Last month I did a shoot with Diana, a lovely lady who runs some of the outdoor recreation facilities on Okinawa. For her birthday she wanted a photo session that would show both sides of her personality. After taking a few classic beauty portraits, she slipped into something less comfortable and we took things up another gear. A big thank you to Diana for hiring me to shoot such a fun concept and to Summer Johnson for makeup.
Bonus points to the first person to name the movie this particular spirit is from.
Hidemi Tamayose 9th Dan Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan, the latest subject in the Karate Masters Portrait Project. A lovely man, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional Okinawan weaponry. In the photograph above he is holding a horse bridle nunchaku.
The Tokyo salaryman has to put up with long commutes, long hours, paid vacation that you never take, and a hierarchical structure based on age and connections rather than ability. It’s not surprising that many young Japanese are looking for other options.
French designer Philippe Starck, the vision behind creations including the Tokyo Asahi Beer building and its golden radish poo flame. He has also designed some iconic household objects including his modern take on the lemon squeezer and the corkscrew. Designers will look at these objects and note “an interesting interplay of form and function”. Photographers will look at the images and think, “I bet all those polished surfaces were a nightmare to shoot”. Both groups would be dead on.
Kitty-chan aka Hello Kitty is still as popular as ever in Japan. While in Tokyo I wandered past a shop filled entirely with Kitty-chan products. Not my cup of tea, but I think the shop was aiming for a slightly different clientele. Something a little more like…
A few weeks ago Elsie Jaime of EMJ Fashion Styling told me she was doing a glamour giveaway and asked if I could take a couple of “After” photos. She’d snap a quick pic at the start of the day, and then after the team has done their magic, they’d stop by my studio for a portrait. Linda Portillo underwent the transformation, and was more than pleased with the results 🙂 And here’s the team: Stylist: Elsie Jaime (EMJ Fashion Styling) Hair: A. LaQuin MUA: Summer Johnson Dress and accessories: Chandelier Boutique Photographer: Chris Willson
Ginza 4-chome, the crossroads at the heart of Tokyo’s notoriously expensive shopping and entertainment district. I took a photograph here several years ago when I was shooting with the Pentax 67II and Vodafone was still in Japan. I returned on my latest trip to Tokyo, and met up with model Marino to create some visions of nightlife in Ginza.
Darryl helps people work through their anger issues. He lets them get all of their aggression out by punching him, and then when they’re exhausted he hits them back… Colonel Hannibal Smith attributes everything he knows about makeup, disguises, and even smoking cigars to Summer Johnson
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 