[2010.09.12] TEN YEARS IN LIGHT AND SHADOW, GETTING IT IN HUANGSHAN

Light and shadow is the first lesson of photography but also the deepest. It is very easy to understand, very easy to pick up. Like the line for Jazz beginners "easy to play but hard to feel", to be great at all, you must put time into studying it.

R: Has your experience in camera sales make you interested in photography?

C: No, actually I started to become interested in light and shadow and nature after making CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON. I remember at the time Ang Lee took me away from Beijing and Shanghai to Huangshan for the so-called glimpse of the small mountain scenery. My eyes really were stunned. Back then when I made movies I didn't appreciate the wonders of the Creator. Only in the recent decade did I truly come in touch with photography. It's different from just the life photos before, I wasn't as feverish as I am now. It is another type of enjoyment!

R: Why do you only like black and white photo?

C: Black and white is another world that gives people infinite space for imagination, with much more imagination like a dream. Yes, color can attract people, but to me, it doesn't satisfy what I want.

R: So far do you have any photo that you are satisfied with?

C: Not a single one, really no! Actually photography is like life or acting, like a singer who no matter how famous and how popular he is may only have one hit his entire life! Or like Van Gogh, people only know how beautiful his paintings are after his death. Actually luck plays heavily in photography. You can go to Huangshan ten times without one time that is good. Sometimes you have to wait for people's information to know when would good light and cloud appear.

R: Usually when do you take off for pictures?

C: I am very casual with photography, first and foremost is not to get too tan, so I don't go unless it's early morning or sunset! Actually every season has different objects, in June and July lotus blossoms, in winter we shoot wilting lotus. Different times have different scenery.

R: Do you like to develop yourself in the dark room?

C: Yes, this is definite. When I go to the dark room I am in there for a dozen or so hours. Because of the newer chemicals, the results are different. When I go in I lose track of time, I don't know whether it's light or dark outside, but I know what time dinner is!

R: At the Manila hostage crisis, every photo is shocking, how would you shoot it?

C: I wouldn't have enough guts to. It is an unfortunate incident, I really couldn't shoot it. I don't want to have any sad ideas in the photos.

R: How do you feel about this, could it have been handled better?

C: This is a great tragedy, an entire family was destroyed in a moment. It is really very saddening! Actually you can't say how to handle the incident. From the angle of another nation, we can't control it. Maybe Heaven arranged it to prove that life takes unexpected turns, human has endless desire, but actually can go at any time. Why do we need to be so intense? However the tour group deaths abroad ending is truly tragic.

Since he has both fame and fortune, why would Fat Gor still take the bus, the MTR, is he a glutton for punishment? He could not stop smiling about this as he slowly told the idea that the bus was really comfortable. "Many people say Chow Yun Fat you are miserable, taking the bus! Yet crossing the harbor you would have to kill me to drive. Actually the bus is really very convenient, no parking issues, you can ride a several million dollar Volvo, the air conditioning is strong, the seats are genuine leather, it is really very comfortable. You can cross the harbor in 20 minutes...you know! I am so picky when I shop, and the distance from the parking lot must be very far. Should I bother to drive?"

Seeing Fat Gor's old model "Moto" photo and only fish and vegetable diet, many city people could not stand this type of lifestyle.