Back from the Beach
Took Bear for a wander along the beach and over the coral as the tide was low. For those who live near the ocean this tide forecast website is really useful.
All posts filed under: Japan
Meibu-kan Goju-ryu Karate Dojo, Okinawa
Extreme Close-Up
Met up with Pete Leong and Michael Anthony yesterday at the beach. I was really interested in the setup Michael used to get extreme close-up shots of flowers. The images Michael was creating were fantastic. I’m going to follow some of his advice and ideas and try shooting some flower close-ups in the next few weeks.
Donations to Japanese Red Cross
Some readers have been asking where they can make donations. Information on making donations can be found at the website for the JAPANESE RED CROSS SOCIETY . Those in America will probably find it easier to make donations through the AMERICAN RED CROSS . Not sure about the situation with regards to donations of clothes and blankets. For those in Okinawa I believe that they are making collections at some of the bases. I’ve decided that during March and April I shall be giving 20% of the sale price from my prints of Japan to the Japanese Red Cross Society. This applies to any of my photographs sold through my website or through the Kadena Gift Corner on base. As mentioned in previous posts, if you have relatives in Okinawa they are fine and well out of harms way. Thoughts should go out to those around Sendai. Radiation concerns seem to be getting all the attention in the news, but there are still thousands of people without homes or enough food and water.
Operation Tomodachi
Operation Tomodachi is the relief effort of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. Over the last couple of days planes and helicopters have been leaving bases in Okinawa and heading north. Some will be flying to Naval Base Atsugi, near Tokyo while others will probably head to Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture . (Tomodachi is the Japanese word for friend) I will continue to post updates on my blog and the Chris Willson Photography Facebook page, but if you have family members in the US armed forces you can also get the latest information about the Marines in Japan at the III Marine Expeditionary Force Facebook page. Some have asked if I intend to head up to the disaster area to photograph the events taking place. Logistically it would be almost impossible to get there from Okinawa by myself. It would be different if I could be embedded with part of the military or civilian humanitarian effort, but these are contacts that are difficult to make if you’re a lone photographer unaffiliated to a major news …
The Day After
It’s been an strange day. Spent a lot of time switching between BBC World and CNN on the TV and various news sites on the web. I saw the images coming in from photographers and journalist friends based in Tokyo, many of whom are now heading north to Sendai. I wish all the best to those who are going out to cover the disaster. Stay safe. The above photograph by my friend Damon Coulter shows a scene from Tokyo just after the quake. It is not an image of chaos or carnage, but a man putting his training into action. Japan is well aware it lies in an earthquake zone, and the precautions taken with regards to building design, planning and training mean things are much better than they could have been. I put up yesterday’s post with images of the tsunami’s effect on Okinawa hoping that it would be of interest to a few of my blog readers. The tsunami clearly didn’t have a large impact on Okinawa. The ocean appeared to go from …
Shuri Castle at Night
Shuri Castle in Naha is still undergoing renovation. It looks like they are in the second of three stages, concentrating on the roof line and the golden dragons that sit at either end of the apex. You can just spot the scaffolding in the above photo. Here’s a crop from the image at 100%. It’s nice to see they paint the scaffolding red, quite thoughtful really as the castle still gets many visitors while the reconstruction is going on.
Inked
The Canon ipf5100 printer I use for creating my limited edition prints is fantastic. It uses the highest quality archival pigment inks, it takes rolls of paper rather than sheets allowing me to use the thick cotton photo rag I love, and it produces images with great detail and wonderful color. It is, however, the size of a small piano and costs around 2000 dollars. As anyone with a exotic sports car will tell you, the high initial cost is not the only concern, the running costs are just as significant an issue. The ipf series printers have two print heads and 12 ink cartridges. Print heads cost around 400 dollars each, and probably will last you several years. Ink cartridges are around 70 dollars each and their longevity will depend on a combination of how often you print and how often the printer needs to run the cleaning mode. If you are an occasional printer, this is going to make running the machine very expensive. Every time you turn on the printer it will …
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Bear seems to have two personalities. One is happy and inquisitive, the other is mad and mildly psychotic. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, or in this case Teddy Bear and Grizzly Bear.
Amerikamura Portraits
Amerikamura or American Village is a small area of Osaka that is home to various funky clothes stores. (There’s also a big shiny Apple store). I decided that before I headed to Kansai Airport I’d see if I could get some shots of Osaka’s young and trendy.
