Photo of the Day…Miniature Park
This is a photo taken from the TV Tower in Sakae, overlooking Central Park. I have been playing around with post processing a bit and was trying to achieve a “miniature” feel for this photo. Don’t know if it is really convincing or not but got to start somewhere. Critiques would be very welcome, good or bad.
Thanks,
Eric
Sushi House
This is a “Sushi House” located about a block away from the hotel I am staying in. Ate there once. Kind of reminded me of a “Denny’s” for Sushi. While not a huge fan of sushi, I can’t give a fair review of this place but I thought it made a good subject for a picture.
TV Tower and Oasis 21
During my many “walking around because I am bored and have to get out of the room” trips of Nagoya, I routinely come across this structure of the TV Tower and the “Oasis 21″. While the TV Tower is built like the Eiffel Tower and is impressive by it’s own right, the Oasis is kind of strange.
I believe the Oasis is primarily a bus station for the Sakae area. As you go further down though, the Oasis opens up to many shops and restaurants as well as access to the underground shopping area of Sakae Station. (There is a Mc Donald’s there too so us round eyes can get our fix of “Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun”)
I just think it is freakin’ cool. On the upper level of the structure, you will find that the floor is made of glass and it is covered by approx. 6 in. of water. No, you don’t have to take your shoes off to walk there because a walkway surrounds the perimeter. Although that would be a very Japanese thing to do.
The Hub and a 50 mm.
I decided to bring out my only prime lens yesterday in hopes of being inspired to try a different approach in taking photos. I usually have a wide angle zoom lens such as a 16 – 35 f 2.8 L. (Thanks Meggin) That’s a great lens for walking around and taking pictures of buildings, people and other typical street scenes. Sometimes you need to change things up to get inspired. Putting a fixed focal lens on forces you to get more involved with your photos, to get further or closer to your subjects, possibly interact with them. The latter is hard for me to do at times but putting a lens like this on your camera will make you get over your fears. (If you really want the shot).
Granted on this photo I did not interact with anyone. I had been walking around taking photos at night and stopped into this pub for a pint. Taking advantage of the f 1.8 lens, I grabbed a photo without using any flash. That’s the cool thing about using “fast” lenses. I am not really a fan of using a flash on my camera. I know that flashes, when used with skill, can produce amazing photos but I’m not that guy.
The reason I am posting this? Not really because the photo is great. Just kinda like it… and I need to post SOMETHING every once in a while.
Cheers!
Photography is not for the shy.
I have always been inherently shy. Can’t help it, it’s in my genes. Once I get to know someone, not so much. In fact I should probably keep my mouth shut and remember that I am shy. Anyway…
I accepted the task of taking some pictures for my wife, Meggin, of the fish market during my stay in Japan. Admittedly, the fish market is an interesting place. This is were many of the local merchants and some of the public go to get their goods for the day. Everything is fresh and I mean the still kicking and breathing kind of fresh. (with a few exceptions)
The problem is that most of the interesting pictures are of the vendors themselves. You want me to take a picture of (gulp) people? That means getting close and (double gulp) talking to them. A stranger!?! I couldn’t possibly do that. Look at them, they are busy, I don’t speak the language, they don’t like Americans. Oh I can come up with excuses. Truth is I am a wimp when it comes to photographing people.
So as usual, I took a couple of “Smash and Grab” pictures and they are about as dull as they can be. I am going to have to work on this project.
