2017 | Obon Festival

A few weeks ago, the Nishihongwanji Temple had their annual Obon Festival. The farmer’s market had low-priced fresh fruits and vegetables. The food stalls offered delicious food and icy cold drinks perfect for a hot day. LA Taiko Ichiza also did an amazing performance. At the end of the day, everyone gathered at the temple’s back lot for the Bon Odori (a dance to honor one’s ancestors).

All photos taken with a Leica M6/Summicron 50/2 on Film Ferrania P30 Alpha. Film processed and scanned by The Darkroom lab. 

 

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

 

2017 | Little Tokyo 02

After months of waiting, the Ferrania P30 Alpha that I ordered finally arrived. I shot my first roll during the Obon Festival at Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. On a hot Sunday afternoon, I headed out to Little Tokyo and made it a point to park my car a few blocks away from the venue. It gave me an opportunity to do a bit of photowalk on a section of Little Tokyo I usually don't venture to.

All photos taken with a Leica M6/Summicron 50 on Ferrania P30 Alpha. Film processed and scanned by The Darkroom.

Here's a few of my favorites:

 

2017 | Little Tokyo 01

A few weeks ago, we went for a walking tour of Little Tokyo and our guide was Dr. T. He talked about the area's rich history and some of changes that happened in the neighborhood over the years. We made several stops along the way, and were given access to one of the oldest existing Buddhist temple in North America, Koyasan Buddhist Temple.

Here's a bit of information about Little Tokyo:
Before WWII, Little Tokyo was the largest Japanese community in the United States. In 1942, there were approximately 35,000 residents in the area. The relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII left Little Tokyo virtually empty. With labor shortage during WWII, many African-Americans from the Southeast and Midwest came to fill-in wartime jobs and moved into the vacated properties. From 1942 to 1945, Little Tokyo was known as Bronzeville, a vibrant neighborhood with restaurants, stores, and jazz clubs.

All photos taken with a Leica M6/Summicron 50 on JCH Streetpan 400

2017 | Saturday Morning Walk 01

These photos were taken during an after-work walk while looking for a place that serves breakfast.

All photos taken with a Fuji GS645S on Arista EDU Ultra 100

 

 

2017 | Buckingham Palace

It was our last day in London, and our last sightseeing stop was Buckingham Palace. It was during our lunch break at St. Paul’s Cathedral, when made the decision to make a quick stop at Buckingham Palace. We rode the District Line to St. James Park and had an enjoyable walk from the station on the way to the palace. The rest of our afternoon was spent shopping for gifts and packing our luggage.
All photos were taken with a Leica M6/CV Color-Skopar 35/2.5 on Arista Premium 400 and Arista EDU Ultra 400. Both films are expired.

Here are a few of my favorites:

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

2017 | St. Paul’s Cathedral, UK

We had an early start on a cloudy Easter Monday. As it was a holiday in the UK, the tube was not crowded and the streets looked deserted.  When we arrived at the cathedral, there was a long line of people at the ticket counter. Since we bought our tickets online, we only had to go through security check. We signed up for the 90-minute guided tour which made our visit to the cathedral more interesting. We did not plan on climbing up to the Golden Gallery, but we decided to just go for it since we were already there and we might not pass this way again. The climb was a bit hard, and we had to take a few breaks on the way up.  After 528-steps, we made it to the Golden Gallery and were rewarded with a panoramic view of London. I am less keen on heights, and so I tightly held on the railings, took in the view, and forgot to take a photo.

All photos taken with a Leica M6 with a CV Color-Skopar 35/2.5 on Arista Premium 400 (expired)

Photography and filming is not allowed inside the cathedral.  Here are some of my favorites:

2017 | Blenheim Palace

We ended Easter Sunday with a visit to Blenheim Palace, the principal residence of the Duke of Marlborough. It is also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Most of our time was spent touring the State Rooms with its price collections, the library, the Churchill exhibit, and the chapel. Our walk in the gardens was cut short when it started to rain. 

All photos taken with Leica M6/CV Color-Skopar 35/2.5 on Arista Premium 400 (expired film)

Here are a few of my favorite photos from our visit.