Tag Archive for 'day-worker'

31
Mar

A little scrap story

By Sue Anne 3 Comments
Categories: Building the China Dream and Street Stories

◄ Back
Picture 1 of 4

While I am not one for following major scrap stories like some folks, it is nevertheless amusing to hear the backstories of what, why and how involving “DIY scrapping”.

I was travelling around Wangjiamatou Lu (王家码头路) in Old Town with my Roving Exhibit when I spotted this couple. I decided to place my photo boards next to them for a show-and-tell but the husband and wife duo seemed a lot more interesting.

“These are left over things from a hotel in Pudong which has just closed.” the husband explained. They arrived there a bit late, but it was a decent stash. Alarms, door knobs, light fixtures, control switches, random wires. Everything was being stripped into small piles separated by materials: glass, copper, light switch frames, fixture casings and bits of wiring.

They knew what they wanted. No large piles of wood or alumnium. It’s all about value, not volume. I watched the wife pull expertly at a burglar alarm followed by a light bulb, extracting the tungsten.

I had a go at it to give a helping hand and nearly took my foot off with the screwdriver and hammer. The wife shook her head, maybe it’s best you stick to photography, she laughed.

And take a photo of my kids while you’re at it, her husband chimed in.

December 2010

06
Jan

A review of 2010 (part two)

By Sue Anne 2 Comments
Categories: Art, Games and Hobbies, Portraits of Strangers and Street Stories

I continue with a review of my favorite (and yours, in some cases) photos from 2010. It’s always nice to look back at the style and subjects of past work, as an assessment of how much one has learned and how far more one has to go.

April: “Speak softly, but carry a big can of paint” - My first encounter with one of the many talented street artists that grace the infamous Moganshan Wall which morphs every so often. Go quickly to visit before it is torn down.

“Portraits of Strangers #1″: Armed with an old-school 50mm 1.8, I decided to capture portraits, as close as possible. This portrait is by far my favorite of the lot. There is so much character in one’s face.

May: “Lessons from shooting 2010 <我在上海 世博特刊>” - I shot the magazine cover of a travel magazine for Taiwan’s largest travel agency, Lion Travel. Hilarious stories would ensue, also known as “Dangers of photographing snotty children”.

“Sunrise on the Bund (Part 1)”: A month after the newly renovated Bund opened, the only time to take it in all its splendor is at sunrise. Old men kite flying, drunk youths racing and morning tai-chi.

June: “A Photographer’s Eviction from the house on Yulin Road” - A beautiful row of houses that retain their original interior, but unfortunately falling apart. An adventure to photograph it runs a little awry.

Behind the Camera with my friend Xi Zi (席子) on documenting Shanghai’s longtang and shikumen, available in English and Chinese. Do check out the site he administers, Shanghaimage. You will be awed by how much heritage architecture that goes unnoticed, though rapidly disappearing, in the city.

Also recommended, Katya Knyazeva’s elaborate work on Old Town (老城厢), her interview here.

A review of 2010 (part one) (part three) (part four)

17
Aug

The transaction

By Sue Anne 4 Comments
Categories: Portraits of Strangers, Street Stories and To Market, To Market

In the afternoon that I have been hanging out at a scrapyard along Huoshan Lu (霍山路), I noticed an old man shuffling quietly through with a small bag in hand. He was shirtless given the sweltering heat, and his age showed through his liver-spotted and saggy skin which hung loosely on his person.

I followed him across to another scrapyard by Liaoyang Lu (辽阳路) and discovered him tidying up a large tarpaulin bag filled with plastic bottles. He had an odd movement about him. Upon closer examination, I noticed his shaking hands.

He had Parkinson’s disease.

His right hand shaking more than his left, he stared at his wares and mentally calculated its costs. I thought it made sense he collected plastic bottles, it’s light and portable, but you only earn about 0.20 cents to one jin (斤) which is about 500 grams.

I was standing amidst a group of men in charge of collecting recycled goods – wood, steel, plastic, rubber, junk. They bought scrap from individuals to sell in bulk to recycling plants.

A young man sauntered over to assess the voluminous heap of plastic. A transaction was made with a modest sum exchanged. I could not help noticing the old man’s shaking hands while he waited for his payment. I wondered if he was being medically treated.

The old man then shuffled off counting his money, dragging his dust encrusted feet and slippers.

“He’s about 60, maybe 70.” One of the managers said in response to my question. “We try to give him a fair deal each time.” A look of pity flashed across his eyes as quickly as it disappeared. He then distractedly turned back to jousting with his buddies.

August 2010

Continue reading ‘The transaction’

27
Jul

A day of rest

By Sue Anne 4 Comments
Categories: Building the China Dream and Portraits of Strangers

He was sitting alone, surrounded by concrete sand and mud, reading a newspaper on top of a tiny table. Behind him was his home, a large blue storage container which served as temporary accommodations for workers on that construction site.

