Torn Shoji

What lies within?

Parfait

This picture unfortunately isn’t as sharp as it could be, I think because of the supposed auto-focus problems that seem to plague the Sigma 30mm ƒ/1.4 EX DC HSM, but I really like everything else about the photo, so it had to go up. Oh, and yes, we did eat this afterwards.

Photo-ninja

She’ll probably hate me for posting this picture, but I like it a lot. This is my good friend Mari, trying to walk silently over Chio-in’s nightingale (squeaky, anti-ninja) floors. Of course, she was protesting pretty loudly as I took these photos, so I think the guards heard her anyway.

“Come on guys!”

I’m unfortunately not as confident about this shot for some reason, probably the framing. But it feels dynamic enough to be worth posting. It’s also probably worth noting that the colors have not been adjusted in post processing. These guys were from Okayama and were really genki (err…energetic). Because I’m large and obvious, the announcer pulled me out of the crowd and made me answer some questions about them after they were done — “Is there anything like this in America?” “Uh…..no.”

Photographers of Heian

I have certain things that fascinate me, and perhaps taking pictures of other photographers is one of them. Maybe it’s a healthy respect for the relationship between photographer and subject that makes that relationship so interesting to photograph. Perhaps it isn’t as interesting for someone not interested in lugging around a camera, but I like the dynamics of this picture none the less.

Huh?

This didn’t even make sense in context, so I won’t bother to explain it. Apologies for the absence — I have photos to post again

Bottles

This isn’t even my photo. Sure, it was taken with my camera, from about a foot to my left, but I didn’t direct it, frame it, shoot it or compose it in any way shape or form. That credit goes to my girlfriend. I have, however, posted it to my blog. Because I like it so damn much.

Cool Hand

I guess it’s possible I didn’t take this picture. Sometimes, I pass my camera around, and my girlfriend or other people snap a few shots. I think this particular night (also the Yakuza fight night) was one of those where my girlfriend was shooting a lot. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the photo, and check out her blog, Kurumi Photo.

Rust

Ever since I took a summer photography class, shooting slides with my Dad’s old Olympus once a week for a month between years of middle school, I have always loved shooting textures. I still remember a photo I took from that class of a checkerboard arrangement of small baskets of raspberries and blueberries at the farmers market that crops up on Wednesdays in the south Park Blocks in downtown Portland. It is with that joy that I present this exploration of rust, something I’ve also loved for it’s rich color and random patterns. I hope you enjoy it too.

Painter

This is a painter in the botanical garden in Kyoto. When I asked if I could take his picture, he responded only with a curt nod. I especially like the quality of the bokeh behind him, though.