SEEING WIDE

2018 | Maiko Ichisumi

After our visit to Fushimi Inari, we met maiko Ichisumi for an afternoon tea ceremony and traditional dance presentation. I know very little about maikos and geishas, and so I was looking forward to this experience. Maiko-san moved so gracefully, that she made tea preparation look like a dance.

At the end of the presentation, we were given a few minutes to ask maiko-san some questions. Most of the questions were about her routine and preparation (hair, make-up, kimono). We were surprised to find out that she was only 16 years old, and that it took her over a year of training before she debuted as a maiko. The last question we asked her was, “what made her decide to become a geisha?”. She said being a maiko and a geisha will allow her to experience many things that most people will never get to experience.

We’ve had a long day of sightseeing and this was our last stop before heading back to the hotel. The tea ceremony was an amazing and memorable way to end our first day in Kyoto.

All photos were taken with Leica M6 and Summicron 50/F2 on Streetcandy ATM 400

2018 | Fushimi-Inari Taisha, Kyoto

It was midday when we arrived at the parking lot near Fushimi Inari Taisha. We passed by several food stalls and souvenir shops on our way to the shrine. It was crowded and the hike took longer than we expected. We only had an hour to spare, and so we made sure to see and walk through the tunnel of torii gates before visiting some of the shrines.

Photos shot with Leica M6 and Summicron 50/F2 and Color Skopar 21/F4 on Street Candy ATM 400

20180429A-018 EDIT Mini torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha

20180429A-011 EDIT — *Torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha*

20180429A-020 EDIT — *Torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha*

20180429A-015 EDIT — *Torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha*

20180429A-016 EDIT — *Torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha*

2018 | Todaiji Temple, Nara

It was raining heavily when we left our hotel in Osaka to kick off our Japan trip. The first destination of the day was Todaiji, a Buddhist temple complex that houses the world’s largest statue of Buddha Vairocana. We arrived at the temple just after 9AM, and even with the downpour there were still hundreds of people who came to visit. I only managed to shoot a few frames, as I found it difficult to hold the umbrella while trying to focus the lens.

Photos taken with Leica M6 and Summicron 50/2 on Street Candy ATM 400

20180429A-002 EDIT — *A rainy morning in Osaka*

20180429A-030 EDIT — *Osaka hotel lobby*

A Look Back | Hualapai Ranch

These photos were shot almost seven years ago during a trip to Grand Canyon West. Our cabin was located farthest from the dining hall, so we had to take a short walk before and after meals. On the way back to the cabin, we took a longer route and wandered around the ranch.

Photos were shot with a Lomo LCA on MW Gekko.

20110528C-083 copy — *Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-002 copy — *Cairn at Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-097 copy — *Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-038 copy - Copy — *Dining Hall at Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-0111 copy — *Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-009 copy — *Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-0112 copy — *Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-073 copy — *Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-077 copy — *Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-092 copy - Copy — *Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-095 copy — *Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-098 copy — *Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

20110528C-091 copy — *Hualapai Ranch, Grand Canyon West*

A Look Back | Grand Canyon West in Color

These photos were shot almost 7 years ago during a trip to Grand Canyon West. I was planning to experience Skywalk, but I could not get over my fear of heights. It was still a great trip, I enjoyed being away from the city, and was more than happy to just walk around and take photos.

Shot with Horizon 202 on Kodak Gold 100.

20110528B-050 — *A row of cabins at Hualapai Ranch*

20110528B-054 — *A golden morning greeted us as we headed out to breakfast*

20110528B-060 copy — *Grand Canyon West*

2018 | January FP4 Party

Last December, I received two rolls of Ilford FP4+ in 120 size from my EMULSIVE Secret Santa. I prefer to shoot ISO 400 films, but this year I wanted to try out slower films, and so I put my gift to good use by participating in my first FP4Party on Twitter. Participants of the party will shoot Ilford’s FP4+ during the first week of the month, and post them on Twitter during the 3rd week of the month. The photos were taken during my Saturday morning walk. I made a quick stop on an area near my workplace and took some photos of murals before heading out to Chinatown.

All photos were taken with Fuji GS645S

Here’s a few of my favorites.

2018 | A Showcase of Floats

My first photography outing for 2018 was the Tournament of Roses’ Showcase of Floats. After work, I hurriedly went home to grab my cameras, then my nephews and I took the train to Pasadena.

The Tournament of Roses also known as the Rose Parade is held in Pasadena on New Year’s Day or January 2, (if New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday). The main stars of the parade are the elaborately designed, flower-covered floats. This year’s theme was Making A Difference. After the parade, the floats are put on display and for a fee, people can see them up close.

All photos taken with CV Bessa R4M with Color Skopar 21/F4 on Kodak Ektar 100

Here’s a few of my favorites: