All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go.
This is my first trip with the 645D. Should be an interesting challenge as it includes a couple of big festivals, a few landscapes, a fashion shoot and a rock concert.
Bags are packed. Strange not to have multiple boxes of Provia 220 film.
Let the adventure begin…
Quick test to see if I could trigger my old hammerhead flash with a PocketWizard.
In this shot fellow photographer Pete Leong is actually working as both model and assistant. He is holding the flash with his outstretched right arm and pointing it back at his face.
Off Camera Flash test with Pete
Hungry Bear (Pentax 645D with 67 105mm lens)
Voice for the Oceans
Edo Heinrich-Sanchez is devoted to protecting Okinawa’s environment and promoting its culture.
Edo Heinrich-Sanchez
Edo Heinrich-Sanchez was born in the Caribbean, but grew up in the Canary Islands and the United States. He first came to Okinawa in 1981 as a F4 Phantom mechanic on Kadena Air Base. After his career in the military, Edo returned to the United States to study photography at the Colorado Institute of Art, and then broadcasting at the Metropolitan State College of Denver. In 1990, he moved back to Okinawa, and since then, he has been teaching, producing TV shows, and feeding his greatest passion－protecting Okinawa’s environment for future generations.
Has your background in broadcasting helped you while on Okinawa?
“The most recent project I have been involved in was working as a producer for a TV series titled Fantastic Festivals of the World. Episode number 11 was based on the kyu-bon and eisa festivals in Okinawa. The series was shown on the Discovery Channel and is still aired regularly. In December 2005, the Okinawa episode won the best cinematography category at the High Definition Awards in Los Angeles, so many more people will get to learn about Okinawa’s unique culture.”
I have seen banners for Okinawa O.C.E.A.N. at beach clean-ups. What does O.C.E.A.N. stand for?
“O.C.E.A.N. is an acronym for Ocean Culture & Environment Action Network. Our goal is to protect the environment on Okinawa through youth education, direct action, and networking. We started out back in 1992 as the Okinawa International Clean Beach Club, but slowly we have expanded, bringing new ways to tackle environmental problems such as international networking with other environmental groups and governments. We just hosted the Pacific Islands Youth Environmental Summit and the My Island Action Charter Workshop. On April 22, 2006, O.C.E.A.N. also endorsed the Earth Charter, which aims to create a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society.”
Beach clean up in Yomitan, Okinawa
What are the biggest threats to the environment in Okinawa?
“The simple answer is us – humans. Red soil contamination of the water is not strictly enforced; trash is still dumped by individuals and companies, and not everyone is recycling. We have the resources, money and manpower to deal with a lot of these problems, but they are not allocated in the right way due to hidden agendas and greed.”
“I think there needs to be a total island plan for Okinawa with a better idea of where development should and shouldn’t take place. Ecological awareness must be an integral part of the decision making. I think protecting the environment is like a Rubic’s Cube – it’s complex and seems almost impossible to solve, but eventually, we can find a solution by moving all the different parts in the right directions.”
What can people do to keep Okinawa beautiful?
“Don’t litter, of course! Also, we need to pick up trash other people have left behind. The three “Rs”of reduce, reuse and recycle are important to remember. In addition, I think you can add another one: refuse. If you are at a convenience store, refuse the disposable chopsticks or plastic bags that are a waste of resources and just add to the landfills.”
Trouble in Paradise - Dead sea turtle on Ishikawa Beach
Are you optimistic about the future?
“Yes, but I think governments need to place a higher priority on protecting the environment. If we shifted some of the money we spend on the technology of destruction to the technology of protection, we could solve many of our ecological problems. This is crucial because we have to make sure our kids grow up with clean beaches and healthy oceans.”
You’ve lived in Okinawa for 16 years do you now consider yourself Okinawan?
“I think of myself as a shimanchu (an island dweller). I was born in the Caribbean Islands, raised in the Canary Islands, I work on Okinawa Island and we all live on this giant celestial island we call Earth.”
