Genki Art Media - Tokyo, Japan

Perhaps that young one will remember COVID-19 fondly.

Even during tough times we can all retain different images.

Photographers social distancing with long lenses.

At the start of a photographer’s journey many think a long lens (telephoto lens) is for capturing features far away and a wide angle lens is for expanding the frame or getting more features into the image, well that’s true, but only the start. Play around with the lenses and you will see they treat the world differently.  I find the long lenses give options for depth of field control that is markedly different from let’s say the standard 50mm, and wide angle lenses tend to stretch the images in such a way that they draw your eye to middle and or the focal point. Take you camera with you on your supermarket excursions and test it for yourself.

Big tree small photographer.

Artist grinding the design into a crystal vase

Satsuma Kiriko Crystal Factory in Kagoshima. I love doing people at work themed photography.

Time to Reflect

Soki no Taki park. Natural spring water lake with attractive brick bridge in Kagoshima. The space under the bridge is also a time and space portal, but don’t tell anyone.

Black & white Osaka food montage in the lobby of the Noku Osaka Hotel.

Osaka is truly a foodie town filled with local specialties. 

View of Mt. Fuji and Lake Motosu. This is the same view as shown on the 1,000 yen bill.

Early Cherry Tree Viewing

In the town of Kawazu on the Izu peninsula on 2/24/19 to check out their variety of very early blooming pink cherry trees

Me and a tree doing a partial eclipse of the sun.

Light, layers and food.

A little street photography in Akasakusa

Japanese sweets in Osaka.

While doing a shoot for the Noku Osaka hotel last week I had the opportunity to photograph and EAT some Manjū (饅頭) the hotel staff picked out at the local market. 

Noah in a blue and grey sweater Max in a brownish fur coat.

Pets with their owners, can’t go wrong with that theme.

Congratulations Dr. Tadataka (Tachi) Yamada on being awarded the Order of the Raising Sun by the Government of Japan.

“On November 3, 2018, the Government of Japan announced that Dr. Tadataka Yamada, former President of the Global Health Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has been awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, in recognition of his contributions in strengthening Japan’s leadership and public-private partnerships in the field of global health.” Ref: https://www.seattle.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/00_000521.html

One of the great rewards of being an event photographer is going to great events and meeting amazing people. Yamada Sensei is an amazing person, google him and find out why. These pics were taken at a private reception honoring Dr. Yamada on November 6, 2018.

Summer Treat : Field of sunflowers in Yamanashi prefecture Japan. 

50mm lens and neutral density filter

Having a good time recording and rendering light. Hope you are too.

Spent May 15 doing photography for the Wall Street Journal’s prestigious CEO Council at Tokyo’s Palace Hotel. Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank on one of several high level headliners. Great event! (Pic as featured on WSJ webpage)

No matter what camera you use be deliberate.

I teach photography privately and aside from teaching technical things like the photographic exposure equation, techniques, best practices, etc., I find helping clients to be more deliberate makes the greatest change. Meaning, helping them become more aware of their own unique creative vision and to elicit their active role as an image maker rather than a passive scene taker. When a subject or scene captures our eye, we should consciously ask ourselves, (1) why is this subject or scene interesting to me and (2) how can I visually deliver that experience to others using my photography know-how and tools. In this scene, for example, I saw the following interest points, the beautiful canopy of the cherry blossoms, the contrast between the limbs and the blossoms, the perspective of the path, the reoccurring pattern of the fence and the contrast between the asphalt and the fallen pedals. To enhance perspective and put the path and railing into play I decided to shoot from a worms eye view (low to the ground). With the lighting flat (meaning flexible in this case) and understanding I only had my phone I determined my best option for enhancing the visual points of interest would be best achieved by using the HDR function. I focused on the rail ¼ the way in and by moving the light slider up I matched the exposure in my mind’s eye, which was lighter than the actual scene at that time of the day. It is more important to be faithful to the image in your head than the scene as it is. You are the artist and not simply an observer. My point here is ––if I just thought “oh pretty” and snapped, my chances of getting an image I liked would have been slim. Be deliberate and get more images that you like. Interested in lessons? Contact me.

Behind the scenes at a recent bio photo shoot.

Photography with inexpensive LED panels.

Last week I mentioned I was going to experiment with relatively inexpensive LED panels to see if they could be used for portraits. (See last post to see the lights.) I’m happy to report they can. This photo was taken on-location in a small dark room against a more or less white wall. I noticed the LED panels I have do not throw the light very far and the light is not particularly diffused, which means you need to pay particular attention to how the light falls and work with the lights until you get ample fill. In other words they are convenient (especially good in tight spaces), can give you good maybe great results, but they are not particularly forgiving. If you want to be creative, your subjects will need to be patient.

