The pygmy seahorse, Bargibanti’s seahorse, (Hippocampus bargibanti) Okinawa, Japan
The pygmy seahorse was one of the top species on my underwater Okinawa shot list. Very happy to have managed to photograph one this morning.
The seahorses are tiny, about the size of my thumbnail. They are also fantastically well camouflaged, blending perfectly with the fan corals they live on. Wikipedia states that the species was only discovered when researches were studying the fan corals in the lab.
Shorin-ryu Karate 10th Dan Master Sokuichi Gibu
A great shoot yesterday with Shorin-ryu Karate 10th Dan Master Sokuichi Gibu.
Shorin-ryu Karate 10th Dan Master Sokuichi Gibu
On friday afternoon, James Pankiewicz and I headed over to the dojo of karate master Sokuichi Gibu. Another great opportunity to photograph an Okinawan icon.
Shorin-ryu Karate 10th Dan Master Sokuichi Gibu
Sokuichi Gibu may look fierce in his portraits, but he was exceptionally friendly and willing to run through a wide selection of poses, and a few fierce kicks.
Shorin-ryu Karate 10th Dan Master Sokuichi Gibu
Matsuri Exhibition at the Pentax Forum (Draft Postcard)
Here’s the first draft of the DM or promotional postcard for the Matsuri exhibition at the Pentax Forum in September. The next step is selecting and printing images. Most of the images I’m choosing from are in my Matsuri set on Flickr, please check them out and let me know if there are particular favorites you’d like to see in the show.
Lionfish – Pterois volitans
These two Okinawan locals have a lot in common with the karate masters. They’ll stay out of your way minding their own business, but if you mess with them, they’ll inflict serious injury.
Lionfish have venomous fin rays which if touched will cause extreme pain in the healthy, and possible death to the young, elderly or sick. Lionfish can be found at many of the dive sites on Okinawa, but seem to be most common in calmer areas such as Malibu Beach. Lionfish are however easy to spot, and unless you’re completely unaware of your surroundings, relatively simple to stay clear of.
Stonefish are extremely well camouflaged and have a powerful neurotoxin that is more deadly than the sting of the lionfish. They usually sit quietly on the coral reef and want nothing to do with humans. If threatened they raise their dorsal fin spines and will inject their poison. Stand on a stonefish with bare feet and you’re going to experience severe pain and possible death. Last Saturday at Maeda, a half dead, but fully venomous, stonefish was right next to divers and snorkelers as they entered the water.
Stonefish
So what does this mean for those who want to enjoy marine sports on Okinawa?
Except for the netted off beaches, don’t walk into the ocean with bare feet. Ideally wear felt soled dive booties. Fins that you wear with bare feet are great for boat dives, but on Okinawa where you often dive from the shore, boots and open-heel fins are a better option.
Darryl – The Natural
A portfolio session with model Darryl Chiang. We worked fast and efficiently to get a good selection of images in a short amount of time. Makeup artist Summer Johnson was on hand as guys (or potential Presidents) can sometimes benefit from the use of makeup. Summer’s talents, however, would really come in to play on Darryl’s next shoot, “Fight Club”.
Darryl – The Tech Mogul
Darryl has been told he looks like a Korean pop star, but I thought I’d go for a Japanese otaku theme for this next shot.
Darryl – The Otaku
And finally a far cooler sports image of Darryl on a triathlon / time trial bicycle.
Darryl – The Speed Racer
PHOTOGRAPHY 101 with Chris Willson
July 14th & 15th 2012 US$250
Move beyond the fully automatic modes.
Learn the basics of equipment selection, exposure, composition and data management.
Take control of your photography so that you rather than your camera is making the decisions.
Pixels to Pigment Workshop with Martin Bailey
August 4th & 5th 2012 US$250
Improve the efficiency of your photographic workflow with a thorough understanding of color management all the way from capture to print.
For more details on the courses check out the workshops page.
To book either course send an email to chris@travel67.com
Super Typhoon Guchol
Super Typhoon Guchol will be passing near Okinawa (or even hitting us directly) from mid Monday to early Tuesday.
This has the potential to be dangerous so if you’re new to Okinawa here are a few things that you need to do (and probably should have done already).
Tidy up the outside of your house or garden. If it can be picked up and carried by 150 mph winds, you don’t want it outside. A patio chair flying through the air is not a good idea.
Buy supplies. Charge batteries and buy new ones. Typhoons have the potential to take out the power supply for hours or days. Not too bad during the day, but a real pain if you’ve not got working flashlights at night. Buy food and bottled water for a few days.
