Rainy Season
The rainy season has well and truly arrived in Tanegashima, bringing with it the humidity that transforms my house into a tropical greenhouse. With dark clouds hanging over the island, I’ve been shooting a lot of photos which rely more on composition rather than golden sunlight!
A strong influence has been the work of William Eggleston, an American photographer who likes to focus on the ordinary – vending machines, light bulbs, telegraph poles etc. I have always liked to shoot similar subject matter but after watching a brilliant documentary on Eggleston, my interest in the beauty of everyday objects was rejuvenated!
For any gearheads out there, I’ve made some new investments. The first being a Norita 66, a Japanese medium format SLR. Like the Russian Kiev 60, it is based upon a German classic, the Pentacon 6. The camera is built better than my Kiev and sports a very fast lens (f/2), resulting in some very sharp images with tasty bokeh.
My other investment is The Lensbaby, a fascinating lens. Its front standard can be moved around so you can pin-point the sweet spot of focus on anything in the frame. There is also a fair amount of chromatic aberration resulting in some very nice elliptacal bokeh. I look forward to using this lens a lot more, especially when shooting people.
Although I’ve lived in Tanegashima for almost four years, I still forget how hot and sticky the rainy season can be. The weather really does sap your energy and I find that upon arriving home from work, I either go to sleep or slump down in front of youtube repeats of The Apprentice. Looking forward to the summer – yep it’s going to be a lot hotter but at least it won’t be this humid! *wipes brow*
Reading some of your issues and seeing the phographs,
I can see now you are spending so wonderful life in tangegashima,
though here in Tokyo where I live, there is no things I can’t buy.
but t think many people have lost the mind and sensibility to feel the breeze,
scent of Rain flowers and treess.
Of cause I love your nature’s photo, I also love the appearance of the people
and facial _expression in your photo.
they are telling they love their lives.
because I know Yakushima or some Islands which belongs to Okinawa ,
I know how they fantasic and how they give me the good influence
and power after I come back to Tokyo ..
and your photographs go well with this Blog template, looks more beautiful
than seen in flickr!
Please let me visit this blog sometimes
I’m looking forward to see your works!
P.S. you decide when you go to Yakushima concretely?
If it is possible, I would like to go there with my husband
at the same season as you, I wish if we can meet and talk
about camera, nature etc…
Hi Makiko,
Thank you for the kind words! I count myself to be very lucky living here in the inaka of Tanegashima!
I haven’t decided when I will go to Yakushima yet. When you decide to go, please let me know and I will try and join you. The island is very easy to get to from where I live.
Take care and I look forward to seeing lots more of your beautiful photos!
Jonathan
OK, though we haven’t decided which destination we will travel yet,
we are thinking about traveling Tottori-prefecture (to see the “Tottori-Sakyu” and UETA SHOJOI photo museum(I’m not sure what it is called in English) or Yakushima.
Anyway, we will not be able to go until the beginning of October at the earliest.
But I’ll tell you it is decided.
I love the broken floor board