Just because I can.

And because I really love this picture!

It was taken on the 1st of March (’09, in Shanghai, of course) during my TFP with Buffy Huang, Sean Green & Amber – but not published as far as I know.

I did my own editing. I’m so in love with the blue tones at the moment. The photographer is Amber.

My hair on the top of my scalp seriously looks white here, but it’s only due to the lights. The colour difference isn’t all that big either. Oh narcissism!

I haven’t written much during January, mostly because I haven’t had as many things to write about as usual.

First I had a jet lag, then I got ill – and then I got ill again. I believe I’ve spent most of the month sleeping in my spare time. I also think my internet connection has sunken into hibernation or something, since it’s too slow for me to even upload pictures to my blog. There are so many pictures I’d like to post, and I at least want to have pictures on my posts.

I’m looking forward to the Chinese New Year and such, since it starts tonight, and I’m hoping to see the dragon dance. The celebration seems to already have started with fireworks two days ago. It sounds like there’s a war going on outside my window. It’s already incredibly noisy compared to New Years Eve in Norway, so I’m hoping for lots of firework shows this week!

And of course I seriously hope it’ll start getting warmer soon – it’s going to be cold walking around in cocktail dresses when going to the different clubs. Which, by the way, is the only thing I’ll probably do during the holiday. Party, I mean. I’m looking forward to it in one way, but it’s too bad most of my friends won’t be in SH.

I haven’t even posted the pictures from my December TFP – or rather Flickr Photo Meet up. It was incredibly fun and I also got some new Chinese friends. The pictures are of course out on Flickr (just not on my profile), my SHStuff profile and on facebook, but I’d love to put them out here too.

I’ve also done a TFP (also a meet up of sorts) in Thames Town, an hour or so outside Shanghai. The place is quite charming, and it’s too bad there are so few people living there. I wish I’d remembered too take some pictures around me. I haven’t seen too many of the pictures from this session though, so I’ll be looking forward to seeing the rest.

I’m also searching for new TFPs. I only have two TFPs coming up during February, and the dates are not set yet, so I’m looking for new people to work with. Feel like working with me?

I need more dresses though. Seriously. I should get shopping, but it’s no fun when it’s so cold outside. I’ve also managed to get myself a job – as a hostess. No, not the Japanese kind. The job is to distribute product samples and to welcome, pose and take pictures with guests. Agency name is French Touch, anyone have experience with them? I haven’t gotten an assignment though.. And no assignment = no money. I’m looking forward to it at least.

And on to the curiosity – if you’re staying in SH, are you planning on clubbing? And which club are you in that case going to? I’m not 100 % sure yet, but I think I want to go to Muse tonight!

Last Saturday I went TFP-ing in Shanghai.

Now, if you don’t know what a TFP is, it’s short for Trade-For-Portfolio, or Time-For-Print as the Wikipedia says it. It’s when a photographer and a person, doesn’t need to be a (aspiring) model, decides to take pictures for practise. It’s free and both parts get to use the pictures to promote themselves as they please, as long as they agree on which terms between themselves.

^{(Photo; David Li)}

Now, I’m not really trying to build up much of a portfolio, although I think everything with photography is really fun. What I want is to remember what I’ve looked like, so that I can look back when I turn 60 and show the rest of the family how pretty I used to be. So that I can remember my ageing process, from a 10 year old to 50, and not just in bad snapshots and second annually studio taken family photos. I simply want good, maybe even themed photos. Perhaps that’s the real reason why I love photographing. Because it makes it easier to remember the past as it were, and not just in blurry thoughts and half-forgotten phrases. Or maybe it’s because I’m a bit vain. (Who isn’t?)

Anyway. We (the photographer, the wife, their cute kiddo and me) went to take pictures in the 1933 building in the Hongkou district. It’s an old butchery with an extremely impressive architecture. It was very fun and the photographer was very kind (he even explained bits of the Chinese culture for me!). His wife put make-up on me, and I think it was rather interesting to see/feel someone work on my face for around 30-45 minutes. It’s a bit creepy that the worn down building used to be a large butchers place though.

^{(Photo; David Li)}