Rent some DVDs but also have some books ready if the power goes out.
Fill the bath or containers with water. Water supply can go out. A bath full of water, will allow you to flush and refill the toilet.
Have towels ready for when the water manages to find it’s way around door and window seals. In a typhoon rain is often traveling horizontally and at high speed.
Once the typhoon hits be very careful about going outside. Sudden gusts can slam doors on feet or fingers. Pieces of debris fly through the air. Usually it’s leaves and twigs, but it could be a sheet of corrugated steel. Best not to drive a car, and definitely not a vehicle that is taller than it is wide (e.g. Mitsubishi Pajero Mini, Suzuki Every)
Going outside to take photographs or view the crashing waves along the coast is risky. Misjudge the situation or the waves and you’re in serious trouble.
Stay safe.
Any other good ideas? Please add them in the comments.
Nudibranch – Fryeria picta
Nudibranchs are commonly known as sea slugs, and scientifically fit in the order of soft-bodied marine gastropod mollusks. There are several great things about nudibranchs. The first is that many are highly photogenic, the second is that they have interesting features such as feathery rhinophores, and the third is that they don’t move very quickly so you can document the first two attributes.
Nudibranch – Chromodoris coi
It’s a huge help having friends who have been photographing and identifying nudibranchs for years. They can spot them far more easily while diving, then after we’ve surfaced let you know what you’ve seen. Who knew slugs soft-bodied marine gastropod mollusks could be so much fun.
Nudibranch – Chromodoris kuniei
I’ve been getting a few emails asking questions about the karate masters portrait project. So I thought I’d answer them here.
Do you have a specific list of karate masters you are going to photograph?
The goal is to photograph all the high ranking karate masters, of all styles, on Okinawa. If and when this happens will depend on the availability and willingness of the karate masters. Fortunately since the project has got underway, word of mouth within the Okinawan karate community has been very positive and we are finding masters happy to give up a little of their time to be photographed.
Will you photograph karate masters in other countries?
Sounds like a great idea, but first we’re concentrating on those masters based in Okinawa.
Can I submit some photographs of my sensei?
I decided at the start of the project that I wanted all the portraits to be shot in the exact same style. By not varying the type of camera, the lighting equipment, or the photographer, I can give the series of images a cohesive look.
What gear do you use?
The series is shot with a Pentax 645D 40 MP medium format digital camera with a 150mm lens. For lighting I use a single powerful Profoto strobe head in a beauty dish, powered by a Profoto 7a 1200w generator. The camera triggers the flash via PocketWizards. I also use a large black velvet background by Lastolite.
Are you going to produce a book of the photographs?
I’d love to do this, but it will be at least a couple of years away, when we have photographed many more of the karate masters.
Are you going to have an exhibition of the photographs?
Again, this would be fantastic, but realistically it is at least a couple of years away.
Karate Masters Portrait Project – Dojo prints now available.
Can I buy prints of a particular karate master for my dojo?
Fine art prints of the karate masters are available in two sizes.
11×16″ (A3) US$125
16X22″ (A2) US$175
Prints are created using the same archival materials I have selected for my limited edition prints (Hahnemühle cotton rag photo paper and pigment inks). Prints are made by myself to ensure the highest standards of quality, materials and longevity. It is possible to make prints cheaper using generic papers and dye inks that quickly fade, but I only want to produce the best possible product, and have neither the time nor inclination to create a range of inferior prints. This may seem obsessive, but striving to achieve perfection is not just my goal, but is perhaps at the heart of every stance or kata.
Prints are shipped flat rather than rolled, and are mailed using insured and traceable international express airmail shipping. Images are dispatched within one week of ordering and delivery usually takes around 4 to 7 days. Shipping is US$25 dollars per box. Prints may also be collected from The DOJO Bar in Naha, Okinawa. Please email chris@travel67.com to discuss which prints you would like to purchase.
Once you have selected an image, please send me a link to the image on the Facebook page so I know which print(s) you’d like. I will then send a Paypal request to you for payment.
Purchasing a print not only helps fund the Karate Masters Portriat Project, but a portion of the print fee will be given to the karate master in the purchased image to help maintain their dojo. Each of the karate masters photographed has also been given two of the prints for display in their own dojo.
Doggles
Doggles, they’re goggles for your dog. Unfortunately Bear is not a fan, she believes if Dog wanted her to wear googles she would have been born with them.
Doggles
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 