Sunday 30 October 2005 @ 10:41 pm
Of course school is fun when you visit the largest wooden building in the world ! This was in Nara, Japan. There, you’ll find the Daibustu-Den which is where reside a huge Daibustu (Ok, I’ll post a picture of the Daibutsu later this week, stay tuned !
) The place was packed with kids studying for the day this great national treasure.
Friday 28 October 2005 @ 1:38 am
This is my entry for this week Photo Friday’s challenge: “Delicate”. This is an old picture of mine taken last year in a San Francisco’ store. I really liked the color on this one. It’s framed in one of my bathroom
Wednesday 26 October 2005 @ 12:01 am
These 2 shots were taken in Nara which was on our way to Kyoto. I recommend everybody visiting Japan to stop by this wonderful city. There is so much to discover. At the end of our day, we ended up around some hundred of temple (which is not all that surprising in Japan) and this one was above a magnifient park. It was sundawn, and this guy was taking care of cleaning off this bowl were you’re supposed to get purified (with encent …). He fit perfectly with the atmosphere … At some point, we had some eye contact and without any saying I understood that he was okay for me to take his picture … Most Japanese are by the way. Which gives some good opportunity !!
Friday 21 October 2005 @ 2:00 am
This is my entry for this week PhotoFriday’s challenge. This was really a tough for me since I had a bunch of material for it. But I’ve settled on that one which I really like. This was taken in an old house in Stinson Beach, CA were we had rented a house with some friends. There was a nice atmosphere in this house and the light was just amazing. This chair, piano, flag were a given. In black and white it brings me back years earlier were everything was maybe a bit simpler.
Thursday 20 October 2005 @ 8:14 pm
Well, with the news about AgfaPhoto, I have to find alternative for Rodinal. I’m going to buy some gallon whenever B&H reopen (don’t you love these Jewish holiday ? It’s impossible to order anything until the 27th on most of NYC photo store ) and I also have Kodak HC-110 … But I might be interested in mixing my own … After all, all I need is p-aminophenol hydrochloride, potassium metabisulfite, sodium hydroxide and water … Should be easy enough 
Wednesday 19 October 2005 @ 11:09 pm
Back to Japan !! This was taken in an amanzing building which was, as far as I understood, some sort of convention center. The architecture was based on a boat. Lighting was carefully studied to give a very futuristic look to the structure. I was almost transported into BladeRunner ! I spent something like 25 minutes, looking mostly up, amazed at this marvel.
Wednesday 19 October 2005 @ 3:28 pm
400iso is going thru some changes (Mostly transfering registar …) and should experience some technical difficulty during the next few days or so. Sorry for the inconvenience. I know that it’s tough to survive without a daily dose of 400iso
Wednesday 19 October 2005 @ 1:59 pm
Well, this is another bad news for all film lovers. Looks like Agfa decided to reject the offer from PhotoMe to takeover their film operation … (more details HERE … I guess this is good news for Ilford and Fuji but it still worry me … I was planning on adding another rather expensive piece of equipment at the end of the year (M7 ? MP ? Make a guess ) but I’m a little unsure at this point. After my trip to Japan I’m getting less and less interested in Digital … I had so much pleasure using my 2 Leica that I can’t think of using something else …
I also have a problem with this news since my main developer is Rodinal … I guess I’ll have to buy one or two gallon … Dang !
