Yesterday looked like it might produce a lovely sunset and a views of Mount Fuji. The mountain never materialised but it was a beautiful sunset. I’d been out on Sunday, with some students, shooting the city with telephoto lenses. So … Continue reading
As a professional photographer, I constantly need to exercise my eyes to keep them fit for purpose. Some days I just go out and spend my time looking at the floor. My brain and eyes are like a radar set: … Continue reading
Some places just keep drawing your back. Others end up being the sorts of places you just naturally gravitate back to or pass by now and then. The buildings near the bus depot between Shibuya and Ebisue are like that … Continue reading
The big summer festival in Asagaya is one of those events in Tokyo that have me torn: do I go and brave the massive crowds? Or do I not go and then regret it? This year I went. Stuck around … Continue reading
Part of the challenge of being a teacher of something is to pass on, in easy to understand terms, the things within your realm that are subconscious to you. Seeing, for instance. Why do I see the things I see, … Continue reading
At various times during the end of 2017 and through into January of last year, I was on a shoot for the JTB and Japan National Parks Authority. It gave me the chance to visit some truly breathtaking parts of … Continue reading
The simple geometry and colour pairing in this quiet backstreet near Asakusabashi typifies why I like spending time with subjects like this. As a professional photographer who needs to deliver for whichever client comes through the door on a given … Continue reading
Kinshicho is a neighbourhood I first discovered about eight years ago. Recently, I’ve been walking there a lot. Tokyo has so many wonderful neighbourhoods to explore and because there are so many of them, one tends to explore them on … Continue reading
Undoubtedly one of the great charms of Japan in autumn are the gingko trees. Above and beyond the majesty of a vast carpet of fallen, yellow leaves there is, for me, the exquisite beauty of the solitary leaf. In Shinagawa … Continue reading
I love Tokyo’s winters: piercing blue skies, crisp cold air. But after a while the skies, what I’d call BBB (Blue But Boring), get a little un-interesting. Until, that is, you start using how the perfect flat blue reflects in … Continue reading
After my wife and I visited our local shrine to do ‘hatsumode’ 初詣 (the first visit of new year), I headed off for a walk. After walking pretty much the whole of the first station of the Old Tokaido Road, … Continue reading
I was out in Shunjuku recently, doing a lesson for a student. The area by the West exit of the JR station, where the skyscrapers are concentrated, is always a favourite place for me to walk. I’ll often do that … Continue reading
Happy New Year, everyone. It’s been so long since I posted on this blog. One of the reasons for that was my winding-down my use of Google Plus. For a long time, I was using GPlus as a way of … Continue reading
I’m always reminded of Jim Morrison and what he once asked, in the lyrics of a song: “Have you had a good life, enough to base a movie on?” For me life is very much like a movie. Not because … Continue reading
I bumped into Nikki on Instagram and instantly knew she was someone I wanted to shoot with. She has a unique look and is an all-round creative person: ex-dancer, currently a singer. I feel close, spiritually, to people like Nikki. I … Continue reading
Autumn throwback: gingko leaves in Tokyo, shot with the Hasselblad H4D-40 Tokyo can be a wonderful place in autumn. There are maple trees (momiji) and gingko. There’s a wonderful avenue of yellow gingko trees in a part of Tokyo called … Continue reading
Tokyo is very big & it’s beautiful in the right light: shooting the sunset from the Mori Tower with a 300mm prime lens It’s been at least six years since I went up the Mori Tower to the ‘Tokyo City … Continue reading
This shot is part of a series I’m working on, called ‘Tokyo ToyTown’. Everything is shot using the Hasselblad HTS1.5 tilt shift adaptor. Various camera bodies used. one mine, some borrowed. This one was shot the other day, with my … Continue reading
Tokyo ToyTown: US embassy residences in Roppongi with Hasselblad HTS Tilt Shift The light was picking these out really well the other day. I was shooting from the 52nd floor of the Mori Tower. It was about 3.30pm by the … Continue reading
One of the shots I made the other day with the Hasselblad H4D-40, HC80mm lens and the HTS1.5 tilt-shift adaptor. This was shot from the west side of the viewing area on the 52nd floor of the Mori Tower, Tokyo … Continue reading
It’s been ages since I went up to the Tokyo City View at the Mori Tower. It’s 52floors above Tokyo and in a great spot for seeing the city and for seeing sunsets out towards Mount Fuji. This view is … Continue reading
Seasons Greetings and a shot of migrating Whooper Swans, from my trip last week to Hokkaido Thanks for all your visits, likes and support this year. I Hope you’ve all been having a great Christmas and are looking forward to … Continue reading
I’ve known this building for 18 years now and this year it’s been celebrating its 20th anniversary. Despite all the years I’ve been shooting here, I still find shots I haven’t taken before. Having the Hasselblad H6D-100c and 24mm lens … Continue reading
Autumn in lines and circles: Hiroo, Tokyo Shot in a park in Hiroo, Tokyo, during a recent lesson with one of my students. Been a while since I’d been to this park. Forgotten how lovely it is. Nikon D3 50mm … Continue reading
Fashion & portrait photography in Tokyo: Ao in Asakusa One great thing about 2017 was making some new friends and re-uniting with old ones. Meeting Ao and shooting with her a few times has always conjured up some great … Continue reading
In late November, I spent a day in my studio and had pretty much an ‘open door’ policy. A couple of students came over, a couple of models came over, a bunch of friends came over. It was a lot … Continue reading
Ao and the Rolleicord It’s been ages since I posted here. Time to catch up on that, posting at my blog and generally catching up on creating content. 2017 has been a challenge. To be honest, for a number … Continue reading
Landscape photography in Japan: the start of our camping trip at Lake Motosu Motosu-ko is one of the prettiest lakes in the Fuji-go-ko, or Fuji Five Lakes area. It also has the most awesome campsite in the area. And out … Continue reading
This is from a few months ago, when I was using the studio space for a few test shoots. Mari had just severely cut her hair and needed some new shots. The original was colour but I had some time … Continue reading
Travel photography in Japan: lady in kimono shoots a photo at Asakusa temple I shot one or two frames back in May on a day when I was out shooting with someone in town for a few days and taking … Continue reading