Photographer Mark Leong has a great collection of photographs from an assignment for National Geographic Magazine entitled “Asia’s Wildlife Trade“.

Born and raised in Silicon Valley, his pictures have appeared in Time, Newsweek, Fortune, the New York Times and the New Yorker. His book, China Obscura, was published in the fall of 2004 by Chronicle Books.

Feature Shoot has an interview with Mark about the assignment or you can view more photos on the National Geographic website.

Technorati Tags: Asia’s Wildlife Trade, illegal animal trade, Mark Leong, National Geographic Magazine, photography

The Big Picture posts a series of photos depicting Chinese New Year celebrations around the world. Since its the Year of the Tiger, conservationists are hoping to call attention to the plight of the endangered big cats, whose population has dropped from 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century, to less than 3,000 today.

Welcoming the Year of the Tiger

Technorati Tags: Chinese New Year, photography, Year of the Tiger

Though the Japanese are famed for their excellent enthusiasm for photography abroad, it seems East Asia knows no bounds when it comes to striking a pose behind the lens. No idea if these stances help in the finished photo but rock on guys, you’re bound to stay limber over time.

Seen on AcidCow

Technorati Tags: funny poses, photographer poses, photography

The northern hemisphere in the West might not want to see anymore of the freeze, but its undeniable that the Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival shows the climate in a beautiful light. The Big Picture does it again with a fantastic series of photos from the event, the 26th of its kind. Opening on January 5th 2010, the festival will remain open until some time in February.

See more of the Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival

Technorati Tags: China, Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, photography, Harbin

The BBC currently has a nice little audio slideshow about some of the lives of people who make a living on Vietnam’s Mekong Delta.

Check it out at Life on the water

Technorati Tags: culture, floating market, Mekong Delta, shopping, Vietnam

Pink Tentacle posts a great group of stereoviews, reworked as animated gifs to display the depth. Stereoview image pairs are each slightly different, so give the illusion of depth when viewed together in a stereoscope.

Shot in the late 19th and early 20th century by photographer T. Enami, the stereoviews depict life in Meiji-period Japan.

See more on Pink Tentacle

Technorati Tags: Japan, Meiji period, photography, stereoscope, stereoviews, T. Enami

Strip clubs have a seedy charm that doesn’t necessarily stay when these places are in ruins, but there’s a post-apocalypse feel to a series of photos of the Akeno Gekijo.

It was once one of Japan’s rare strip clubs, with a central podium, strip poles, and seats facing the stage and the photos of its ruins were shot by Michael John Grist, who travels Japan and the rest of the world documenting modern ruins.

See more on io9.com

Technorati Tags: Japan, photography, ruins, Akeno Gekijo, strip club ruins, strip clubs

Just came across this excellent Flickr account of a HK Man who posts photos of locations in Hong Kong from a long time ago (various years) together with photos of the same location today. They make for fascinating viewing where some areas don’t seem to have changed much – surprising for Hong Kong’s legendary speed of urban development – and other areas have obviously moved on.

HK Man’s photostream of Hong Kong Then and Now

Check out all the clothes drying outside the flats below!

This cinema has collected a few exterior decorations since then.

Advertising boards have been reduced…

The basketball court looks similar, but the fashion is superb!

Via Popwuping

Technorati Tags: Hong Kong, old and new, photography, then and now

Here are some nice shots of moments in Japan from the Pixdaus blog.

Via Pixdaus

Technorati Tags: Japan, photography

Sure, the Hong Kong skyline view from the Peak, across the harbour, has got to be one of the most photographed view points in the city. And the shot below looks no different. However, click on the link to see the full resolution version on Wikimedia and you’ll see a breathtaking level of detail….

Detailed Hong Kong skyline photo

Via Bibzee

Technorati Tags: Hong Kong, photography