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high til' I die

Posted by
shoti (somewhere in, China) on 28 February 2010 in Documentary & Street and Portfolio.

smoking seems to be a part of modern China's culture. with the possible exception of Hong Kong and Macau and some Muslim dominated provinces, smoking is allowed inside establishments like hotels, restaurants, cafes, etc. As a non-smoker, it's quite frustrating to eat inside a covered place with people smoking.

This image was taken at the streets of Kunming while waiting for the bus to Dali.

Kunming city
Yunnan, China

Feb. '09

500px for better resolution of photos

k@ from Paris, France

You freezed the smoke that becomes as present as the man here, almost concrete & thick white ghost, i can understand how bored you are, i don't smoke neither and appreciate to be able to go to coffee places and not cough as i used to do for years, but hey, the world is rich with smokers & non-smokers and we have to try to live together ;) Your angle & dof are very cool (I like the round shape of the big tire in the bokeh too)

28 Feb 2010 7:22am

@k@: yes.. In the Philippines, I don't have problems dealing with smokers(got many friends who smoke, including Fred). but in China, it's so different. I feel like the government urges them to smoke. if you don't smoke here, especially if you're a guy, they just might consider you weird. and it's just here that I see people smoking inside offices, elevators, restaurants, and in many other cramped spaces.

thanks for the visit and glad you liked it K :)

catherine from quelque part en france, France

beautiful portrait in n&b , i like this moving smoke
in france smoking is allowed only outside establissements

28 Feb 2010 8:33am

Marie from FRESNES, France

superbe noir et blanc.

28 Feb 2010 6:15pm

Elizee from CONSTANTA, Romania

nice effect...

28 Feb 2010 7:43pm

Fred from Manila, Philippines

Ganda naman nito. Being the smoker that I am, I have always wanted to capture someone smoking where the smoke is as thick as this, but somehow a subject like that has eluded me. I really like the toning and the noise in this picture. Gives that really dramatic mood to this otherwise deadly habit.

28 Feb 2010 10:08pm

@Fred: light and background plays a big part :)

Anne from Singapore, Singapore

Great capture of the thick smoke!! yes, everyone's smoking here and I really don't like to inhale the second-hand smoke/air around them :(

1 Mar 2010 3:53am

k@ from Paris, France

Thank you for your answer, very instructive, i would never have guessed Chinese people do act like this about smoking/not smoking, very interesting !

1 Mar 2010 6:42pm

Marie-Jezaria from Paris, France

Excellent !!!!!!!

2 Mar 2010 3:06pm