These are the alleys of Ciqikou, “Old Town”, in Chongqing, China. This is an area that has been left out of the march of progress, that is happening today, all around the edges of Old Town’s borders. Here you get a brief glimpse into China’s past as it looked over a 100 years ago. The town is criss-crossed with narrow alleys and walkways, winding between shops and apartments. With these images I tried to capture the closeness of the tight alleys, the never ending paths that disappear around a corner or climb yet another set of stairs. Shoppers and vendors would swarm the walkways, and I would get just a few seconds to capture the space with as few people as possible. I could spend a few days wandering around this labyrinth of alleys, capturing still-life’s of the towns unfolding daily rituals.
Eric Blackmore Photography 