Wheels of Fire, a photo from Hunan, Central

Photographer's Note

I lived in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, for a year. Hunan is the fireworks production capital of China, making it of course the fireworks champion of the entire planet.

I posted this as Hubei because the list didn't have Hunan, but I had to pick a state!

This is the doorway of one of several shops on my street that sold nothing but firecrackers and fireworks. We heard them go off every single day we lived there. These wheels are long, cellophane wrapped belts holding hundreds, or thousands of firecrackers and they are normally lit on one end and all go off in a chain reaction.

ANY occasion is an occasion for fireworks; funerals, weddings, new shop openings, new house, or because it is Tuesday, or any day. For funerals the casket is driven along the road in the back of a large truck. Men stand in each corner of the truck, light these belts of firecrackers and drop them over the side. Sending off the dearly departed with a real bang! My daughter and I were walking along the road, wearing shorts, when firecrackers starting bouncing off our legs. I saw the funeral truck pass and quickly grabbed her and pulled her to the inside.

My particular favourites are the fireworks that are too big be be held comfortably in your hand. They come with a plastic hand grip to make them easier to aim. I wish I was kidding. On New Year's Eve 1999-2000 we saw rockets being fired from inside apartment windows.

Cool-ice, ChrisJ, RGatward, starkey666, Kenny10pin, manny, whereami has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Cool-ice (5289) 2004-03-30 4:26

Very well composed to give a graphical photo that I like very much
The circles associated with the red color are really beautiful
It's also particularly successful that the yellow stripes are only positionned in the top of the image.
Maybe a little lack of sharpness on the version posted here.
A very nice picture, congratulations, Ian !

[2]

ChrisJ (172436) 2004-03-30 4:35

Interesting & colourful documentary.

RGatward (20108) 2004-03-30 7:45

Hope they're not "rollin' down the road". Oh, just read your note, I see that that's exactly what they do, scary, great shot.

starkey666 (20) 2004-03-30 8:02

And I thought I've seen fireworks! Very informative notes.

Kenny10pin (19301) 2004-03-30 8:43

Fantastic pic, I bought loads of these fireworks in China when I was there in from 1987 to 2001, I love them, excellent capture, I hope you saw a great loud display of fireworks, really well seen here, and I hope you didnt set it of there and then, but really well spotted.

whereami (1477) 2004-03-30 19:37

I really like the dominant red colour in this photo and the repeating patterns. Then there's the Chinese kanji. Altogether, it gives a very Chinese feel to the picture. Good composition here though maybe a little more contrast and sharpening would benefit it.

yesterday (9833) 2004-05-05 3:41

Good titel, great compocition, circles in dif. angel's.