Author: travel67

Cherry Blossom Viewing in Okinawa

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The cherry trees are blossoming in Okinawa. Soft pink petals dot the mountainsides of northern Okinawa, and line the roads up Mt. Yaedake. As in mainland Japan, hanami (flower viewing) is extremely popular during their brief bloom. On weekends things can get a little busy, and it may seem like half the island is trying to snap pictures of the flowers. Probably best to go up on a weekday, but be quick or you’ll find the petals have already cascaded to the ground. A big thank you to Yuki for modeling, and allowing me to get some beautiful hanami shots to add to my portfolio.

Video with the Pentax K3

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The Pentax K3 can record FullHD video so thought I’d give it a go during the weekend’s workshop. The above footage is handheld, and sound is recorded with the built-in mono microphone rather than an external stereo mic, but it looks pretty good.  Will have to spend a lot more time learning how to get the most out of the camera’s video capabilities. These moving pictures, however, are an interesting development. In fact, I’d hazardous a guess, and say it’s probably going to catch on.

HD PENTAX-DA 55-300 mm F4-5.8ED WR

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While in Tokyo I though I’d test out the new telephoto zoom that Pentax has lent me for a few weeks. It’s got an impressive range from 55-300mm, HD coatings on the lens elements and a sturdy weather-proof construction. It’s also reasonably priced, it’s available from Amazon.com for around 400 dollars. As my flight back to Okinawa was from Narita Airport, I decided to take the subway from Shinjuku to Ueno, then switch to the Keisei Skyliner express train. Right next to the Keisei Ueno Station is the entrance to Ueno Zoo, and as I’d never been before, I thought I’d drop by for a couple of hours.  The zoo offered plenty of opportunities to utilize the telephoto zoom. I also tried out using burst mode, working on the theory that the shots in the middle of the burst are often sharper. The relatively small maximum aperture of f5.8 when shooting at 300mm was offset by increasing the ISO to 800 so that shutter speeds were kept fast. Ueno Zoo is Japan’s oldest zoo, and in many …

Pentax K3 in the Studio

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Four studio portraits taken with the new Pentax K3 digital SLR camera. Very pleased with the results this little camera can achieve. Alongside the Pentax K3, I used my medium format digital 645D. Although the K3 could not match the level of detail you get from 645D’s 40 megapixel sensor it produced fantastic images. When looking at the entire shoot in Lightroom the best pics were those in which the lighting or pose were just right rather than those coming from one particular camera. When you consider that the Pentax K-3 on Amazon is a fraction of the price of the 645D this is even more impressive. Like the 645D, the K3 now has dual SD lots. This is fantastic. I’m a huge fan of redundancy (insert Thatcher joke here), and being able to save the data to both cards gives me that extra level of security I want when working with a client. There are a few differences in the layout of the camera compared to its predecessor the K5. Pentaxians will have to refer to the …

Lasik in Japan – 1 month check

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A quick follow-up post about LASIK in Japan. Last weekend I flew back up to Tokyo for my 1-month checkup at the Kobe Kanagawa Clinic in Shinjuku. As with my previous visits things went very smoothly. I filled out another questionnaire in English asking if I’d have any problems at all. I then met with an examiner who tested my vision.  I could read the bottom line of the chart with both eyes open (2.0) and when using just one eye I could make out most of the tiniest symbols. After that Dr. Takahashi checked the health of my eyes and gave me the all clear. I can now start scuba diving again. I have some drops to use if my eyes feel dry at any point, but this was my final obligatory check. Finally Ogata-san gave me a quick interview about my experience at the clinic. Richard Masuda, the international relations staff member, was there to help translate, answer any questions, and in this case take photos. I have been really pleased with the experience, …

Photography Fundamentals Workshop – February 1 & 2

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Photography Fundamentals Workshop Progress beyond the camera’s green automatic mode. Take better photographs of your friends and family rather than point, shoot, and hope for the best. This is a fun workshop rather than a lecture. As we cover new topics we will be taking photographs, reviewing the images, and discussing the results.  You’ll be learning by practicing each new skill. Don’t be the person with all the gear, and no idea. February 1 & 2, 2014 9AM to 5PM Class Size: Max 6 Location: Ishikawa, Uruma City, Okinawa Instructor: Chris Willson Price: US$250  Get in touch via email or Facebook to reserve your place. Class outline: Equipment – The anatomy of cameras, lenses, memory cards, filters and tripods. Learn what gear you need, and what will help you improve. Exposure – Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, Camera Modes, Metering. Take control of image brightness and depth of field, to create the images you want. Composition – Angles, Repetition, Balance, Lines, Simplicity. Whether you’re a sculptor, a painter or a photographer, there are some artistic rules that …