hi Josh,</p>

<p>I am able to upload again now, using Mozilla Firefox, thank you for your assistance. Now going to try and find some decent photos to upload from my Seagate 88 GB hard disc, its been an invaluable piece of kit.</p>

<p>To Joseph Hoflehner,<br>

having seen some of your images taken with your Horseman 612SW/with 45mm lens camera and it has inspired me not to give up with trying to master this fine camera. I particularly liked your mountain high walkway scenes and your fine art photography books, especially 'Frozen History'. As I have already indicated there is no-one here in China to help me get started, I need to find out how to set the Rodenstock 45 mm lens for the film I am using: Fuji Velvia 100, 50 and Fuji Acros 100. Please, please can somebody help me?<br>

I sold most of my Contax 645 AF gear to get some cash to return to China, I feel like a cowboy without a gun!</p>

<p>Dear Steve Smith,<br>

Wow! OK its still WIP, but you have very nearly completed a fine camera. In fact I have for a long time been most interested in camera design. Congratulations on your craftsmanship.<br>

I'm not encouraging people to make patent infringements, but see the need for much cheaper digital backs, like those made by LEAF for the Contax 645 AF and Mamiya 645. A couple of years ago I saw a really inexpensive one manufactured here in China, but unfortunately lost contact with the photographer. My friend in London is a professional photographer and wants me to locate a digital back for his large format SINAR camera, he's still waiting.</p>

<p>Last night on CCTV here in Xi'an, there was a feature on IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) outlining a new campaign right across China to enforce Copyright protection. The police are siezing pirate DVDs and are using powerful shredders to destroy them, so far they have concentrated their efforts on pirate software, but are also confiscating pirate music CDs and DVDs.<br>

What we need to encourage now is a crackdown on pirate images too. Its a daunting task as China is such a big continent, but its a most promising start. To keep up the momentum we need photographers who seriously care about IPR to comment, or to join the campaign. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day! <p><b>Signature URL removed. Not allowed per photo.net Terms of Use.</b></p>

<p>I have recently bought a Horseman 612 SW/ 45mm lens, but don't know how to use it. The handbook which came with the lens contains very minimal information. It appears that f4.5 is only used if you are using a glass focussing screen, I am not, indeed as a landscape photographer it would be practically useless as there is insufficient light to see.<br>

The handbook suggest a minimum f-stop of f11. Okay I also have a photometer, or could use my digital camera to find the appropriate f-stop to use.<br>

I have been using Fuji Velvia ASA 50 and Fuji Acros ASA 100 film, but don't know how to set the lens for either film, any suggestions. So far I have only achieved one beautiful image, see: <a href="http://sunwei.photoshelter.com/">http://sunwei.photoshelter.com/</a> Please help me?</p>

 

<p>There have been a few recent <strong>test cases</strong> here in China to do with the infringement of <strong>patents</strong>. Also some cases to do with copying <strong>trademarks</strong>. In one, for example a company was using a design for its coffee which closely resembled Nescafe, the company were fined and forced to discontinue using its labels.<br>

In the area of <strong>copyright </strong>here in China<strong> </strong>I am not aware of any test cases, but I will do some research to try and find out whats been happening here.<br>

China is becoming a <strong>number 1 player</strong> in the world and I suspect that the government will crack down on piracy and copyright infringement in due course, this is because they want to show that they can become exemplary as a model for development. This is not just wishful thinking as China really does care what the world thinks about it now, its very encouraging!</p>

<p>Josh Root,<br>

sorry to here you and your family were ill, hope all are ok now.<br>

You asked me what browser I am using and I'm not sure as I am fairly 'brain-dead' when it comes to computers. Here in Xi'an about 99% of the population doesn't speak English at all and my Chinese is minimal. Communication here is a real problem. My Sony Vaio laptop I bought here runs on Windows 7 and cannot be updated to Windows 8, or 9, its made under license and may have a different processor than one bought say in the UK, or US. I uploaded Google Chrome, its on my hard disc, but isn't my default and can only be used if I download it. Its been about one month now since I had a problem uploading my images, thank you for the belated reply and for the UHL link to the simple uploader which I shall try.<br>

