A audio and video podcast blog about finding our own Japan during our 20s, 30s, and now 40s.
Musings on photography, taking pictures, and admiring good photography.
Hello, Finding Japan listeners! The show will go on. Host emeritus Christopher has passed the show on to Terrance and everyone’s favorite bovine personality T-Bone Taro from the former Kobe Beef Show (if you have no idea who T-Bone is just nod for now).
In this episode I introduce myself a little, talk about future plans for the show, and Christopher and I do some catching up and chit chat about things in general, Japan, and FJ. Enjoy!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Probably the fast episode I have ever put together, but a good one at that. I’ve got two main chunks of goodness in this episode. First, I talk a little about the CEO at my company and how I see Japanese companies changing. Second, we go on a sound tour of arcades in Ikebukuro looking for Guitar Hero. Will we find it? Listen in.
Show Notes:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Its been a while since I posted just some pictures. These are just a few samples of some more pictures that you can check out from my set called August 2007 – Miyajima over on Flickr. There are many more from other areas we went to during this summer’s touring of Japan, including Hiroshima, Nikko, various places around Tokyo, Mount Fuji, and more. Its been taking me forever in order to get everything posted, but I’m working away at it slowly but steadily.
New podcast this weekend? I sure hope so!
This picture was taken during the matsuri Alex and I participated in earlier this year. Much like how this little one feels, that’s how I feel today. The weather is finally starting to cool down and although the work is picking up, the spirits are not getting down.
I went up to Asakusa today to head on over to Starbucks for some studying, had an excellent conversation with the folks who try to get money out of tourists for donating to earthquake victims, and am now enjoying getting my life a little organized here at home. The windows are open and there is a nice cool breeze. Do I need any other reason to post to the blog.
Apparently not. Enjoy the pic!
This is a short slideshow of some sights and sounds captured in Asakusa during the Tanabata festival. The history and meaning behind the Tanabata festival is quite romantic and really quite interesting. Check out some more info here on Wikipedia.
Enjoy the mellow music and shades of blue as I walk you through Asakusa to Ueno taking in the sights and sounds of the festival. This is a larger frame size file but the download should be very short, only about 4MB or so. Make sure you download and view it. Viewing it here on the website will not let it display in its full size.
If you like this format, please let me know. I would love to get some feedback on it. This type of video podcast is very fun to put together and doesn’t take much time. I’m using what I’ve learned from Stuart Isset’s piece I featured back in April.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
I have my iTunes pointed at del.icio.us for crawling of videos with Japan related content. Today something amazingly touching and very creative showed up in my iTunes. Below is a link to a movie of photographs by Stuart Isset.
©2007 Stuart Isett/www.isett.com (used with permission)
This piece is truly moving, giving a great sense of the intimacy of Japanese life, the highs and the lows, and things one doesn’t see when they take the tourist route.
If you are at least interested in Japan or at the very least, love great photography, please download this and watch it. Also, check out Stuart’s site or his Flickr photos. Over here, I’m learning that finding Japan is also about finding other people’s impressions of Japan. This truly is an inspiration, perhaps for future episodes. Thanks Stuart!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Canon EOS 20d 1/60 f6.0 3200ISO ??mm Photoshop
I did an experiment yesterday. The goal: completely sequester all distractions and see how much I could get done in 5 hours. I managed to surprise myself as to how much I could accomplish. From 4pm to 9pm I worked like a busy little bee and the only thing a bit dissatisfying was how much work there was left to do, but it got me thinking. A little focus in all aspects of my life could certainly help.
I think that I will work with two central themes this year, capturing a story and capturing motion. I will not focus so much on the media this happens in or even the discipline in which it occurs. I’m curious to see how much I can reduce the things I shouldn’t be doing and add value to the things I am doing by applying a simple concept to things across the board.
For example, in my professional work I could certain benefit from this. Capturing the story of how businesses transform in a simple way for presentations could certainly help. Being able to accurately capture and harness business change (“motion”) provides a focus for my business architecture research.
Even in my amateur photography work, these are two great themes to be able to work with. I hope it also reduces the temptation to take cliche photos of buildings, sunsets, flowers, and pets.
What is the central theme to your work, professional or otherwise this year? Should we even be using this approach. I’m wondering what other people use to guide their work.
Or perhaps, maybe I have just had too much coffee today.
Hey everyone, just a quick hello from Columbia. This picture was from a few weeks ago – a party at Sarah’s house to celebrate the fact that we miss our peers so much (in a a good way of course). I’m still completely jealous that everyone is having amazing experiences overseas. I will certain be posting many videos and pictures come March when I arrive in Tokyo to enact my sweet revenge. Muhahahah!
We miss you guys, come back soon!
Canon EOS 20d 1/60 f11.0 200ISO 43mm Photoshop
I spent the better part of today reading economics in the park and actually took out the 20D and started shooting with it again. It was such a beautiful day I couldn’t resist. I had my face towards the ground with my butt up in the air when I took this photo. Kids were laughing, but I didn’t mind since I think the photo came out great.
This shot is from a park is called Finlay park near downtown Columbia. It reminds me much of Yoyogi park south of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Very quite, very serene, and plenty of water and trees.
Canon EOS 20d 1/20 f1.8 800ISO 20mm