Thomas Boltze Photography News

Blog entry New Projects posted.

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 01:33:09 +0000

Spurred by an article on WIRED about how the US wants to move more of its freight traffic to internal waterways, I thought about how Shanghai's waterways ...

Blog entry Spring is Here posted.

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:19:21 +0000

Sping has finally arrived in Shanghai and I discovered this cute little market, full of fish, birds, flowers and more. Feels like a photo shoot coming ...

Blog entry Moved Hosting posted.

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:11:54 +0000

After hosting the site for more than a year from my own DSL connection, I finally got a decent host. Hopefully there will be no more outages and the ...

Photo Rice Bags at the Market published.

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:08:41 +0000

Rice bags with neat labels made from thin slices of wood, denoting the type and origin form a simple composition of circles and diagonals. This ...

Photo Chicken on Tile published.

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:58:23 +0000

A white tile counter, dark hands holding a wipe and dressed out chicken combine in this photo from a market in Shanghai. Neatly lined up, a black chicken ...

Photo Chicken Anyone? published.

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:31:34 +0000

Holding a plucked chicken in her hand, this market woman wanted me to buy, but I was not in the mood. Stained styrofoam containers, contrast with the ...

Photo Rice and Smiles published.

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:26:51 +0000

Standing amidst his goods, a trader in rice, beans, oil and other canned goods smiles at the camera. Their stall was stuffed to the rafters with bottles ...

Photo Selling Fish published.

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:23:16 +0000

The wet market is full of fish in basins, or already gutted and ready to take home. This man was happily bantering with me, although his hand never ...

Photo Vegetable Shopping at the Market published.

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:18:20 +0000

This old man reminded me of a turtle, as he was shopping for vegetables in this Shanghai market. White hair, deep set eyes, dark black eyes made him ...

Photo Poultry Stall in a Market published.

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:11:02 +0000

Poultry is sitting in cages in a stark, white tiled room in a market in Shanghai. In the background, the bare chested proprietor is putting an end ...

Photo Meat Hooks published.

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:00:10 +0000

Hand smithed, iron meat hooks hold up their pieces at an old market in Shanghai. No two of these hooks and rings are alike, all are individually hammered ...

Photo Studying at the Market published.

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 23:53:40 +0000

Deep in thought, a young man is studying his books at the market, while he is waiting for customers to buy meat. A large, official notice is posted ...

Photo Three Sides of Meat published.

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 23:47:57 +0000

Three sides of meat are hanging from old, hand smithed hooks in a wet market in Shanghai. In the background, a woman is looking at a hunk of meat to ...

Photo Meat Lady published.

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 23:41:05 +0000

Hunks of meat lie on a table, ribs are hanging in the foreground, while a sales woman cuts a choice piece at this market in Shanghai. The meat ...

Photo Rice Ladle published.

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 23:38:17 +0000

On old, beat up ladle sits on an open bag of rice. The rice is measured and packed there on the spot and different types are on display.

Album A Old Market in Shanghai published.

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 23:37:32 +0000

Markets like these are al over Shanghai. The largest part of the population is shopping here for meat, fish, vegetables, fruit and rice. There is no ...

Photo Haircut in Shaxi published.

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 03:10:25 +0000

An old man is sitting on his veranda in the village of Shaxi in Yunnan, giving himself a haircut with a mechanical cutter. The light glitters on the ...

Photo Peasant Woman in Shaxi published.

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:59:39 +0000

The market day was winding down and the people from the country side were packing up to go home. This lady seemed undaunted by the prospects of a long ...

Photo Peasant in Shaxi published.

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:12:32 +0000

An older peasant is sitting in on the door step of a restaurant, smoking cigarette stubs given to him by the patrons. This image presented itself ...

Photo Old Jeep in Beijing published.

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:10:12 +0000

An old jeep is parking in a side street in Beijing. This image is shot as high dynamic range and is more of an exploration of that space. I am thinking ...

Blog entry Old Sites posted.

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:02:51 +0000

Early on, I had created a couple of simple sites for specific trips that I did. I just resurrected them and made them for sentimental value. Have look ...

Photo Tying Steel published.

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:21:01 +0000

Two workers are busy with some more steel, this time shot in back light, against the pillars of concrete already done. I like the eyes and the ...

Photo Wheel Barrow published.

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:13:09 +0000

An old rusty wheel barrow sits in a field of debris. The morning sun lights it up, as in the distance workers are braiding steel for another piece ...

