This October if you happen to be flying Dragonair from Hong Kong, check out their inflight magazine Silkroad. Inside you’ll find a feature I wrote on Okinawan Karate. A big thanks to all the karate masters who let me wander into their dojos with my camera and notebook. ありがとうございます
"Alive & Kicking" Silkroad Magazine October 2011
"Alive & Kicking" Silkroad Magazine October 2011
I spent Saturday morning in Naha’s Budokan (The Prefectural Martial Arts Center) photographing Tameshigiri Taikai ( the slicing of rolled tatami matting with a samurai sword).
Hamamoto-sensei swiftly lops of the head of the mat.
Hamamoto-sensei smoothly slices through the roll of damp tatami matting. The matting is analogous to human limbs in its resistance to a blade. Impressive and yet somewhat unnerving.
Another mat cleanly dispatched.
A Surgical Strike
I’m told the man in the above photograph is a surgeon. He certainly had impressive blade control, although would be somewhat nervous if he took a katana rather than a scalpel into the operating room.
Dojo portait of Iaido Master Hamamoto-sensei
After the class I was able to get a quick portrait of Hamamoto sensei. I used a beauty dish, powered by my Profoto generator as the main source of illumination. A silver reflector added a little fill from behind. Not as portable or convenient as a hotshoe flash, but I love the light it produces, and what are friends for if not to help lug all your gear around. (A big thanks to Jen and James)
Here’s a couple of recent studio portraits of Alisa and Tory. Both are building up their modeling portfolios and I wish them both a great deal of future success. It was also my first opportunity to work with the talented makeup artist Summer Martinez. Summer and I will be working on several exciting projects over the next few months so keep this blog bookmarked 🙂
Studio Portrait - Alisa Hilton
Studio Portrait - Tory McKellar
Aya Sofya Sunset
Blue Mosque at Sunset
72 hours after arriving in Istanbul I manage to get back on the same rooftop for the sunset. Amazing 3 days, well worth a visit. A big thanks to the people of Istanbul. A photographer’s paradise and the perfect place for a face hunter.
Blue Mosque at Twilight
Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is one of the largest covered markets in the world. I spent a couple of hours in full face-hunter mode stalking the streets and alleyways.
Istanbul's Grand Bazaar
Istanbul's Grand Bazaar - Sisko Osman's Carpets
Istanbul's Grand Bazaar - Mr. Tea (and another fine mustache)
Istanbul's Grand Bazaar - The Jeweler
Istanbul's Grand Bazaar - The Mercer
Istanbul's Grand Bazaar - The Blanket Merchant
Istanbul's Grand Bazaar - The Mannequin
Calligrapher Hattat Kamil Nazik
I met the calligrapher Hattat Kamil Nazik in a small studio near the Little Aya Sofya mosque. He produces artwork and greeting cards in Arabic or Latin calligraphy. Took a photo and then headed off towards the Grand Bazaar.
Istanbul’s Aya Sofya (also known as Hagia Sophia) was an Orthodox patriarchal basilica, that would later become a mosque, and is now a museum. Its complex history as one of the world’s greatest cathedrals, and then later as a mosque makes it a fascinating place to visit.
Main Dome, Aya Sofya, Istanbul, Turkey
Aya Sofya, Istanbul, Turkey
Deësis mosaic, Aya Sofya, Istanbul, Turkey
Aya Sofya, Istanbul, Turkey
"Freddie"
The Tissue Seller
The Shoe Cleaner
The Brass Merchant
The Smiler
The Sultan
The Carpet Seller
Many many fantastic mustaches in Istanbul. But what would the world be like if everyone had a mustache…
Blue Mosque at Dawn, Istanbul
I arrived in Istanbul late in the evening, but managed to do a quick reconnaissance around the Sultanahmet area before going to bed. The key thing I found was a suitable rooftop, and at 6.30AM the following morning I had the perfect position to get shots of the Blue Mosque.
Blue Mosque (a few minutes after dawn) Istanbul
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 