Learn more about O.C.E.A.N. along with information on future events at their website
There are huge differences between shooting in the studio and shooting on location. Above all, it’s the degree of control. In the studio you can easily adjust the direction, quality and strength of light. You can make micro adjustment to the model’s poses, and then shoot, check and reshoot until you get it right.
Yesterday was a wonderful example of having to relinquish control. With heavy clouds, sporadic rain, and several large horses, you have to work with what the conditions and the equine models will give you. Luckily things all came together. The overcast skies produced a nice even light, and the horses were kind enough not to throw Liz off their backs, or knock me (and the camera) into the water.
Horse riding on Okinawa - Liz & Makoto (645D with 645D 55mm lens)
Horse riding on Okinawa - Liz & Sky (645D with 67 105mm lens)
Horse riding on Okinawa - Liz & Sky (645D with 67 105mm lens)
Huge thanks must go to Liz Craig for modeling, Kim Clay for makeup, Pete Leong and Eboh Ajeroh for assisting, and above all Eve Carey, Makoto, Sly and Sky of Mihara Horse Club.
Pro wedding photographer Pete Leong came along on a fun location shoot with model Liz Craig and horses Makoto, Sly, and Sky.
Pete took some wonderful behind the scenes shots, which pretty much explain all. So without further ado…
Ready to shoot (image by Pete Leong)
Bring on the horse (image by Pete Leong)
Do not drop the camera! (image by Pete Leong)
In the middle of the action (image by Pete Leong)
Eboh and I getting a few final shots (image by Pete Leong)
Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait by Michael Grecco
Here’s another good reference book, Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait
On Michael Grecco’s website you can also get a good idea about his lighting setups by looking at his behind the scenes video clips. I particularly liked this clip showing a portrait of Scorsese, it shows a clever use of natural and strobe light along with a bit of smoke.
Here’s a quick shot from my latest studio shoot. Eboh and I were helping Nikki update the images in her porfolio. This image was lit from the front with a softbox that included a blue gel filter. Another softbox with an orange gel was angled from the side.
Studio shoot: Nikki (blue) 645D with 67 105mm lens
The colored gels create an interesting look. Reminds me of the lighting in some of the C.S.I. crime labs.
Model: Nakita Nedd
Lighting: Eboh Ajeroh
Makeup: Kim Clay
Moon 645D 400mm 2x converter (full image)
Last night there were some patches of clear sky and the moon came out. I decided it would be a good opportunity to try out the 400mm telephoto lens and a 2x converter. I experimented with various settings, the shot above was ISO 400, 1/60, F8. It is surprisingly difficult to focus on the moon, you can’t just set the lens to infinity, but need to make micro adjustments. A more significant issue is that as the lens itself is mounted to the tripod, the rear converter and then the camera are hanging mid air. I think I could gain extra stability and sharpness by having the body mounted on a separate tripod, although this will make any changes in angle a pain. (The other option would be a custom double mount but I imagine this would be prohibitively expensive.)
Moon 645D 400mm 2x converter (crop)
One of the other key points about this exercise is that sometimes smaller sensors are very useful. In this case, the advantage of having a large sensor was made redundant by the fact I was unable to fill the frame with the subject and had to crop the image.
It was interesting to see the detail on the moon’s surface, I don’t think I’ve ever really looked at luna craters before. I’m sure with practice I will be able to get better shots, but as a first attempt this one ain’t bad.
And before you ask, the answer’s yes. It’s clearly made of cheese.
Pentax O-RC1 Remote Control
A simple item that didn’t come with the 645D camera was a remote control. The Pentax O-RC1 is a simple device that allows you to fire the shutter without pushing the shutter release button. This is great for self portraits and family photos as it avoids the self-timer dash. More importantly for me, it means I can eliminate any micro wobble that may occur when pressing the shutter release button on a tripod mounted camera. As a bonus the remote control is waterproof, which in rain soaked Okinawa is probably a good idea.
The remote control also works with other 2010 Pentax cameras including the Optio W90 
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 