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You are here: Home / Vintage Lens Photo Essays / Behind Bars in Shanghai [F.Zuiko 38mm f1.8]

Behind Bars in Shanghai [F.Zuiko 38mm f1.8]

china bird cages

Images shot with the vintage F.Zuiko 38mm f1.8

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Behind bars.

Often taken to mean being in prison. Which is something I’ve never experienced and hope I never do.

I guess you don’t have to be incarcerated to be behind bars though.

Caged birds, for example.

Although that is kind of like being in prison for them, I suppose. Even though they’ve done nothing wrong.

They’re not an uncommon sight in Shanghai. Especially where the older, local folk live.

That opening picture of them isn’t technically brilliant. Not my favourite. But it gave me the idea to look for other examples of being behind bars in Shanghai.

So, thanks, birds.

spooky dolls

Creepy dolls in a window.

Not strictly behind bars.

Until you use the reflection of the gate across the road.

Then you can include them in your article.

china scaffolding

While I am fond of Shanghai, I can’t help thinking it’ll be a lot better once it’s finished.

I joke, of course. I don’t really imagine the construction will ever end.

Still, it creates jobs. Which I think is one reason it’s perennial.

Scaffolding bars. Man behind them.

It takes its rightful place in this article.

chinese boy mother

Shanghai does have a lot of parks.

Really, a lot.

Nice places to get away from the traffic (more on that later).

Still, even in the open green space of a park in one of the world’s biggest cities, you can find the bars you need for your photo set.

china go game

The older folk love the parks.

Absolutely love them.

Always hanging around there.

Playing their games and generally doing what old Chinese people do.

I’m taking the horizontal beams on that bench as bars here, by the way.

shanghai traffic

Ah yeah.

About that traffic.

Draw your own behind bars / lots of cars metaphors from this photo.

The number of cars in Shanghai is unreal, which means rules being brought in to help ease the traffic for a privileged few.

One example – you can’t use the overpasses in rush hour without a Shanghai licence plate on your car.

And there are a limited number of Shanghai license plates available every year.

They get auctioned off – for more than I’ve ever paid for a car.

I prefer the subway.

shanghai subway rush hour

Ah yeah.

About that subway.

Human traffic.

Again, the rush hours are ridiculous at certain stations.

This picture was taken at People’s Square – at a quiet part of the day.

Slow shutter speed to blur the people behind the bars / going where they’re going etc.

Again, the metaphor is yours to make and take.

As is the encouragement for you to go out and find a theme of your own, shoot a set of images, and tell us about it in the comments below.

———

Every photograph in this post was shot with the wonderful F.Zuiko 38mm f1.8 on a mirrorless Sony camera.

Check out my review for more on this vintage lens, or just get your own set-up today! You’ll need:

  • one F.Zuiko 38mm f1.8 (find yours on eBay here)
  • one Sony Alpha mirrorless camera (find yours on Amazon here)
  • one PenF-NEX adapter (find yours on Amazon here)

… p.s. if you enjoyed this post on being behind bars in Shanghai and think others will too, why not share or pin it?

Walk around any city with a photographic theme in mind and you'll always find things to shoot. This is what I came up with after walking around Shanghai with the idea of Behind Bars in my head. Come take a look. Digest it. And get inspired for your next photography set centred around a single theme.

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