Photo Scaffold Silhouette published.

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:52:48 +0000

Hard at work in the scaffolds, workers appear as black outlines against the morning sky. Only one is lit enough to make out the details and colors ...

Photo Rest in the Scaffolds published.

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:49:42 +0000

A young worker is taking five high up in the steel scaffold on a high way construction. The early morning sun casts a nice light on him. The steel ...

Photo Seven Little Dwarfs published.

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:46:32 +0000

Well, there are only five, and they are not really dwarfs, but when I composed the shot, that is what they looked like. In reality, they are construction ...

Photo Steel Worker published.

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:43:37 +0000

Two workers are bending new steel together in the early morning sun on a construction site in Shanghai. Overhead, the maglev train, and several highways ...

Blog entry Twitter Integration posted.

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:24:26 +0000

Hi Folks, I just finished an integration of the site with Twitter, so now you can just follow ...

Blog entry On Shooting in Shanghai posted.

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:03:03 +0000

What a strange place this is. I have been living here for more than seven years and yet, there it is full of surprises every time I go out and shoot. ...

Blog entry On Equipment posted.

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:55:46 +0000

My first own camera was a Nikon F301. I still have it and shoot with it sometimes, but have accumulated a too long list of lenses, flashes, and other ...

Blog entry On Shooting Film posted.

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:44:07 +0000

I like to shoot film for a simple reason. I can use a small, unimposing camera and just two manual focus lenses. That makes for a very small setup ...

Photo Scaffolds! published.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:42:50 +0000

Perched inside a piece of scaffolding for the new maglev construction, workers take a break. Scaffolding like this stretches for hundreds f meters ...

Photo A long way to go published.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:37:02 +0000

From atop an almost finished pillar, two workers gaze out as the construction site stretches out into the distance of Shanghai. On the left, the big ...

Photo Pillars at First Light published.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:32:12 +0000

Three pillars of the new maglev stand tall in first light on a Saturday morning in Shanghai. Two pillars hold up a prefabricated slab of concrete and ...

Photo Street Sweeper published.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:23:11 +0000

A worker sweeps the road along the construction site of the maglev from Shanghai to Beijing. An old fashioned broom seems little help against the engulfing ...

Photo Breaking up the Road published.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:19:25 +0000

A worker and his daunting task. Breaking up the road that leads to the new bridge for the maglev. A big sledgehammer is all he has to reduce the concrete ...

Photo Workers' Housing published.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:15:12 +0000

A migrant worker holds his infant during a break. This house holds maybe twenty workers, their families, and belongings. Looming in the back is a bridge ...

Photo View from the Top published.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:09:40 +0000

Two workers stand atop a concrete pillar of the maglev they are building. Each of these pillars supports a giant concrete and steel piece that two ...

Photo Maglev Pillar published.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:50:53 +0000

High atop one of the many pillars holding up the maglev, three workers look out over the construction site near Shanghai. They invited my up, so ...

Album Maglev Construction published.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:45:32 +0000

A new high-speed maglev train will connect Shanghai to Beijing, cutting travel times from 10.5 hours to four. The workers I spoke with in 2009 estimate ...

Photo Wall Climb published.

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:16:09 +0000

A young man climbs across the wall, rather than using the door to have a wash and say hello. Living next to an old factory that is slowly being dismantled ...

Photo Ayi and Child published.

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:14:12 +0000

A little child clings to his ayi in an old alley. Typical for Shanghai, children often spend more time with their ayi (nanny) than with their parents ...

Photo Teardown published.

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:12:23 +0000

An old man looks at the remnants of his old home. Amidst the rubble, a few houses are still standing, their tenants still there.

Photo Construction Supervisor published.

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:10:22 +0000

A construction site in downtown Shanghai. While workers in the background clamber over mountains of steel, the guard has a bad day.

Photo Rubble Home published.

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:06:46 +0000

Amidst the rubble of her mostly torn down neighborhood, a little girl who is still living there walks along. Scenes like these are all too common ...

Photo Fish Market Stance published.

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:06:35 +0000

The day almost done, an old trader leans back against his basins and enjoys a bit of rest. Rubber boots and old style clothes, but this is still 2009. ...

Photo Rest at the doors published.

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:41:46 +0000

An old lady rest in front of the great doors of the big building at the entrance. The red and gold color theme of the doors balances with her gray ...

