All posts tagged: Karate

Pentax 645Z in Action – Karate Masters Portrait Project

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A quick update on how I shoot the Karate Masters Portrait Project. Back in March 2012 we used the following gear: Pentax 645D with 105mm or 150mm lens Tripod Profoto 7a generator with a ProHead Generic silver beauty dish PocketWizard Plus II radio transmitters Light stand 3.6′ x 6.6′ Lastolite Black Velvet backdrop And the new 2014 setup. Pentax 645Z with 90mm macro lens Profoto 7a generator with Prohead Profoto Softlight Reflector White PocketWizard Plus II radio transmitters 6.6′ x 6.6′ Lastolite Black Velvet backdrop Why the changes? 645D to 645Z – More megapixels and greater dynamic range. (However 566 not 712 images on a 64GB card, and my computer runs like molasses.) Tripod to No Tripod – Faster, more flexible. Ambient light is low so it has little effect on image quality. Action stopped by flash not shutter. Generic silver beauty dish to Profoto Spoftlight Reflector in white – Larger light source, white interior means better control of specular highlights, image quality. Light stand to voice activated light stand (James) – Faster, more flexible. Medium to Large …

Tetsunosuke Yasuda, 10th Dan, Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate – Jundokan.

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Although 88 years old, Tetsunosuke Yasuda is still training in karate. Before the portrait session, he held a 10 kilo barbell plate behind his head then started doing sit-ups. Yasuda sensei is one of the few 10th dan masters of karate. It was great to meet him, and an honor to take his photograph. He was smiling almost the entire session. A real gentleman.  

Tetsu Gima, Hanshi 9th Dan, Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate – Jundokan

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The second sensei in the recent trifecta of Jundokan karate masters. Tetsu Gima, Hanshi 9th Dan, Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate – Jundokan. On a technical note, I now use a 20.5″ Profoto White Softlight Reflector rather than a generic 16″ silver beauty dish. This doesn’t change the look of the images, but gives better control over specular highlights and a wider spread of light.

Seiyu Nakamura – 10th Dan Okinawa Dentou Shidokan Karate and Kobujutsu

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Seiyu Nakamura is a master of traditional shidokan karate and kobudo. More than a decade ago, Nakamura-sensei was my briefly my karate instructor. It was great to meet each other again, although he did note that we’d both got a little grayer over the years. Once again after shooting the black background portraits indoors, I switched the plug-in 7a generator for the battery powered B1, and we went outside. A huge storm was quickly approaching, but we managed to get a few shots in the sugar cane fields before the heavens opened.