I used the 35mm wide angle for images 3 and 4. It allowed me to be right in amongst the action and have a good depth of field even at a large aperture. This was another instance that I would have struggled to shoot wih film. I had to use ISO 1000 and shoot quite a number of frames to get the images.
Last year I watched the Hanks / Spielberg mini-series “The Pacific” that was based on the experiences of American Marines in the Pacific Theater. The series focused on three men, one of which was Eugene B. Sledge, a young Marine who witnessed the horrors of Peleliu and Okinawa. These secret notes Sledge made during combat would later become the book “With the Old Breed” which was then adapted to become the mini-series “The Pacific.” I just started Sledge’s book. I’m not sure it’s going to be one I enjoy, and I should probably avoid reading it before going to bed. It is however an important account of war, particularly for those who have connections with Okinawa. Glancing through the pages I see maps with names I recognize. The Ishikawa Isthmus is where I live, Sugar Loaf Hill is beside Main Place shopping center and the landing beaches are where I dive. The elderly residents of this island lived through the Battle of Okinawa, for the rest of us its important to be aware of what …
Starting this month I shall be holding some weekend photography workshops on Okinawa. I’ll be starting off with “Photography 101” courses for beginners, and then later will be offering more advanced classes including studio work and night photography. I’ll be teaching most of the courses, but I also intend to bring in specialists in their particular field from mainland Japan. (Light Painter Trevor Williams is already on board as one of the visiting instructors, see his work in action on Japanese News!) So here’s the info on the first class PHOTOGRAPHY 101 Weekend Workshop April 23 & 24 2011 Who is the course for? The beginner or novice photographer who has a digital SLR and wishes to progress beyond the green fully auto mode. People who want to take better photographs of their friends and family rather than point, shoot and hope for the best. What do I need to bring? Your digital SLR camera, lens, your camera manual, memory card, battery and charger. If you have a digital compact rather than a …
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.
I visited OKITEN last weekend to check out the latest work from a wide range of artists on Okinawa. Areas included paintings, mixed media, sculpture, calligraphy, laquerware, pottery, glassware, woodwork, photography and graphic design. Nearly all the artists were Okinawan, but there were exhibits by few foreign nationals including a mixed media piece “Where the Earth Meets the Sea” by Chrisse Harwanko and two ceramic sculptures by Nick Centala. The photography section was a little underwhelming. My main gripe was that virtually all the prints were made with glossy photographic paper. You were getting glare from the lights, and even problems with rippling on the thin paper. Some photographs had been framed used perspex or standard (reflective) glass which again leads to glare and reflections. The quality of the actual photographs varied, but few really stood out. I was impressed by a series of images of the Yanbaru Kuina, which I believe won a prize, but otherwise the photographs were a bit of a disappointment. Overall, however, the exhibition was well worth checking out. It’s running …
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.
Habu ( Trimeresurus flavoviridis ) are poisonous pit vipers found on Okinawa. As with most snakes they keep to themselves so you’re very unlikely to see a habu in the wild while on Okinawa. Unfortunately you are likely to see one sitting at the bottom of a bottle of Awamori (Okinawan Sake). Similar to the worm in a bottle of tequila the snake is thought to give the alcohol an extra kick. Another interesting fact about the habu is that in 1910 someone made the decision to import Indian Mongooses into Okianawa to control the habu population. The mongoose has now become a serious pest on Okinawa, killing and eating virtually every native creature on Okinawa, except for… the habu.
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.
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 