Took the camera with me on the dog’s walk. Nice evening light. It was dark by the time I’d managed to get Bear back on the lead. Labrador’s should be classed as marine mammals, and chocolate labs do not seem to develop obedience or common sense with age.
Six Eight of the twelve spots on the July 8 & 9 (& 10) light painting workshop are now filled. Two of the four spots on the July 2&3 Photography 101 courses are now filled. If you’d like to reserve one of the remaining places on either of the courses please get in touch.
Typhoon Songda has come and gone leaving Okinawa a little worse for wear. There was the usual cull of trees and antennas that were two weak or inflexible to survive the 100 mph plus winds. Power went off at my house from 10PM until about 4AM but luckily I have a wide range of dive torches and bicycle lights. A big tree in next door’s garden didn’t make it through the night, but thankfully it also didn’t make it across the road and onto my car. (Which reminds me, always wash your car after a typhoon to prevent the new layer of sea salt sending your vehicle to an early, and rusty, grave.)
Kluso is a singer / songwriter based in Okinawa. I’ve seen him play live several times, and it’s a pleasure to have someone with such talent and love of music living just down the road. Kluso’s style of music is best described as Americana, a blend of folk, country, blues and rock. Inluences include Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams, David Gray and even Oasis. Please check out Kluso’s music on his website, or on iTunes. His new album Determination will be available soon.
Batten down the hatches… It’s turned orange…. must be getting angry
Okinawa is in the midst of a perfect storm of bad weather. Rainy season on Okinawa usually runs from around May 10th to June 23rd, although this year it began 11 days early. Meanwhile typhoon season runs from June 1st to November 30th, but we’ve already had one mild typhoon and a bigger one is on the way. If you’re a photographer and aren’t aware of the effects of continued humidity on your gear please read this previous blog entry: Protecting-your-camera-equipment-from-mould. If you’re new to Okinawa and aren’t aware of what you need to do before a typhoon hits then here are a few pointers. Before it gets windy and rainy. Tidy up the garden / balcony. Your neighbors won’t be impressed if they find your parasol embedded in their car windscreen. Have bottled water for drinking, and fill the bath so that you have water to refill the toilet cistern. Have some food that you can eat without using electricity or gas. Have a batteries and flashlights ready before you get a power …
All good things must come to an end. I packed up the 25mm lens and sent it with Kuro-Neko (Black Cat Couriers) back to its home in Shinjuku. It’s a pity that the rainy season came early this year, as I’d hoped to have got a wider selection of images with the lens. It’s a huge piece of glass. It’s a giant in terms of size, weight and cost, but also quality. If you have the cash, and want to get as wide as possible, then this lens could be just what you’re looking for.
Light Painting and Night Photography Course July 8 & 9 (& 10) Painting the Night with guest instructor Trevor Williams $150 or ¥12,500 Come join me for two nights of fun and photography. I would like to introduce the magic of light painting and night photography. The first night we will be covering long exposure and night photography essentials. Learn how to make an image rather than take an image. Use time and light to build up your picture from a black canvas in to exactly what you envisioned. You’ll then be prepared for the second night which will focus on light painting and other creative techniques. I will reveal some of my secrets and show you step by step how to create amazing light paintings. You’ll also learn how to make custom tools and use them creatively. Light painting and night photography has a certain magic about it. When the shutter closes you will find your self running back to the camera to see what you have captured. Friends and family will be stunned by the images you’ve been able to create. After the weekend you’ll have …
Here’s a sneak peek at the location part of a shoot for jewelry designer Suzanne Somersall. http://www.kirakirajewelry.com I wanted to start with an establishing shot that focused not on the jewelry but more the lifestyle or principles behind it, these include quality, timelessness and beauty. I just needed an elegant model, a classic black dress, and a car that was the epitome of these qualities. We were lucky to get Amanda to model, Urusla Ajeroh for hair and make up, Suzanne selected the outfit, and Michio provided his E-type Jaguar. The fact that we had a few hours of reasonable weather during rainy season was a bonus. Next we move into the studio to focus on the individual pieces. Images to come soon… You can see slightly larger versions of these photographs over on Flickr, also please check out Suzanne’s website and Facebook page.
I got the opportunity to take photos of the dragon boat races today. I took along the new 25mm lens I’m trying out hoping to get some interesting shots. It quickly became clear that the weather was not going to be favorable and it went from drizzle, to light rain, to downpour over the course of an hour. Everyone was soaked, but I was still keen to get at least a few pictures of the event. I kept the camera and lens in an Ortlieb bag until the race began and then worked on the assumption that the weather sealed body and lens would stand up to a few minutes of rain. The camera and lens survived their ordeal without any problems, and I have a few photographs of life in the Okinawan rainy season.
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 