Photo Good luck door dragon published.

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:38:55 +0000

A bronze fitting on one of the door with a hammered dragon is black with patina, except where countless visitors rubbed the dragon's head for good ...

Photo Bronze Protector published.

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:37:14 +0000

The fierce face of this bronze head on one of the vast vats scare evil spirits away. The vats can hold fire or water, both important in a palace build ...

Photo Detail of Door Fitting published.

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:34:48 +0000

A dragon is hammered in gold, surrounding the knobs that go through the great doors of the city.

Photo Gold Fitting on a Door published.

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:32:05 +0000

These old, intricately hammered fittings on the doors create a great contrast with the red varnish of the wood. Dragons are depicted on many of them ...

Album Forbidden City published.

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:28:12 +0000

The old imperial palace, also known as the Forbidden City, lies in the heart of Beijing. Surrounded by a wide moat and wall it houses many rooms, buildings ...

Photo Pacific Sunrise published.

Thu, 14 May 2009 22:51:00 +0000

The sun rises over the Pacific ocean seen from the Monterey peninsula. Looking back towards the main land, the sun is still below the horizon. A very ...

Photo The Fish Dance published.

Wed, 13 May 2009 14:59:19 +0000

He made my day at the fish market in Shanghai. Telling tall tales and laughing with his friends.

Photo Cigarette Break published.

Wed, 13 May 2009 14:56:33 +0000

Like everywhere else in China, cigarettes oil the haggling and are never far from reach at the fish market.

Photo Fishmarket Dealings published.

Wed, 13 May 2009 14:52:51 +0000

Traders judge the wares and make up their minds how much to pay. The fish market in Shanghai is old, simple and the action is over by 7am, yet a lot ...

Photo Boat Landing published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:30:46 +0000

The old wood on the boat landing on the Lago di Como shines in the sunshine, while the lake lies black, awaiting a summer.

Photo Tower in Lake published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:28:04 +0000

The tower has stood in the lake by the pass for many years, as a sign to travelers that they have made it across. We wanted to pass over the next one ...

Photo Blow Hole published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:25:35 +0000

A blow hole on the South coast of Australia erupts with a 10 meter high fountain. From here on South, there is nothing but ocean until Antarctica.

Photo Sunset published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:23:23 +0000

The sun sets over the Blue Mountains in Australia. Clouds lit from behind and below shine like fire.

Photo Egret Taking Flight published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:14:57 +0000

An Egret takes flight in the lagoon of Batemens Bay.

Photo Black Lagoon and Swans published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:13:48 +0000

Suiting their black color, the sewage from the city behind the lagoon is no less black than the swans on this overcast day. Although the lagoon ...

Photo Black Swan Couple published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:11:23 +0000

These black swans make a home of the little lagoon. Here the composition just fell into my lap, as I waited in the early morning for something interesting ...

Photo Portrait of a Pelican published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:09:03 +0000

A Brown Pelican poses in the morning sun to have his portrait taken. Rather than being shy, these birds are inquisitive and hardly mind human presence.

Photo Bird Attack published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:07:28 +0000

A pelican starts his dive for the fish in the waters some 20 meters below. In the background, the morning sun shines on the mission of Santa Barbara.

Photo Wingspan published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:05:52 +0000

These Brown Pelikans have an enormous wingspan and glide along the wind in search of food.

Photo Feeding Time published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:04:42 +0000

A young seagull is trying to get some food out of her mother. What looks like a fight is really just normal rituals.

Photo Snowy Egrets published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:02:58 +0000

Dusk was getting on, when a snowy egret landed right in front of me in the water. After a short while another came. Then another. They all lined up ...

Photo Shorebirds published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 02:00:26 +0000

Shorebirds are congregating in the shallow waters of Morro Bay. A mixture of quite environment (in winter, at least) and rich, shallow waters draws ...

Photo Willet published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 01:58:45 +0000

This Willet was sitting in the bird preserve of the Elkhorn slew, between San Jose and Pacific Grove.

Photo Three Birds on a Wire published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 01:56:52 +0000

These birds were perching on a power line in the early morning. Shot against the sky and moon they are just plain funny to look at.

Photo Black Oyster Catcher published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 01:53:32 +0000

The early morning sun required a long exposure to capture this Black Oyster Catcher on the Californian coast, making beautifully abstract patterns ...

Album Birds published.

