Comments on: My Life as an Expat Photographer: Joys and Challenges http://rising.blackstar.com/my-life-as-an-expat-photographer.html Professional Photography Blog Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:56:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Garret M. Clarkehttp://rising.blackstar.com/my-life-as-an-expat-photographer.html/comment-page-1#comment-14063 Garret M. Clarke Tue, 11 May 2010 08:39:10 +0000 http://rising.blackstar.com/?p=11222#comment-14063 Hey Craig,Doing some research and I came across this article. Your web presence is incredible!!!Cheers,g Hey Craig,

Doing some research and I came across this article. Your web presence is incredible!!!

Cheers,

g

]]> By: Protocol Snowhttp://rising.blackstar.com/my-life-as-an-expat-photographer.html/comment-page-1#comment-13646 Protocol Snow Mon, 19 Apr 2010 21:54:10 +0000 http://rising.blackstar.com/?p=11222#comment-13646 Interesting post. The access you get is awesome. Although I'm Taiwanese and don't get the foreigner privileges, I was able to photograph Chen Shui-bian when he happened to be at the same resort I was staying at (er... this was back when he was a free man). Although he was supervised wherever he went, I was able to get a photograph of him from 5 feet away without security checks or anybody batting an eye. That probably doesn't happen in many countries. Interesting post. The access you get is awesome. Although I'm Taiwanese and don't get the foreigner privileges, I was able to photograph Chen Shui-bian when he happened to be at the same resort I was staying at (er... this was back when he was a free man). Although he was supervised wherever he went, I was able to get a photograph of him from 5 feet away without security checks or anybody batting an eye. That probably doesn't happen in many countries.

]]> By: Craig Ferguson (@cfimages)http://rising.blackstar.com/my-life-as-an-expat-photographer.html/comment-page-1#comment-13602 Craig Ferguson (@cfimages) Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:09:15 +0000 http://rising.blackstar.com/?p=11222#comment-13602 Thanks all.@Jack - The visa was fairly straight forward, although initially I wasn't able to have local clients, only ones outside Taiwan.@Rob - Getting a basic bank account is easy enough but getting one that does what you want it to isn't. I'm actually thinking of registering my business name in Hong Kong as well, just for the ease of banking that would offer. Getting paid locally is easy enough, just straight into the bank account.School would be good, and I'm in Taipei so there are plenty, but it's mostly a matter of time at the moment. I'm not really marketing my work within Taiwan (mainly because of very low editorial rates here, and copyright issues), so I've not seen the benefit as being worth the cost in time so far. Plus I have a native Chinese speaking wife. :)@Victor - Not famous and not the only one. I'm not really sure why I've been so fortunate. It could be because most other foreigners shooting those type of things tend to either agree with or be protesting the govt/issue, whereas I just shoot it (or try to) as an impartial observer - or at least try to. There's actually supposed to be a big political demonstration in the next 6 weeks or so, which might make for an interesting post itself. Thanks all.

@Jack - The visa was fairly straight forward, although initially I wasn't able to have local clients, only ones outside Taiwan.

@Rob - Getting a basic bank account is easy enough but getting one that does what you want it to isn't. I'm actually thinking of registering my business name in Hong Kong as well, just for the ease of banking that would offer. Getting paid locally is easy enough, just straight into the bank account.

School would be good, and I'm in Taipei so there are plenty, but it's mostly a matter of time at the moment. I'm not really marketing my work within Taiwan (mainly because of very low editorial rates here, and copyright issues), so I've not seen the benefit as being worth the cost in time so far. Plus I have a native Chinese speaking wife. :)

@Victor - Not famous and not the only one. I'm not really sure why I've been so fortunate. It could be because most other foreigners shooting those type of things tend to either agree with or be protesting the govt/issue, whereas I just shoot it (or try to) as an impartial observer - or at least try to. There's actually supposed to be a big political demonstration in the next 6 weeks or so, which might make for an interesting post itself.

]]> By: Sjoerd Booijhttp://rising.blackstar.com/my-life-as-an-expat-photographer.html/comment-page-1#comment-13594 Sjoerd Booij Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:48:36 +0000 http://rising.blackstar.com/?p=11222#comment-13594 Great read! :) Great read! :)

]]> By: Victor Augusteohttp://rising.blackstar.com/my-life-as-an-expat-photographer.html/comment-page-1#comment-13593 Victor Augusteo Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:27:46 +0000 http://rising.blackstar.com/?p=11222#comment-13593 Hi Craig! i agree with you. chinese is one of the hardest tonal language to learn for western speaker. it really take alot to get used to. you can easily offend or making people laugh by wrong tone and pronunciation, haha.i'm more interested in how you get special treatment from security guard and officials. Are u the only westerner shooting there? or are you so famous that every security guard let u through? :P Hi Craig! i agree with you. chinese is one of the hardest tonal language to learn for western speaker. it really take alot to get used to. you can easily offend or making people laugh by wrong tone and pronunciation, haha.

i'm more interested in how you get special treatment from security guard and officials. Are u the only westerner shooting there? or are you so famous that every security guard let u through? :P

]]> By: Robhttp://rising.blackstar.com/my-life-as-an-expat-photographer.html/comment-page-1#comment-13591 Rob Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:57:13 +0000 http://rising.blackstar.com/?p=11222#comment-13591 Good piece, thanks. As an amateur who lived in Hsinchu for awhile, I'm really looking forward to reading more from you.I gave up trying to get any local bank account when I was there, but I wasn't getting paid by anyone locally so it wasn't a real issue. How do you get paid by locals? Cash only?You didn't say where you were living, but even in backwater Hsinchu there was a language school that had night classes. If I was living there semi-permanently I would definitely do that; even if it's not enough to make you fluent, it helps makes things easier, even by just impressing people you meet that you're making an effort. Good piece, thanks. As an amateur who lived in Hsinchu for awhile, I'm really looking forward to reading more from you.

I gave up trying to get any local bank account when I was there, but I wasn't getting paid by anyone locally so it wasn't a real issue. How do you get paid by locals? Cash only?

You didn't say where you were living, but even in backwater Hsinchu there was a language school that had night classes. If I was living there semi-permanently I would definitely do that; even if it's not enough to make you fluent, it helps makes things easier, even by just impressing people you meet that you're making an effort.

]]> By: Jackhttp://rising.blackstar.com/my-life-as-an-expat-photographer.html/comment-page-1#comment-13590 Jack Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:24:52 +0000 http://rising.blackstar.com/?p=11222#comment-13590 Great article Craig. Seems to sum up my experiences in Thailand as well, though I'm not living here. Yet. Was it complicated to get a visa when you first moved to Taiwan? thanks, jack Great article Craig. Seems to sum up my experiences in Thailand as well, though I'm not living here. Yet. Was it complicated to get a visa when you first moved to Taiwan?
thanks,
jack

]]> By: Trudyhttp://rising.blackstar.com/my-life-as-an-expat-photographer.html/comment-page-1#comment-13589 Trudy Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:26:17 +0000 http://rising.blackstar.com/?p=11222#comment-13589 This is a great article. Thanks for sharing your experience. This is a great article. Thanks for sharing your experience.

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