I greeted him good day. “No work today, sir?” I asked, motioning my camera for permission.

He smiled, his crow’s feet pressed together to form a startling handsome face. I was so struck, not just by his genial disposition but by how perfectly framed his face was by his beard and hair, colored evenly with grey, black and white.

For a moment, I knelt there, mesmerized by his features while he stared back, not so much at me but past my shoulder at something else. I repeated myself, asking if he was enjoying his day off.

Suddenly, a voice boomed out from the side. “Today’s Sunday! We’re not working. What are you doing here anyway?” A large and portly middle-aged man, in nothing but a pair of bright red briefs, was in mid stride to the container when he spotted me. Standing firm with his legs apart and hands on hips, he waited for an explanation while I tried very hard to look anywhere but his underwear.

I didn’t recall what I stammered in response, only the image of the smiling old man who quietly acknowledged my departure.

July 2010

14
May

Shanghai’s scrapers

By Sue Anne 0 Comments
Categories: Street Stories and The Fading Vestige

The other day, a woman fell out of the sky and missed me by an inch.

You think I’m making this up?

I was hurriedly striding along the pavement when suddenly, a middle-aged peasant woman from above pounced in front of me and instinctively grabbed me for balance. I did the same but she fell to the ground anyway.

I cursed irrately, my heart still racing from the shock. Was this just a bad accident or was I an unsuspecting support stoop? Bad enough I have to deal with tourists who stop in the middle of human traffic to gawk at the Pearl Tower, and the occasional shovers with nary an apology to be heard. Now, falling human bodies?

The peasant woman had long greasy hair tied neatly in a pony tail and wore a clashing outfit of a red office jacket and jeans, paired with dusty heels. She brushed herself off without a word. That was when I noticed a pile of scrap metal scattered on the floor. I realized she had scaled the wall of a construction site to pick scrap metal for sale. Where profits were concerned, it was a mine field.

Suddenly, I heard a loud clang followed by a thunderous bellow.

Another scraper had thrown a large piece of scrap over the wall without even looking. It barely missed another pedestrian, who was so angry he began hurling verbal abuse at the pair of them. Clearly used to this (disturbingly), they merely picked up their wares and walked away.

I notice them everday now, hanging outside the construction site, occassionally in mid-climb. I’ve stopped walking on that side of the street. Lest more falling metal and women rain on my way home.

The photo above was taken in March 2010 of scrapers in Dongjiadu.

For more stories and news on China’s scrapping industry, I heartily recommend you check out Adam Minter’s work.

28
Apr

The gentleman who does construction

By Sue Anne 2 Comments
Categories: Building the China Dream and Portraits of Strangers

In his paint-speckled work jacket, he had a laizzare-faire air about him that was striking yet charming at the same time.

A profile shot was irresistible. Yet at the sight of my camera, he was unfazed. Rather, a lazy grin spread across his face as he fingered around in his pocket for a cigarette. Keeping a steady gaze at my camera, he whipped out a pack of cheap ciggies and even offered me a teasing stick which I politely declined.

A lit cigarette in his hand, a breakfast omelet in another, he raised his left hand to toast me and ambled away to a corner to enjoy his breakfast. No doubt whatever hard labor that laid ahead of him that busy day, he seemed like a man who would take everything in stride.

October 2009

07
Apr

Hello Kitty keeps his ears warm

By Sue Anne 2 Comments
Categories: Street Stories and To Market, To Market

Judging from his blue uniform with yellow reflector stripes, he was a sanitary work or the likes. We were both standing in line for some hot flat bread when I noticed his earmuffs.

I had a silly grin plastered on my face which he clearly noticed. His hand automatically reached for his ears and blushed. It appeared it wasn’t the first time someone had pointed it out. 

Flat bread in hand, he chuckled abashedly and walked off.

It was then I felt a tingling in my ear lobes as the wind picked up.

Seemed I needed a pair myself.

December 2009

24
Jan

Watch where you cross

By Sue Anne 1 Comment
Categories: Street Stories

He had a hard look, the kind that resented people on sight which was only sharpened by his menacing tattoo.

He appeared as if he had the world on his shoulders and carried fatigue like any other hot and bothered day-worker, with the heavy eyebags to prove it.

I was in his way, standing in the middle of the road taking a photo. Bracing myself for a barking, the corner of my lips lifted for a brief moment in apology.

Then, his eyes dropped to the floor, and he heaved just a little harder on his pedals.

No longer was he the muscular and tattooed day-worker, but just a tired man on his way to another delivery.

September 2009

Follow me

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • RSS Feed

All rights reserved

Please do not use content from this website without the author's permission.

Blog translated

EnglishFrenchGermanItalianPortugueseRussianSpanish

Subscribe to the blog