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The photographic blog of Sean Wood (aka motionid)

Koenji Awa Odori 2013

Where to begin!?
Yes, it’s a LOAD of pictures. But I guess when you’ve been trying to edit 9000 pictures down to around 1700 and tweak the white balance and colour for each, they start to grow on you. What has inspired me more than anything are the smiles in all the pictures. This team are a happy bunch and it makes life a LOT easier to edit 9000 smiles.

So every year for the past 5 years or so I have been the photographer for the Tensyouren team. This basically makes me a member of the team which requires me to be where the team is to document the two days the event runs.

Part of the requirement is to make sure that everyone’s picture gets taken both days. When you have 110 members that’s not easy. Especially when they are waving their hands all over the place the entire time :-)

With so many people to shoot and each group having their own little routine I need to work my way up and down the whole team several times during one session ensuring I capture each group. This requires I duck and weave my way through the team as they dance past and then rush back up past them to catch them and do it all over again. This is straight forward on wide streets but really difficult on the narrow streets.

Then there is the choice of lens.
I only have one camera body so I either stick to one lens for one session or change half way through. On long wide streets the process is less stressful because there is more time to capture what’s going on as well as space to move. But on narrow streets changing a lens can be impossible due to the lack of space. All you need is one spectator to push past and you’ll see a lens bounce down the road.

The most difficult part about the whole process is the huge difference there is in capturing a narrow or wide street. Because of the wide / narrow street variation and the speed at which the event happens, gaining experience in lens choice, which angle works, how to dodge the spectators and dive up and down the team as they dance becomes a multi year process. And the event is only once a year over two days so there is no other opportunity to gain experience.

The whole event has such an amazing atmosphere and the team is so enthusiastic it makes any issue a non issue.
So I leave you with too many photos as proof that the Tensyouren team had a fantastic time at this years Koenji Awa Odori.

 

On the Street

Finally a few street shots. I've been trying to figure out (not making much of an effort mind you) how to use this Sony thing with a screen on the back and no finder and it's not easy. The main issue is the shallow depth of field. I guess I could stop down a bit but when you nail the focus the shot really shines. I'm holding off on a finder on account of them being stupidly expensive. What is probably not helping is I'm moving as I shoot.Hopfeully more of these soon.

Bon Odori 2013

I shoot this every year. I like the atmosphere. And every year the location seems to have this great light at the end of the day. And every year on the same day it threatens to rain and doesn't. Until now :-)

We (Thomas - pictured above) managed to escape before the downpour. Seconds after we arrived at the izakaya the sky opened up and let loose for several hours.

I could (or should?) add more shots but if you search through the blog you'll find others almost the same from previous years.

Small note. My gallery ordering is broken which is really annoying me. Just so you know it's not by choice the images above are in this order.

Skytree

This must have been taken more than a year ago now. Just before Skytree opened. I've not been up. I have found the area to be completely uninteresting - except a small shrine located quite near that has a bit of atmosphere and personality. The mall next to Skytree was nothing special. Same old stores in a different location. I'm sure the view is good if you actually go up. Love the little plane in the shot. Which is the main reason for posting it.

Koga san

This was shot on an outing with Thomas, Jon and Koga san when we were visiting Aoki Gahara (suicide forest) near mt. Fuji. A great afternoon after the rain had stopped for thirty minutes and given us just enough time to take a few pictures on lake Motosu (the the right of the picture that you can't see) which resulted in some of my best during the trip. This is just before Koga san became a dad. Oh, this was shot with the Rolleiflex f/2.8 d.

Path up Nokogiri

Shot this last winter using the Holga at midday. Cold as hell and not much in the way of nice foliage. You have to get a bit further up the mountain to encounter snow. I think by that time my fingers didn't work and I couldn't release the shutter. Love the way the Holga screws with the focus position though. I always tend to forget how it screws with the image. Built in atmosphere :-)

The Journey Home

One day soon when I get motivated I'm going to shoot more of the route I take to and from work by bike. The route that follows the Tama river goes for around 11km and is really only accessible by bike. The above shot is a sample of the kind of thing you see at night along this stretch of river. Hopefully more to come.

Mountains and Sea

Over the last few weeks I've managed to do a reasonable amount of riding. Several times to the mountains near where I live and also to Katsuura in Chiba.The Chiba ride was my second time but the first time to the route via the mountains. The first trip was extremely hot and ended up almost passed out on a set of pallets outside a warehouse in the shade 3/4 of the way to the destination. This 2nd attempt, while hot was a much more enjoyable experience. The mountains might have made for a more challenging ride but the cover the trees provided (and the breeze you got) was a welcome relief.

It's been raining every day here for the last few weeks which has made the mountains wet and misty. Perfect for a few pictures with atmosphere. All pictures shot with the iphone. Just way easier to carry and manage while on a bike and riding 150+km than a regular camera (provided the battery lasts!)

Izu Peninsula Part 4

Suruga bay

Suruga bay. A place I'd like to explore more of. Actually the whole Izu peninsula is pretty interesting from a visual point of view. I've not yet been to the mountains but did have to drive through some to get home. Even that journey looks like a great bike ride. More to be explored.

Izu Peninsula Part 1

In June I took a short trip to Izu. Stayed over night in Shimoda. Went by car. It was only short, just two days in total but was great chance to investigate some of the south coast. I'll be going back for sure when the weather is a little cooler and atmospheric.

As an aside it looks like a brilliant place to ride a bike. I could be up for a riding trip around the coast as well.