Chinatown
By Don Scott
The light fog lingering on a chilly October morning is lifting as I walk up the steep hill to Chinatown in San Francisco. I am always struck by the vibrant colors of this city within a city. Here and there, shop keepers are sweeping the sidewalks in front of their stores. Chinatown is extremely tidy.
Chinese people arrived in the U.S. in the mid-1800s. Many found work in mines, on farms, and in the garment industry. Chinatown was established in 1877. It is one of the most densely populated cities in the U.S.; approximately 34,000 residents live in 20 square blocks. Despite Western influences, residents of Chinatown strive to retain their customs, languages, places of worship, and identity.
The old buildings in Chinatown stand in contrast to the modern buildings of San Franscisco. The architecture of these buildings is influenced by the temples and pagodas of China. Most of the street names are in English and Mandarin or Cantonese.
Produce shops are filled with Chinese fruits and vegetables. The produce store on Pine Street had items I hadn't seen before such as lotus root, dragonfruit, taro, and Chinese persimmon. The shop keeper took a few minutes to finish her animated conversation with a local resident while I waited at the register to buy an apple.
I have discovered that images of dragons abound in this town. They are on lampposts, in wall murals, over doorways, and in shops. Dragons are a symbol of luck, power, and nobility.
The main street in Chinatown is spanned by numerous strings of bright red paper lanterns. This street is lined with shops that draw in tourists from around the world. I am intrigued by all of the things one can buy; items such as incense, Buddha statues, paper parasols, Chinese clothing, and San Francisco themed t-shirts.
The park at Grant and Pine is a center of activity for many Chinatown residents. From morning until evening it is filled with young and old. There are groups of people playing games. I have only observed men playing Chinese chess and have seen men and women playing cards. Chess is considered a male-oriented game In China and in Chinatown. Groups of men stand wordlessly and watch these competitions in many places throughout the park. Children play on the playground equipment. Adults do Tai Chai. They also play badminton and hacky sack. People are so involved with activities and conversation that it is very rare to see a cell phone being used; in Chinatown, I see people connected to each other instead of connected to their devices.
Chinatown is a fantastic place for street photography. I will return again and again.
Two of my passions are teaching and street photography. I am a 5th grade teacher and I love being with my students every day. I enjoy watching them gain self-confidence and become better critical thinkers by year's end.
The light is frequently very bright where I live in Tucson, Arizona. However, this can often help create photos with sharp contrasts and intense shadows. I love the challenge that street photography brings; you never know what you might discover on the street. I enjoy the serendipitous moments one can capture, when the light and the actions of people on the street come together to create an intriguing image. I am interested in capturing interactions between people as well as emotions that make for an interesting story.
I travel to San Francisco three times a year on personal photo safaris armed with my Ricoh GR II. San Francisco is a street lover's paradise. The architecture is sublime and there are so many fascinating people on the streets.
I am always in search of new stories to tell.
“A street photographer has to be ever observant while on the street because most scenes only last for a few seconds before being lost forever.”