All posts filed under: Photography

Studio Workshop / Profoto D2

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Yesterday I had a 1 on 1 workshop with Mina who wanted to learn some more studio photography techniques before she leaves Okinawa next month. After the dark and smokey Star Trek shots in September we decided to go clean and bright. This was a three-light setup. Two strobes were pointed at a white background, and the keylight was a  Profoto D2 with a 3×4′ softbox.  Large flags stopped any spill from the background lights hitting the subject. Our model was Kelley, and makeup and hair was done by Audra Presika. We first went will a beauty look that was reminiscent of Daryl Hannah in Splash.  We then switched to an 80’s glamour look, that with the addition of a prop gives us some (somewhat tardy) commercial images for the  Motorola Dynatac. A more up to date bit of kit was the new Profoto D2 1000W light. Unlike my Profoto B1 this is a mains powered light, so is designed for studio rather than location use. It has fast recycle times, fast flash durations, and …

Holiday Bazaar Print Sale

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This year I’ll be selling my fine art prints of Okinawa and Japan at two events in November. Each print is made with 100% cotton Hahnemühle fine art paper, and archival pigment inks, to produce a lifetime of viewing pleasure. November 4th to 6th I’ll be at the  AAFES Holiday Bazaar on Camp Foster. With so many vendors it’s a great event to visit. There are usually specials games and prizes on offer to keep things exciting over the three days. On Saturday 19th November 9AM to 5pm  I’ll have a print sale at my home in Motobu. This is perfect for people who don’t have base access, and for those who want to come and eat Yuki’s banana bread. Chris Willson Photography in Motobu on GOOGLE MAPS If you’d like to learn more about the prints click on the Prints tab.

Naked in the Rain

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Ohara Hadaka Matsuri a.k.a. the Ohara Naked Festival took place in heavy rain on the 23rd of September. To clarify “naked” is clearly not an accurate description with the participants wearing far more than the fundoshi loincloths seen at the Okayama Hadaka Matsuri. As this is a traditional Shinto festival a priest gave blessings, and somewhat unusually two arrows were launched into the ocean. Teams carried mikoshi (portable shrines) down to the ocean. It was clear that the mikoshi were heavy and the teams looked exhausted as they shouldered the wooden beams. After dunking themselves and the shrine in the ocean waves they returned to the beach, and managed to raise it above their heads. All images shot with the Pentax 645Z and the 25mm lens. Glad both the camera and lens are weather sealed because they were subjected to rain for half an hour.

London

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“Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” — Samuel Johnson Following in the paw prints of a notable Peruvian, we arrived in London at Paddington Station. We took the subway  metro  underground across the city to Trafalgar Square. At the top of his column, Horatio Nelson looks out over the city he saved from the Franco-Spanish fleet. On the banks of the Thames is the memorial to the Battle of Britain with the words of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” There’s a fascinating blend of old and new. The Morgan Motor Company still embraces traditional styling. But London’s double decker buses have evolved with time. The city’s skyline has transformed with the arrival of the Shard,  the “Walkie Talkie,” the “Gherkin,” and the London Eye. The money …

Isao Yagi 9th dan Motobu-ryu Ryukyu Bujutsu Moudi

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Motobu udundi is the ancient martial art of the Ryukyu palace guards. Its techniques were kept secret, and reserved for those who would risk their lives for the royal family. On September 15th 2016 we visited the beautiful dojo of Seihan Shiroma  in Sashiki Town.  Sadly, Shiroma-sensei passed away in 2012 at the age of  71. We were never able to photograph Seihan Shiroma, so it was touching to meet his widow and be introduced to his top student Isao Yagi. Yagi-sensei now imparts the knowledge taught to him by his master to students at the Shiroma dojo. It was an honor to be able to photograph him as part of the Karate Masters Portrait Project. Motobu udundi blends te (the precursor of karate) kobudo (weapons) and Ryukyu dance.  In other dojos I had seen nunchaku, bo, sai and other weapons, but this was the first time to see a master demonstrating the use of various swords. I’d read that the movements in Okinawan dance could be used to hide fighting techniques, and Yagi-sensei deftly demonstrated. He …

Pentax K-1 Exhibition, Tokyo

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Today, September 14th, the Pentax K-1 photo exhibition begins at the Ricoh Imaging Square in Shinjuku Tokyo.  The staff at the gallery just sent me some pics of the images on the wall including my photograph of Sam wearing a suit and tie. The exhibition runs until September 26th so if you’re in Tokyo please stop by and check it out. The Ricoh Imaging Square is in the Shinjuku Center Building just west of the (world’s busiest) train station. Shinjuku Center Building is a pretty generic skyscraper but it’s right next to the far more recognizable Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower モード学園コクーンタワー. A huge thanks to the people at Pentax and Ricoh Imaging for selecting me to produce work for their exhibition. Thanks also to the model Samantha Armistead and makeup by Audra Pesicka. For those interested here’s the technical details: Pentax K-1 with at 28-105 lens at 105mm ISO100 f8.0 1/200 sec Main light Profoto softlight reflector white powered by Profoto 7a 1200w generator. Fill light Profoto medium softbox 2 rim lights – 30x120cm strip boxes …

Blue skies in Paris

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The opening image should really be of a blue Parisian sky, but I couldn’t resist showing the Mona Lisa selfie shot first.  The lady has a less than serene grin but a spot on  “Mona” hairstyle. Awesome. A heatwave had settled on Paris as we arrived. Clear blue skies and temperatures in the mid-thirties. Flashing billboards in French reminded people to drink water. Yuki and I  happily walked around all day. Unlike Okinawa, there was low humidity, so sweating cooled rather than drenched you. I was surprised to find that you could take photos in many of the cities museums. Crowds in the Musée d’Orsay and at the Louvre were busy snapping away with phones, video cameras and DSLRs. Turns out the ability to shoot at ISO6400 is useful when you want to get a pic of decapitation on the side of a sarcophagus. At Versailles we got to see how the rich lived before they too were decapitated. It was such a pleasure to see beautiful architecture, sculptures, and paintings. Along with differences in …

The Lake District

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As a child, I spent many weeks in the Lake District on family trips or school camps. As a teenager, I returned with my friends to hike or rock climb risking life and limb on Borrowdale’s Brown Slabs or Troutdale Pinnacle. I return for a couple of days to merely wander and take a few pics for travel articles. The home of Beatrix Potter, Wordsworth’s Grave, a leisurely boat ride, followed by an amble. The sight of climbers out on the crags brought back a flood of memories. But we had more important things to do. Tea and cake.

London Calling

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Back in Okinawa, after a 3-week trip to the UK. Uploading images from SD cards to the computer while unpacking. Revisited the Lake District, London, and Paris. Shot some new images for my travel portfolio and spent time with family. I’ll put up some pics on the blog as the images get organized. The photo above is of Yuki crossing London’s Millennium Bridge in front St. Paul’s Cathedral. (Rebuilt after the attack of the Death Eaters…) Looks like the rest of 2016 is going to be busy with numerous workshops, editorial and commercial work already on the calendar. I’m also taking bookings for family sessions in Motobu between now and December.  

Pentax K-1 Exhibition, Tokyo

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If you’re in Tokyo between September 14th and 26th,  check out the Pentax K-1 exhibition at the Ricoh Imaging Square Shinjuku. There will be images by 18 photographers from across Japan. Glad to be part of the team 🙂   https://travel67.com/exhibitions/ The Ricoh Imaging  Square Shinjuku is 5 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station. It’s on the middle basement floor of the Shinjuku Center Building which is next to the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower  just west of the station.