Here is an example of the difference between two flights I took going from Japan to New York.
Archive for the 'Lifestyle and Culture' Category
Sometimes a bird’s photo just won’t go anywhere in a Wildlife Photo Contest.
Really want to know why ?
Today is one of those days and you can read all about it over on my other blog.
Out of the four Guinness Records held by Okinawa, Japan, I’ve only captured two with the camera.
Some of these records, I worry, will be broken by someone from another country.
Being the competive person I am, I don’t like seeing a title lost to someone else.
But, take a look at this last record and if you think can beat it…
26
Jun
10
The Early Years Pre-Dijicam
This is a photo taken of me, oh, I don’t know, maybe forty-some years ago, back when I was a chick magnet and could play and sing Hank Williams tunes and drink Smirnoff Vodka ’til the sun came up and still put in a good day’s work. Danang, Vietnam 1968 ?
Now, that’s a pretty old photo and I was really shocked when the photographer who shot it with his film camera contacted me a few months ago. Ron Meadows, damn, we were sidekicks. He taught me how to play that guitar, or one just like it, 42 years ago!
Well, the world evolved. We have digital stuff everywhere, now. That’s how Ron found me, scanned a photo he probably had stuffed in a shoebox or scrapbook all those years and emailed it to me. He searched for me a long time, before the internet was invented, spent money looking for me, even. After awhile he figured I was dead. Along came the digital age, the internet, scanners, digital (Diji, in Japanese) cameras, Facebook, laptop computers, satellites, GPS, Celular Phones and lithium batteries and I’ll be a sonovbitch if Ron didn’t find me!
Before I really do die we’re gonna get drunk together, maybe, one more time. Thanks, Ron, we’ll do beer and not ride Harleys, OK?
30
Mar
10
Cats and Dogs
Don’t ask me why. For some reason cats and dogs aren’t natural enemies in my part of the world.
The “white rat” of a pup in the photo is my better half’s critter. Allegedly, he’s part Maltese. The other two critters were at the beach with their master. He had a miniture Winnebago-style camper. Well, a Toyota, something or other with a tin house mounted on the back.
Anyway, the guy looked like he’d been drinking sake from a gallon and a half bottle, all night long so, I think he tied his dog and cat on opposite ends of the leash; that way they could walk themselves and save him alot of trouble.
Now when I’m out walking I’ve got two Huskies who don’t realize they’re guests in this country. Cats are natural enemies to them. They were safely out of the way when this photo was snapped; tied to a big tree snapping, barking, foaming at the mouth and trying to uproot the tree and get at the kitten.
This was the first time the little “white rat” ever saw a cat and he looked more interested in figuring out what the rope was for than he was in shaking hands with some strange creature reaching out to him. And I know what the little Pug was thinking. “C’mon, fool. try something stupid”.
Now, the racket the big dogs were making woke-up the old papasan leaning against the rear tire of his camper. So he uses his large sake bottle as a crutch to help him get up on his feet. I lit a smoke for him and asked if I could take a few pictures. “Um” he grunts. That meant OK. He even tried to have me bring the Huskies over for a group photo. I explained that those big dogs were from outa town and there would be a big mess if they got too close to the cat. “Um”; he understood.
Well, now I’m starting to wonder how many other parts of the world have dogs that don’t kill cats, just for the fun of it ?
22
Mar
10
Everybody Has Black Hair !
Friday I went to an Elementary School Graduation for my Granddaughter.
Participation is mandatory for these events. In Okinawa, family is a big thing. Whatever the event, everyone attends. Not that I would have skipped-out or anything like that. It’s just, being a photographer, I get stuck shooting everytime, anybody, anywhere does anything.
My Granddaughter is special, though. She’s the first; number 1 and she knows it. She’ll be a teenager, this year. We go back aways, together.
Knowing a gazzilion kids would be bouncing around on the wooden floor, bumping into my tripod or popping up in front of my lens, I begged the organizers to let me climb up to the concrete balcony surrounding the auditorium. It was great, just myself and one other cameraman had the whole place to ourselves. We had a clear, unobstructed view of the whole place. Awesome !
Walking around, above the hundreds of students, parents and teachers below, I found the places I could get the best light for my photos, wherever the graduates would be moving. While the speeches, singing and all the other unimportant stuff was going on, I set up my tripod and made setting adjustments on the camera. Then, started composing some practice shots. That’s when it dawned on me, some students were wearing black, some white, some black and white. I had no idea what colors my Granddaughter was wearing. I hadn’t seen her ahead of time.
AND EVERYBODY HAS BLACK HAIR ! So, I started zooming-in looking for her. I couldn’t find her, anywhere. Damn.
Too far away to yell downstairs to the wife, son-in-law or daughter to point her out to me, I kept scanning and searching. I recongized all her friends she brought by after school over the years. Kids who ate my ice cream and cookies and anything else I didn’t hide were all there.
So, I took close up pictures of everyone I recognized and wide angle shots of the whole crowd. If she was there, she’d be in some pictures.
Then, I started thinking maybe they had her stuck somewhere in hiding. She was always an honor student, grade-wise, anyway. Maybe all the smart kids are hiding in a closet and they bring them out to get their diplomas, last.
Two hours in the balcony and I took around 50 pictures when I heard the Principal say, “Owarimashita”. It’s over. What ?
So, I scramble downstairs and find the family, before the mass exit starts. ” Where’s, Marin?” I ask the wife and daughter. “You know, the kid I came here to shoot”. I couldn’t find her anywhere. I shot pictures of everybody in the place but, never found my Marin.
She was in the front row, wearing black, third from the right. I didn’t recognize her.
SOMEBODY RESTYLED HER BLACK HAIR !
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