This piece was created during the early stages of my photographic career, where I was still experimenting with colors to communicate mood.

I bought this cup during a trip to Vietnam. I wanted to give it to someone as a gift, but when I found that the cup was so exquisite, I decided to keep it for myself. When I learned that it was the only of its kind left, I felt it was more precious. If my friends knew that I had such a selfish intention, she would have scolded me.

I took the cup in my hand; it felt cold and smooth. I looked at it carefully and found that the cup was in emerald green. The bottom of the cup is moderate in size and even in weight. When placed on the table, it is as stable as a mountain. I think this cup must have been from the hand of a fine craftsman.

After returning home, I was too busy, and almost forgotten about the cup. One day, a friend invited me for tea. I suddenly remembered the cup.

Photography
The cup on a closer look, feels very Zen to speak the truth. I decided to photograph the cup. I wrote a simple program to obtain the colors I desired; the light source would be from the computer monitor. I used a small table to place the cup; I first wiped its surface clean, and then used a little oil to polish it. With some alcohol I wiped the cup clean. Then I put the small table in front of the screen, and set up the cups. At this point, you can already see the reflection of the cup.

How wonderful!

I ran the software, turned off the lights; before me was a simple but solemn, yet full of Zen scenes. The green hue combined with the reflections, calling each other had created a magnificent scene.

I carefully composed the image and pressed the shutter.

The result was very satisfactory. I printed a large copy and gave it to my friend. She was overjoyed and thanked me profusely. When I explained to her the reason for the print, she laughed. “The prints are more valuable than the cup; it is the thoughts that count.” I was humbled by her thoughtfulness.