Hanwen’s Day

Media worker

01 Walking from the library to the bottom of the Drum Tower, the red wall has been “carved up” by tourists. When waiting for the red light, I raised my lens and took a photo. 02 I went to the Dongcheng District Library and stamped the TombSweeping Day-themed registration stamp. 03 I took part in punching activities and went to Jixiang Grand Theater for the first time. It was originally above the shopping mall where I had been many times. 04 Good weather recorded on the subway. 05 Walking along the city wall, I walked about 1km and finally met some small flowers. 06 I ordered a hot latte and a snack in the cafe. 07 Walking from the subway station to the park, passing through a strange community, the buildings and cherry blossoms are all pink. 08 Boarding the Ming City Wall, a train just left Beijing Station.

Q1: When you look back at the photos you took, do you have a different feeling or discover new details compared to when you took them?

A: I found that the foam on the coffee was no longer as “fresh” as it was when I took the photo. At that time, I must have taken photos for a long time before I drank it, but I didn’t feel it while taking the photo. Time flew by quickly.

Q2: Why do you feel the need to record the moment when a train passes by?

A: I’ve been to the Ming City Wall several times before. This time, I mainly went to take photos of plum blossoms. I was a little disappointed to find that the flowers had withered. At this time, the passing train was a fresh and interesting thing to capture.

Q3: What is the significance of these photos that document your life?

A: I flip through the photo album when I do my bullet journal or when I’m curious about what I did on a certain day in a certain year, but my memory is already fuzzy. Looking at the photos helps me recall those moments.

Q4: How do you try to document your life in this process? What is your point of entry?

Q5: Do you feel upset if you miss a great moment? Or do you feel that seeing it with your own eyes is more important than recording it with a camera?

A: I often do feel upset when I miss a great moment. The experience of seeing a great moment with your own eyes has an “expiration date.”

A: I randomly take photos, just capturing whatever comes to mind. I don’t carefully compose my shots, and some of the photos don’t have anything particularly special about them, like a view outside of a subway window. But when I took the photo, I felt that the weather was nice, which is a small but worthwhile thing to be happy about.

Q6: While answering these questions, try to feel your surroundings. What different perceptions do you have?

A: Unfortunately, my surroundings are filled with sand and dust. The scenery in the distance is no longer visible, so I have to give up my plan to go to Zhongshan Park to see the flowers. At this time and in this place, it’s a bit of a stretch to say that there are any different perceptions. Instead, I regret not taking advantage of the good weather from a few days ago.