Sun, 10 May 2009 01:08:10 +0000

There are some great opportunities to study birds, their behaviour and their beauty. I am not much for spotting rare birds, but think of these photos ...

Photo Orphan published.

Wed, 06 May 2009 14:13:57 +0000

A child in an orphanage in Shanghai is looking straight at the viewer. With little hope of adoption these children have little to look forward to and ...

Photo Orphans published.

Wed, 06 May 2009 14:12:57 +0000

The children in this orphanage have it harder than others, since they are all mentally retarded in some form or other. The young children's winter ...

Photo Construction Shed published.

Mon, 04 May 2009 06:32:06 +0000

This shed stood on the site for many months. It is rather typical for many places in Shanghai. Nowadays, the Puli stands there, with glitzy facade ...

Photo Dumpling Kitchen published.

Mon, 04 May 2009 06:28:47 +0000

Unusually clean, this little dumpling kitchen serves a hole in the wall restaurant off the beaten track in Shanghai. Shot on film, as most of my black ...

Photo Cappuchino published.

Mon, 04 May 2009 05:28:25 +0000

After a very early morning at the Twelve Apostles, we headed for Port Campbell for breakfast. It was overcast and drizzly, but the cafe was nice and ...

Photo Mt. Fuji at Dawn published.

Mon, 04 May 2009 05:19:50 +0000

Snowcapped, holy, beautiful, perfect and serene. Mt. Fuji embodies Japan and vice versa. Here he is shown from 30000 ft as the morning light hits ...

Photo Water Lily published.

Mon, 04 May 2009 05:15:33 +0000

A water lily blooms in Southern China.

Photo Gum Tree published.

Mon, 04 May 2009 04:49:01 +0000

Australia's gum trees are dominating the landscape. They come in all kinds of shapes, sizes and varieties and have conquered almost all habitats. ...

Photo Cockatoos' Flight published.

Mon, 04 May 2009 04:45:21 +0000

These birds seem to be everywhere and anywhere in Australia. Here, three of them fly against the evening sky in the middle of nowhere (of which Australia ...

Photo Sunset in the Blue Mountains published.

Mon, 04 May 2009 04:41:48 +0000

Encircling Sydney almost completely, the Blue Mountains proved a formidable barrier for the early settlers. It was not until they followed some cows ...

Photo Shorebirds Landing published.

Mon, 04 May 2009 04:34:00 +0000

We stayed for a few days in Batemans Bay, somewhere along the coast of New South Wales, towards Victoria. From our window, we looked out on the lagoon ...

Photo Wall of Water published.

Mon, 04 May 2009 04:27:45 +0000

A surfer heads along the face of a perfect wave in Manly, Sydney. The wind tears the spray away from the top of the wave and everything is in perfect ...

Photo Surf's Up published.

Fri, 01 May 2009 15:26:15 +0000

Two older guys check out the surf. They're down in the water any chance they get, well into their 50's. I watched them gear up and head out into ...

Photo Spill published.

Fri, 01 May 2009 15:23:50 +0000

A surfer spills in the waves off Manly beach in Northern Sydney. With predictable swells and a picturesque background, these guys are out there every ...

Album Colorful dots from around the world published.

Fri, 01 May 2009 04:16:24 +0000

A collection of colorful images from everywhere.

Photo Temple Demon published.

Fri, 01 May 2009 04:15:17 +0000

In the biggest temple in Bali, the rain has just washed everything clean. A yellow sash adorns the statue and creates a beautiful contrast to the moss ...

Photo Incense published.

Fri, 01 May 2009 04:12:19 +0000

Large incense sticks are burning in a temple. Intricate patterns and writing create a beautiful color scheme. These candles have the same function ...

Photo Fish Market Repairs published.

Fri, 01 May 2009 04:04:20 +0000

The fish market in Shanghai is full of gritty images, smiling people and fish. Busy in the early morning, it all quiets down around 7am. Then the corrugated ...

Album Landscapes published.

Fri, 01 May 2009 04:00:11 +0000

Landscapes are forever interesting and challenging. They change with the light and season, but stay otherwise the same (if we are lucky). Here are ...

Photo Jade Snow Mountain published.

Fri, 01 May 2009 03:58:39 +0000

The Jade Snow Mountain close to Lijiang beckons through the clouds. It is covered in snow year round, and many attempts to climb it have failed. In ...

