In the studio – Yuki
Model – Yuki
MUA – Summer Johnson
Pentax 645D
HD PENTAX-D FA645 MACRO 90mmF2.8ED AW S
Lighting – Charcoal background. Beauty dish powered by Profoto Pro-7a as the main light. Small softbox as low fill. Medium size strip softboxes on both sides adding rimlight (powered by Profoto compacts). A fifth compact aimed at the background. Strobes triggered with PocketWizards.
Holi Festival – Jaipur, India
It’s always a challenge in photography to try and put the viewer into the midst of a scene with just a single image. Although I shot numerous portraits at Holi, I also experimented a little with movement to try and show the excitement, disorientation, speed and color of the festival.
Holi Festival – Jaipur, India
When you’re out on the streets, Holi is celebrated like a fast paced, contact sport. Bikes swoop in, unleashing a flurry of hands and powder. It’s all fun as long as you don’t mind dozens of extremely excited Indian men smearing you face and hair with paint.
Holi Festival – Jaipur, India
If you’re a woman, you’re probably going to get far more attention that you want, and the mob of hands will invariably stray from your head and shoulders. Depending on your outlook, this can be anything from annoying to a nightmare. The hotels recommended tourists to not walk around on the streets while the celebrations took place.
Holi Festival – Jaipur, India
I was particularly amused by this car full of bright pink bearded men. I hope the driver wanted a new more colorful interior.
Holi Festival – Jaipur, India
Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band perfom for the US troops on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa. Organized by the USO.
Last night, Gary Sinise performed with the Lt. Dan Band on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. It was a great show. Of course this is partly because there’s a celebrity on the stage, but it was more about knowing the audience and what they enjoy. This means you got huge cheers when they started playing The Who’s Baba O’ Riley and everyone sang a long to classics such as The devil went down to Georgia, Chicken Fried, and of course God Bless The USA.
Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band perfom for the US troops on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa. Organized by the USO.
Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band perfom for the US troops on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa. Organized by the USO.
Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band perfom for the US troops on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa. Organized by the USO.
Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band perfom for the US troops on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa. Organized by the USO.
Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band perfom for the US troops on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa. Organized by the USO.
Gary Sinise on Okinawa to perform with the Lt. Dan Band for the US troops on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.
Nio Guardian of Tourinji Temple – Ishigaki, Japan
Tourinji Temple, founded in 1614, was the first temple in the Yaeyamas. Two Nio guardians stand on either side of the temple entrance acting as mythical bouncers and warding off evil spirits.
Nio Guardian of Tourinji Temple – Ishigaki, Japan
BAPE Store – Fukuoka, Japan
BAPE (A Bathing Ape) is the ultra cool Japanese clothing brand by designer Nigo. At the moment, you can only buy the clothing in the BAPE stores, of which there are around 19 in Japan and a few overseas. I just read the company was bought by a Hong Kong fashion conglomerate for about 3 million dollars, so I imagine that in the near future, the brand is going to become a lot more popular, and a lot less exclusive.
BAPE Clothing
“Elephant Festival” – Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
The Elephant Festival in Jaipur was meant to be meant to be an unmissable event. I love to document major festivals, therefore I’d timed my trip so I’d be in Jaipur on March 26th. Unfortunately, on the day before the festival, there was strange rumor being whispered around the city. By the evening, a piece of paper stuck to a hotel window confirmed our fears, this year the Elephant Festival would be elephant free.
I completely understand and applaud the organizers, if they believe that it is no longer appropriate to use elephants to celebrate a festival. If the elephants have to be conditioned into a state of docility and obedience by violence then I’d hate to condone the behavior by photographing, and therefore promoting, the event.
What was frustrating was that this decision had been taken weeks if not months previously, and yet it was only announced the day before the festival. This became obvious when, on arriving at the event, all the banners and printed materials called it a Holi Festival and there was no mention of elephants.
“Elephant Festival” – Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
The Holi Festival turned out to be a bit gimmicky with foreigners taking part in a turban tying contest, and a race carrying earthenware pots. There was also a small parade with some locals dressed in Rajashtani folk costumes. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but at least I could get some portraits.
“Elephant Festival” – Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
I didn’t stay for the tug of war or the fireworks, but headed back to the hotel. I’d get some food and an early night, so that I’d be ready for a more exciting, and far more colorful tomorrow.
“Elephant Festival” – Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
“Elephant Festival” – Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
J Muzacz showing one of the pictures for his up coming book about sugar cane farming and life on Ishigaki
J Muzacz is an artist and a traveller. He’s spent most of the last year working as a sugar cane farmer on Ishigaki, and drawn his encounters with the island’s people, and wildlife in his sketch books. Very cool, inspirational guy. Check out his work here. I know J from his earlier project Japan 365 where he drew an image of Japan every day for a year.
Torii Gate & Sugar Cane – Ishigaki, Okinawa
Brian Hobson 7th Dan Okinawa Shorinryu Kiyobukan
After photographing Seiei Nakaza sensei, I took a few shots of his senior student, Brian Hobson. It might seem strange to call a 7th dan black belt a student, but even those who have studied karate for decades often visit Okinawa to learn from the masters of the art.
Brian Hobson 7th Dan Okinawa Shorinryu Kiyobukan
Brian Hobson 7th Dan Okinawa Shorinryu Kiyobukan
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 