Best,
Clive

Linn, thank you , and maybe I can collect one of these days.

I had one more thought only, but I will share it with you.

I think you know that my father had grown up in China, Nanching, where his father was a professor of agricultural science, and yes, an educational missionary in this way. And also that I lived in Korea for some time in my 20′s, actually several different times and doing different things.

When I came to Switzerland, it was for responsibility in an international operation, as many times before. This one was worldwide, and I was on the phone with China and countries around it from the morning, all the way to the US the long way by evening. And often we visited, or had visitors, from our operations or partners in all the different countries.

I had in this quite a lot of interest and enjoyment, though you will understand with business it was not always easy. We genuinely enjoyed our partners, though, and for the most part it was good.

However, one thing surprised me from the beginning, until I could understand it. I thought that with my background, and not being young about it, that it would be quite good with Asian partners to have some shared understanding of the older, longer ways.

I got a surprise, though: every one of them, nearly, rejected this. All they wanted was business, and in the long run, to ‘get ahead’.

I came to understand a weaving of reasons for this, but still it made me sad. Europe itself has of course rejected many things, since its own ‘revolution’ after two world wars. And those are also things of family to me, direct family, from my growing up.

I guess at a longer view, that in fact these values and ways of viewing life that are rejected everywhere, as being ‘the past’, are in fact what most people wish in the long run to have. But I understand also why they must be ‘rejected’, so that they could be found again, and not seem to be connected to past oppression.

It’s true that the philospher’s and historian’s and artist’s opinions of a long time before were generally from a privileged life — or the kind rewarded by the privileged, anyway.

Yet our privilege individually, I think, can come in finding we really have the right and the sensibility to appreciate and possess what these ‘old voices’ found as enjoyments and wisdoms.

I guess you can figure out what I am talking about here. At least from my own view, it is a real pleasure when the connection can be made again, and seen not as some ‘backwards’ motion.

So, another smile, your direction too . I guess I am an ‘uncle’, truly…!

Best,
Clive

what a great fun that you studied Chinese painting before, so did i!

i don’t use the soft-pen anymore, but i did remember the special feeling when i drawed on the most soft paper with the most soft pen, (maybe they are not the most soft paper and pen in reality, but that was the feeling for me when i was small)~~~
Once you start to paint, you don’t have chance to make any mistakes. I dont’ remember how many papers i wasted, and after that how much surprise i got~~~ anyways just some old memory

i do understand what you said. Taking photos is not only about skills, and it’s a lot more than that~~~

Hopfully, i will learn more and have my own style(photo)~~~

best and warm hug from Linn

这两首诗真的很棒，和我的蛋糕一一对应。
我已经收藏了~~~
并把它们放在蛋糕图片的前面！

云

That’s a bunch of answers — which made me smile. I think you are going to learn this like a lot of things: very quickly; and then, also over long time.

As Georges would say, it’s a pleasure.

I don’t know if the thought is correct, but what you made me consider as to the way you would prefer to see beside Olga, is that this would be more like Chinese brush painting.

I had the chance once to study just a little while, on a kind of i-pi with a good Chinese painter. It wasn’t easy, of course, and I would stop while he moved as quickly as others thought they wanted, and in the back of the room, in an evening class, practice until I could do a particular thing enough to begin satisfaction.

The one I remember was a butterfly – not so easy actually. When he saw what I had done, he said I was his best pupil. I think we both understood something for this.

I am thinking of a photograph as I think you would like to compose it, with a depth and depth of light.

Actually, there is instinct for this in some things Carl does, from his own very distinct (and I think quite instinctive) sight of things.

Lots of dimensions in art, and the things it makes for all of us, I think. Like many, many rooms – and each with furnishings and personalities, of those who visit them too.

I hope you understand me – it is my turn to say…

On the description with the clock, that is very professional; it is often how we do it.

Smiling for things, and ready to rest tonight,
Clive

　　只道是你有点文采，看来艺术鉴赏力也蛮不错。
　　你小时候喜欢折纸花，前些时候又看到你照了一些不错的像片，现在你还会做出几品有意蕴、有文化、有档次、有品位的蛋糕，让人眼前一亮。看来你很容易融入西方文化，也能够把东方文化巧妙地体现在作品中。看了你做的精致蛋糕，让我想起了多年前，应朋友之约写下的一些吟咏兰花的诗句，为给你的蛋糕作品的留言增添一丁点乐趣，容我稍作修改，记下两首小诗为你的《红颜》和《牡丹》蛋糕凑凑趣。

　　　　　　　　 红 颜
　　　　雪貌孕清纯，冰姿不染尘。
　　　　春花和美韵，妩媚又销魂。

　　　　　　　　 牡 丹
　　　　白玉溢天香，娇容淡淡妆。
　　　　轻纱拂尘虑，素雅共春芳。

i really agree with you that the shadow is too much! Even before i took this picture, i can feel the light is not enough and correct for this kind of pictures. Like what you said, it’s really defined by lighting. I got some informations from a products’ photographer, he uses 4 flashes in the studio, two toward background in order to get transparent feeling, one is placed on the right side(i don’t know how to explain in English, if we use a clock as sample, the position of “two o’ clock”, i am sorry that i don’t know the professional words for this) and another one is the position of “8 o’ clock”, i hope you can understand what i am talking about~~hhhhh

Yes, i know the lovely girl Olga from PhotoKina. And i visit her pbase after you remind me! i really like her fruit shots with bubbles(SD14). they look great! i saw the glass pictures as well, i think she is a great artists! i hope i can learn more from her~~~ and Carl will help me too~~ i am so lucky, i have so many great friends arround me~~

Now, we have all cameras and lens back! i can’t wait to try them~~~

By the way, Olga’s glass pictures are very nice, but i feel that they like a little bit flat~~(only my personal feeling)

best wishes!

Linn

No, I hadn’t noticed before you mentioned it, that the glass had been added to that post.

Hmm…it is interesting. A good experiment towards something, I think, which is the kind of work I like.

The silvery ring of the rim of the glass floats, and shows very well. Maybe the diagonal line of the shadow below is a little too strong; a kind of design issue. Could be that if you really softened that diagonal, the concept shows better? You have to discover…!.

Who this image, as well as your question, really makes me think of is Olga. She is a real expert at this kind of photography, which I believe is most strongly defined by lighting, and I am surely not at all.

I think you made friends at the photo show with Olga; why not write her a note?

Hope it’s interesting,
Clive

hhhh~~~~thank you!

have you seen my glass picture, the post just before this one?
Carl ask me to put it before the shoes’ post so that everybody can see it, but i think it’s ok to let it be there! maybe you can have a look and give me some advice?? i am studying how to take products’ photos right now!

best wishes!

Linn