Written By Photo TravelingMom Kymri Wilt Sunday, January 22, 2012 00:00
The Chinese New Year begins this week on January 23rd. In Chinese astrology, each year of a 12-year cycle is represented by a different animal, and 2012 brings the Year of the Dragon. The dragon is the only mythical animal of the Chinese zodiac, and is a symbol of strength, power, and good luck. Thus, a dragon year is a popular year to have babies! This photo is of one of the dragons found on the Nine-Dragon Screen at the Forbidden Palace in Beijing, marking the entrance to the residence of the Empress during the Ming Dynasty. Here again, choosing to zoom in and photograph a detail, rather than the entire wall, makes for a stronger photo, telling a story of China in one shot. Photo by Kymri Wilt of Miraterra Images
My first trip of 2012 will be a return to India, so I decided to share an image that would tell a story of India in a small detail. The peacock is the national bird of India, and it symbolizes qualities of pride, grace, and mysticism. At Jaipur Palace in Rajasthan, I was intrigued by the colorful architectural details found throughout the palace and adorning the many gates and doorways, including the infamous Peacock Gate. Zooming in for a close-up made for a more interesting photo than they typical shot of the entire gate, whose beauty, like India's, truly lies in the details. 