Tuesday 18 October 2005 @ 2:28 pm
I’ve been debating with myself a lot with the Google AdSense program but without really knowing what it does, how to use it and the added value around it. So today, I’ve decided to join the program and add a few ad on my photoblog. Multiple reasons for this decision:
1/ I want to learn what it really does
2/ I’d like to know if it add values to my visitor (U tell me …)
3/ I wouldn’t mind some revenue to cover some of my developement cost (There, I said it.) I realize that my trip to Japan had a cost (other than airplane, foods …). With 26 rolls of film and the associated development (yes I have been lazy for the black and white and gave the rolls to a lab …) we’re looking at a $400ish bill. I don’t regret one picture I took during the trip. But I realize that with the good news coming at the end of the year (more on this later … ) I’m going to need to start saving. If I could cover some of the cost with the AdSense program, it would be stupid not to try. So there it is. I have no idea if I’m going to make a buck in a year … I’m curious and this is also why I had to try it
Thanks for your understanding
Monday 17 October 2005 @ 12:45 am
I wanted to take a break from my picture from Japan. So here you are !! A picture from Mexico where we spent a week with my wife and some good firends !! A lot of travel picture this month on 400iso !
This was in a restaurant. They had some basket on a ceiling. Don’t ask me why … I don’t know the purpose of these. The just make a good picture imho
Friday 14 October 2005 @ 1:56 am
It’s pretty difficult not to take a picture in a Japanese garden in Tokyo. Even more difficult, not taking picture of a bridge in a Japanese garden. Well, here is my contribution to this week Photo Friday’s challenge: Conspicious.
Wednesday 12 October 2005 @ 11:52 pm
Another shot from the same day. This guy was preparing some sole for a customer. These sole are still alive. He cuts both the tail and the head. The fish is still alive at this point. He then takes a long stick of metal, put that in the fish body and pull it very fast to cut the vertabrae. At this point the fish should be gone … Most of the time
Wednesday 12 October 2005 @ 11:50 pm
I had the chance to visit the largest fish market in Tokyo: The Tsukiji. It’s an amazing place where mostly professional can get any kind of fish in any quantity. It was very interesting to see them preparing the fish (especially the huge tuna they had …) and some kind of fish that I didn’t know existed
Not that I am a fish specialist. In any case, if you have the chance to go to Tokyo this is a must do.
Tuesday 11 October 2005 @ 12:16 am
Another shot from the funeral. This guy was playing the rather odd instrument which can produce aproximately 2 sounds but had a huge musical partition in front of him. Well I guess I know nothing about music … It was quite funny anyway.
Monday 10 October 2005 @ 1:31 am
Another picture from the same night. As you can see, this is indeed very relax.
Technorati Tags : Tokyo, Izakaya, Japan
Monday 10 October 2005 @ 1:28 am
This was taken during my first day in Tokyo. These are awsome little restaurants called Izakaya where you can eat some very simple food with some beer. Nothing fancy but the astmosphere is so relax and casual. It reminds me in a way of Tapas restaurant in Spain. These small restaurants were located right under the train tracks ! Very interesting setting … Anyway, it was the perfect place to start my trip …
Note: All my black and white picture from Japan are taken with my Leica M3 and a VC 50mm f/1.5 with Neopan 400. The color pictures (which will come this week …) were taken using my Leica M6 and 50mm Summicron with either Fuji Reala or Fuji NPH 400.
Technorati Tags : Tokyo, Izakaya, Japan
Friday 7 October 2005 @ 3:01 am
This is my entry for this week PhotoFriday’s challenge “Five”. This was taken during my trip to Japan. We were visiting a temple (one of the few …) when a funeral started ! We’ve stayed and discovered their own way to say good bye … Note: Ok I have to admit, we see 6 monks on the pictures … But … But … C’mon !!!!!
Technorati Tags : Japan, temple, funeral, budhism, tokyo
Friday 7 October 2005 @ 12:51 am
Same place as the previous picture but a little bit to the right. A soccer field !!! They seemed to have a lot of fun. I was a bit surprised … But hey .. This is Japan right ?
Friday 7 October 2005 @ 12:47 am
I’m finally back from Japan where I spent 10 fantastic days. Shot 26 rolls of film. Couldn’t be happier
You can expect a LOT of pictures from this trip. So stay tune ! Here is the first one which is the most famous crossing in Tokyo in a very hype neighboord. Too bad I couldn’t climb on that hotel on a Saturday. You’re supposed to get 10 times that many people …