Can multiple small and realitively inexpensive LED panels add flexibility and value to your portrait lighting?

I’ll let you know when my study is done, at this moment they look promising.

Digitally oriented teen with analog camera with plum blossom backdrop.

A glimpse of the Blood Moon Eclipse from an overcast Tokyo sky.

I went out side a couple times to see it, and was able to get a couple shots during openings in the overcast sky. 400mm lens hand held, cropped and arranged in edit.

Nature in The City

Last bit of Fall folliage at Tokyo Midtown this year.

Is technology freeing more serious photographers from the mundane? Are the shackles to documentation being removed?

The lower-end of perfunctory documenting of happenings can now largely be done by anyone with a phone leaving more serious photographers room to move from simply “taking” photos to “making” making images, giving amateurs and professionals alike the opportunity to enhance experiences and create additional value. I’m not talking about photo manipulation in the edit, but rather increased freedom in our selection of content, equipment, techniques and output throughout the entire process. What do you think?

Keeping it cool and quiet in Aomori, Japan.

Artisan preparing a casting mold at Iwachu Casting Works in Morioka, Iwate. 

Kimono clad lady playing the tsuzumi (a Japanese hand drum) at a festival in Kagurazaka Tokyo.

“Walk in the park” Captured at Shinjuku Gyoen (Garden).

View from today’s photo-walk at Shinjuku Gyoen (Garden), Tokyo.

Leaves are starting to change in the neighborhood. Looking forward to outdoor photography over the next couple of weeks.

A power spot if I ever did see one. A small shrine off the road leading to the tip of Manazuru peninsula

A picj from last week’s assignment at the SingularityU Japan Summit. See and read more at http://japan-forward.com/singularity-university-silicon-valley-think-tank-arrives-in-japan/

Singularity University Japan Summit pre-event interview with Shin Yamagami of Tokyo Gas. One great thing about being a photographer is the exposure you get to industry leaders who have interesting things to say. Read interview.

Enjoying doing the photography for the interviews with Singularity University’s Japan Summit partners. NTT Data above. Also see Deloitte and Otsuka Holdings .

Genki Art Media’s Shibuya scramble crossing image now featued as HealthyTokyo.com’s banner on their refreshed website. HealthyTokyo is a great English centric service for those in Japan and interested in a healthy lifestyle.

Sometimes mishaps are also fun. The polarising filter I had on the lens created the funky coloring. At one of the enterence gates “Tori” of the Media Jungu Shrine.

On a Yakatabune (Japanese party boat) in Tokyo Bay with a great view of the Rainbow Bridge. This is the sort of view we will see a lot of at the 2020 Olympics. Odaiba is directly behind.

Lake Motsuko Campground with Mt. Fuji backdrop.

A section of Shiraito Falls, in Shizuoka. Taken at a show shutter speed and hand held. 

White Balance Can Make A Difference

My intro to photography was pre-digital and while color firm was everywhere most intructory photography classes featured black and white film and included some Darkroom time. White balance simply wasn’t a thing.  Now it’s key for some types of photography. While I often use Auto White Balance (AWB) for many things, photographing people on stage or in commerial venues often works better if you pay attention to white balence, try the presets or dialing in your own preference. Today’s lights can be tricky, be sure to experiment.
(Photo taken for the WSJ CEO FORUM in Tokyo)

Kimono clad Swedish Princess lost in a bamboo forest.

Fishing on a spring day.

Lake Shinsei in Kanagawa was formed by the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1923. Enjoying Golden Week.

Photo-tours & workshops

One of the more interesting cherry blossom pics I’ve taken this year despite being captured with my phone using a touch of HDR.

Shinjuku Gyoen with cherry trees blooming and reflections.

Sakura at 50% at Sengawa, next to Toho Studios, Seijo, Statgaya, Tokyo.

Took my first Sakura photos of 2017 today. As with every year the challenge is to make the photos unique to the millions others and even from my own from previous years, even if the difference is subtle.
#PhotoTourTokyo #GenkiArtMedia #CherryBlossomsJapan #JapanPhotography

Craftsman sharpening an old style Japanese board ripping saw, popular in the Edo period, at Jidayubori Minkaen in Setagaya, Japan.

PhotoTour.Tokyo in Yokosuka, Kanagawa. Smiling shopkeeper at the Japanese traditional sweets shop. In the photo you can see Ichigo Daifuku, Ohagi and Dango Yaki.