PREFACE 序

The Adams of the East

Mr. Weifa Yuan's landscape photography work is indeed wondrous. His style of photography combines the delicate technique so often observed in western paintings with the traditional Chinese aesthetic imagery. The exactness of reality and the impression of the mind can both be found in his works. As a photographer, hails from the east, he portrays and explains his own understanding of the natural scenery of America and Canada. Mr. Yuan has earned the applause and praise of western photographers, along with the nickname of "the Adams of the East."

Mr. Yuan is a member of the Photography Society of America. Like his works, Mr. Yuan has a down-to-earth way of working, full of a Chinese man's life philosophy and personal integrity. It's joyous to be friends with Mr. Yuan, as his passion, his honesty, and his directness will move you.

Here, I proudly present to you Scenery Photography Collection of The United States and Canada, a collection of works from the hundred thousand photos that Mr. Yuan has taken over these few years. To my surprise, the art of photography as portrayed by the camera lens tells a true story and shows us the real world. The works aren't as strict in structure as the academics would argue, but the flowing of the works shows his unique style. When browsing through these beautiful photographs, I was amazed and enchanted, which feelings you will soon experience in this book as well. Through his work, you can see Mr. Yuan's self-cultivation, romanticism, liberality, and his deep and unique understanding of photography art. With his acute instinct, he can always magically capture the shape, texture, quality, light and color of every instant in time and space. At the same time, we can witness in him the fighting spirits of the Chinese people: diligence, self-discipline, confidence in disgrace and in praise. Just like the old saying -- a journey of thousands of miles may not be achieved without accumulation of each single step, just as the enormous ocean may not be formed without the gathering of every stream --tolerances, virtue, kindness, adventurous and down-to-earth are the pursuits of the Chinese photographers. More importantly, you can always feel Mr. Yuan's reverence for the nature in his photographs. More importantly, one should always feel his reverence for the nature.

Mr. Yuan created many works in this collection carrying heavy photography equipment as well as his six-month-old daughter, traveling over mountains and enduring the hardship of an arduous journey, which would only add to your respect for Mr. Yuan's persistence and dedication in photography.

We are always in need of art, both in the east and in the west. Appreciation for beauty is common to both cultures. As stated by the 19th century English philosopher Herbert Spencer, “without the oil paintings, music, poems, and all the emotions evoked by the beauty of nature, half of the joy in life is lost.”

My dear reader, when you read this book, I assure you that you would be enchanted as I was.

At last, I would like to give my highest respect to the photographers seeking to explore the “boundless” photography language in the world.

Darei Deng

Representative of China in PSA