A Note I Found on the Ground

It's more common that I spot a coin or two on the ground but not a note like this. I guess it could be some reminder for me which will lead to bigger and better things in life?

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In my wallet this goes and the adventure continues on...

A Naked Photo Moment

This was something that I call getting lost in photography. Just coming up with a random idea and shooting it just for the sake of making something fun.

Sure, I could've used some pretty girl to take off her clothes in public but everyone in this world shoots women, and it's more or less all the same to me. Trying to get away from a whole lot of this sameness out there.

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That's Zai in this photo here. Totally a cool guy and loves skateboarding just like me. He's in the processing of putting his book together to find representation in modeling so it was cool we got to collaborate on something that works out for the both of us.

Took several frames at a small local park in Tokyo, guerrilla style. Clothes off, run and jump in front of the 6D with the 50 1.4. I was shooting somewhere around 1/400 at F4, ISO 800. Bumped up the brightness and contrast in PS. Nothing too fancy in post-processing because I'm not so much of a digital hack artist, but more of a photographer I'd say. In and out under 7 minutes due to the risk factor of attracting the outside public.

I've got LOTS more coming, I promise, but just trying to pace myself out with the posts. 

Happy Monday funday peoples.

Dirty Dining

We photographers get to experience life and keep a memory of it.  Later down the road, whether it being just a few weeks or 25 years later, we look back and open that archived folder hidden deep within our sea of hard drives to reminisce about that project you shot way back when with a friend, colleague or family member. Photography sure is a strange profession that shouts out to the masses, but only handpicks a few.

One of those life experiences was consuming dirt after I photographed what was needed to be ran in The Times. I've never eaten dirt before, so I thought it would be interesting to try since I wasn't willing to dish out over $100 USD to eat something I could just dig up myself from a neighbors garden. As with most of the editorial-related stories that I work on where there is typically no shot list provided beforehand, it's kinda up to me to pull it off creatively and bring something back that my editor can use.

Shot wide at 16mm, 1/50th at F2.8, ISO 1250.

Shot wide at 16mm, 1/50th at F2.8, ISO 1250.

So for this story I come in with my Domke F-2 packed somewhat lightly with the Mark IV, 50mm 1.4 and 16-35mm 2.8L. Shot the above of the Ne Quittez Pas owner/head chef posing next to some of his signature dishes (with dirt) in his restaurant in Tokyo. Nice guy he is and I learned during the interview that he had a long boxing career before he decided to retire and pursue his passion in the culinary world.

Shot with the 50mm at 1/40th, F2.8, ISO 1250.

Shot with the 50mm at 1/40th, F2.8, ISO 1250.

This plate is labeled as the "soil surprise" dish. I understood why as It tasted pretty gritty as you chew through this thing.

Shot with the 16-35 zoomed to 35mm at 1/15th, F2.8, ISO 1250.

Shot with the 16-35 zoomed to 35mm at 1/15th, F2.8, ISO 1250.

No dinner is complete without soil ice cream. Kinda tasted like you were eating sand but with a nice flavor to it.

And so the adventure still continues...