Colin</p>

<p>Having had no response from PHOTONET'S sole representative of customer services since contacting him on Oct 26 about no longer being able to upload images, I am naturally feeling somewhat miffed!</p>

<p>These unauthorized images are being used to promote the sale of new furniture in superstores in Xi'an with complete disregard of copyright laws. The photos downloaded were samples from across the globe. It is ironic that I have been trying to sell some of my images in furniture stores in the US, maybe they will decide to do the same as here in China. Oh the joys of professional photography!</p>

<p>Here in Xi'an in West China, huge furniture stores are using your photos in breach of copyright. When I asked them if they were sale, I received the blatant response, " No , they are not for sale, we just downloaded them off of the internet". The photos are from around the world and mostly don't have a watermark. One picture had the following watermark :<br>

parker-huang-poco.cn<br>

I tried to contact the photographer, but had difficulty posting a message on his website. I wanted to see if he was aware of this apparent act of piracy, or had given his prior permission.<br>

These large mounted images are often poorly reproduced and don't do justice to the photographer.<br>

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make these transgressors toe the line?</p>

<p><strong>Today I have encountered the new Aurigma uploader, it is crap! Not working at all. I am unable to upload it. What's going on! I am being prevented from using Photonet, refund my money if this is the only service you can offer.</strong></p>

<p>Whoops, I made a mistake in my earlier post, the ink cartridges are only sold in units of 10 and each one cost 11 GBP ( 110 rmb), so a pack of 10 costs 110 GBP (1100 rmb). Sorry!</p>

<p>My reply to David Littleboy (Tokyo, Japan).<br>

Here the Chinese are very nihow chong ming (smart) too! They manufacture their own Canon ink, it works very well too, I use it all the time in my small Canon Pixma ip 4760, that's a 5 color printer, its all the rage here.<br>

A warning though! The other day I went back to the Hewlett Packard supplier here to have a look at the dog's biscuit - the HP Z 3100, that's a 12 color printer and is used by the professional printlabs here. The problem is that they can only supply soluble ink for it!<br>

The lady showed me how soluble it is by dipping a print into her fish tank. It had 5 fish I recall, a lucky number in Feng Shui. The print almost immediately vanished, leaving traces of blue dye in the water. Smart trick that!</p>

<p>First let me respond to JDM von Weinberg, I don't suppose I could call you 'Tex'? I bought the Canon Pixma Pro 9500 Mk II in the hope of producing prints for my Hong Kong exhibition, but then I discovered that there is an ink supply problem here in China. <strong>Each Canon printer uses different ink, the Japs are very smart, nihow chong ming! </strong>The local gringos here in China's wild wild west extort you too and why not? Foreigners are fair game and usually have to pay more! As well as inflated local costs for the ink cartridges they only sell them in sets of 10! As you probably know some inks are used up more quickly, so buying all 10 colors is crazy. Then the ink has to come via Shanghai and is re-routed to Xian, by the infamous 'snail' post. It seems that I can buy a pack of 10 cartridges for 11 GBP (1100 rmb) and if I'm very lucky they will arrive in about two weeks.</p>

<p>My regret is that I bought a Canon Pixma Pro 9500 Mk II about 3 months ago, its now gathering dust & lies unused taking up valuable space.<br />Pros :<br />* quiet in operation<br />* medium format A3 printer<br />* takes a variety of hand fed paper<br />Cons :<br />* uneconomical ( the ink cartridges are minute and cost over 10 GBP / cartridge to replace)<br />* painfully slow ( One A3 print takes an agonising 8 minutes)<br />* the Canon ink cartridges are not full when new ( Sadly this is usually the case)<br />* 10 color printers are not in the vogue here, in fact photographers steer clear of them like the plague.</p>

