Bing Yi, the Travelling Photographer
Culture . Student life . Travel . UncategorizedBing Yi is an economics student from Shanghai, here in Munich on exchange for one semester. When she came to Munich, it was the first time she had ever visited Europe and she was excited to explore the places offered here in Germany, as well as further abroad. When we met on an excursion to Neuschwanstein Castle, I realized right away that she is well travelled and very passionate about photography. We have been on many trips together since, and it was during these occasions that I noticed that no matter where we went, whether it involved a long hike up to the Andechs Monastery or a walk around Königssee, Bing Yi is always accompanied by a very faithful companion : her Nikon D3500.
For Bing Yi, travelling and photography are not separate hobbies, but two sides of the same coin. People like me, who aren’t camera savvy but nevertheless enjoy travelling, rely on photos taken by others like Bing Yi to show what they have experienced while abroad. In this post I will interview Bing Yi about how she combines her passions for travel and photography.
Have you always had an interest in travelling?
Yes. I’ve travelled a lot in Asia, well I don’t know how I can say a lot, but China takes up a large part of Asia and I have travelled a lot in China. I have also been to Japan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and parts like that. Its not too many countries, but not a few either. I have always enjoyed these experiences.
What do you like the most about travelling?
I think its very nice to discover unfamiliar places, know how a city works, or the customs of the locals.
Lets talk about your decision to come to Munich. Was it an obvious choice?
I didn’t have many choices of exchange universities. Either North America or Europe. In North America there weren’t many good options so I chose Europe— this is the realistic part of the decision. Another part is I want to look around in Europe, so I can see many countries in a short period of time. And I want to experience more. I don’t speak German, I just speak English and Chinese, but I wanted to challenge myself like this.
And you enjoy photography, right?
Yes.
Does travelling inspire your photography?
Yes, when I am travelling I take more pictures.
What is your favourite subject to take pictures of?
Actually, I try to take pictures of people, but that would be really weird if you don’t know them; just to take pictures of strangers, they will see it in a weird way. So I just take pictures of buildings or landscapes. The most common topic of my photos are landscapes, but I am trying to take more photos of people, because photos of people tell stories. I think that photos of landscapes can also tell stories, but they aren’t as interesting. You can also find landscapes on official websites more easily. I can’t do better than the professional photographers of these websites.
But for example, websites like Social Media Networks have many pictures taken by amateurs. Do you think the quality of pictures from Social Media is the same quality as what we can find on official websites?
I don’t think there is so much difference between these two. But there is some difference between the photos you take and other people’s photos from social media, such as the photos you take show the way that you see the landscape or the person. Your perspective is present in the photos that you take.
I have noticed that you like to take a big camera around with you when visiting new places. Do you think a professional camera like that can take better pictures than an iPhone?
There is a saying in my mother tongue. It’s like this, “those who are good at writing do not rely on their pens.” So that means if you are good at doing this, whether you are using a camera or an iPhone, it is not important. A photographer’s ability to tell stories by their photos is more important than the type of camera they use.
What, in your opinion, makes a good photo?
I used to think that it is important to put the horizon in the middle of the lens, things must be centered and horizontal. But now I don’t think that is so important, because there are a lot of ways to show what you see. Sometimes I think “what do you want people to notice,” it depends on what you want to show. Sometimes a photo seems to be very messy, but it can still tell something. Everyone has their own points of view, so it is just important to be happy with the photos you are taking. There is no bad photo, it just depends what you want to show.
Interviewing Bing Yi has made me wish that I had more skills with the camera personally. Luckily for me, I have her to share pictures with me that I can send back to my family at home. I am very grateful to have her perspective and talent as we explore more places together, and I now have a greater appreciation for the thought that goes behind the picture.
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