Photo Carving published.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:48:21 +0000

A young mother is carving souvenirs for tourists, her child tied on her back in the old town of Lijiang, Yunnan.

Photo Egg Woman published.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:46:36 +0000

An old woman on the market haggles over her eggs. The markets are full of small stalls, with colorful produce and people bringing it in on tricycles ...

Photo Playing Games published.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:44:04 +0000

Playing a game of cards on the city square, old timers ignore the tourists around them and play for stakes.

Photo Smile published.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:37:36 +0000

A worker in Lijiang, Yunnan, smiles at the viewer, as he lets the day slip by on the town square.

Album People of China published.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:30:37 +0000

China is full of interesting people. The contrasts between old and new are overwhelming, and so are the faces that we meet as we journey through the ...

Photo Twelve Apostles published.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:27:33 +0000

The Twelve Apostles (only eleven remain standing) are situated on one of the harshest stretches of coast known to man. From here on South, nothing ...

Photo Three Sisters published.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:22:00 +0000

The Three Sisters rock formation in the Jamieson valley just outside of Sydney is an integral part of Aboriginal history. Here it is captured in the ...

Photo Metro Line published.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:49:31 +0000

Advertising in the metro clashes with the reality of the travelers, many of whom can't afford the modern trappings of the city and are left behind ...

Photo Balancing Act published.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:44:43 +0000

Repairs to the electrical wiring are often made with rather little precautions. A wooden ladder leaning against the wires, a hemp rope and the work ...

Photo Pudong Skyline published.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:36:52 +0000

The sun rises behind the skyline of Pudong in Shanghai. The river is already busy with traffic and the lights from the office buildings blend with ...

Photo Jin Mao Tower at Sunset published.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:33:51 +0000

This iconic image of the Jin Mao Tower was taken during the late afternoon, when the sun was lighting it up with a golden glow.

Photo Practice #1 published.

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 04:13:21 +0000

This old lady was practicing for maybe two hours, her agility belying her age. The sword is not sharp and very flexible, but give her a real sword ...

Photo Manly Surfing #1 published.

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 04:09:26 +0000

Early morning draws crowds of surfer to Manly's outer beach. With a decent swell, Sydneysiders surf first, then hop onto the ferry to go downtown for ...

Photo Bus Parking published.

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 04:05:59 +0000

A bus parking lot in the early morning light, shot from above. The sunlight reflecting from the ground creates nice geometric forms.

Photo Sydney Opera House published.

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 04:01:51 +0000

Icon beyond measure, the opera house took endless years to complete, and went well over budget.

Photo Skyscraper Detail published.

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 03:57:59 +0000

The canvas roof of the visitors center in Lujiazui Park partly obscures the facade of an unfinished building. New building sprout like mushrooms in ...

Album Impressions of Australia published.

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:42:31 +0000

The images in this collection were taken in 2007, during a visit to New South Wales and Victoria in the middle of winter.

Photo Jin Mao Facade Detail published.

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:24:19 +0000

The facade of the Jin Mao Tower is an endless mosaic of pipes on top of glass. Surfaces are angled and cut up into smaller panes, and there are endless ...

Photo World Financial Center published.

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:22:12 +0000

The World Financial Center is (for now) the tallest building in Shanghai. Shaped like an oversized bottle opener, the viewing platform on top provides ...

Photo Jin Mao at Dawn published.

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:18:14 +0000

The Jin Mao Tower stands for Shanghai like no other building. It is the second tallest building in Shanghai, dwarfed by the Wold Financial Center, ...

Photo Bay of a Thousand Islands published.

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:27:03 +0000

The sun bursts through a cloud covered sky onto the mist covered islets of the bay. At the end of a long day, with only a single shot left on my card ...

Album Shanghai Street Scenes published.

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:06:44 +0000

From the backroads and little alleys of Shanghai

Photo Shipyard published.

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:03:32 +0000

The old shipyards along the Huangpu river are being dismantled, giving way to the Expo 2010. Most shipyards have been moved to the Yellow River, where ...

Photo Yanlord Garden at Sunset published.

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:41:09 +0000

Shot as a high dynamic range image (HDR), during a rare sunset in Shanghai, the shot combines different exposures to show the unusual sky with lots ...

Album Shanghai Cityscapes published.

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:40:39 +0000

Shanghai is an endless sea of high rises. Some of the worlds taller building stand there, rubbing shoulders with ramshackle old buildings and cookie ...