<p><strong>Well, my latest thoughts on ARTSLANT.com.</strong><br>

They offer large prints based on only puny files, eg 30 in x 20in from just a 4.0 MB image!<br>

When I asked what their optimum file size is I received no reply<br>

They seem only interested in photographers who promote, using ARTSLANT advertising<br>

They encourage spam, ie unsolicited emails being sent to anyone on mailing list<br>

No sales<br>

<strong>So I have removed all my images from ARTSLANT</strong></p>

<p>Dear Charles Webster,<br>

thank you for your comments. I have looked at your portfolio and like your pictures very much, especially the beautiful landscapes. Also I see you did a still life of a Chinese seal, I like popping in the Jade Market at Yau Ma Tei in Hong Kong, have bought one, or two bargains there. My dream is to go to Nepal. Maybe going to Japan again soon, taking my Horseman 612SW with 45mm lens to try it out.<br>

Best wishes,<br>

Colin Hyman</p>

<p>Dear Mark Keefer,<br>

thank you for your suggestions about using imagepro, I will spend some time developing it, it is certainly a good idea to make use of the resources already at our disposal. As for Artslant.com, its still very early days. I pasted my UHL for it on my wife's busy blogsite and have had 113 visits in the first week, however this is in China and its very difficult selling photos here.<br>

<p>Dear Charles Webster,<br>

thank you for your constructive comments. I recall someone at Lancaster Uni defining technology as consisting of ' hardware' (tools) and 'software' (knowhow), its not much use having a camera if you don't know how to use it. I also recall on the marketing, that you can buy lists to use on a relational database. In fact I once had an old apple mac and it had a list of art buyers in California still on its hard drive.</p>

<p>As a member of PHOTO.NET I would like to offer some of my best photos for sale, but I cannot afford to set up and maintain my own website, its simply too expensive. Is there another way?<br>

Well, maybe there is as I have recently joined ARTSLANT.COM and on this site I can upload my best photos and offer them for sale worldwide.</p>

<p>Dear Michael Chang,<br>

do you honestly believe that foreigners can learn Cantonese? i DON'T THINK SO! My wife Zhang Huixia from Xi'an can only count to 10 in Cantonese and despite many trips to Hong Kong we are still baffled at its complexity. As for learning Mandarin, I concur that this is 'how ju ee' ! There are several schools in Xi'an where Mandarin is being taught to students and business people. I recall that I met a rather cautious and worried Japanese business lady who was having 1:1 private tuition in Mandarin in her hotel room. She honestly believed all Chinese people in Xi'an are 'showtoos' , or 'chiswires' , or both and rarely left the hotel. </p>

<p>Dear David Henderson,<br>

I gave a rather curt response to this, but it appears to have gone astray. Re: your puzzlement at the apparent lack of restaurants , at least outside your hotel in Xi'an, where English is spoken.<br>

Well, in fact very, very few people in Xi'an speak English, or any other language other than Mandarin, however there are quite a few who can read and write in another language.<br>

Xi'an has been likened to the 'wild west' , its a strange backwater place where the main occupations include : playing poker , mahjong and dancing dia yunga.</p>

<p>My childhood was much the same as yours I think , but we did have a black & white TV, I recall we had to thump it often as there was a wide black band that rolled up and down. Talking about TV, my psychology prof Steve Duck (bless him!) at Lancaster Uni, was reatained by the BBC (Beeb) for about 30 years as a propaganda consultant making the news more plausable.<br>

A belated welcome to Xi'an! Yes, in the fours years I've camped here the traffic has become intense, mostly people buy their cars, not on HP , but with cash here! If you are planning to mosy about here agin some day, I'll help you find somewhere to get good food, particularly as I am a gourmet . incidently, the worse place for cusine I've come across was in Kunming, though the dog meat was okay.</p>