Making a Mario statement
This suit is made by Oppo Suits and is certainly an attention grabber!
street
100 Strangers
Vivaldi
where did all the time go? I've been a bulb waiting for spring. Also, I sold my Canon 1DS ii only to realise I missed it and ended up buying a mark iii. There really isn't anything like the feel of a big heavy camera! Here's to new birth of creativity for 2019!
Daily
in daily
You know your son's childhood is over when you both get to see Mickey pull off his own head and then ram a mobile phone into the gaping wound.
100 Strangers (repeat)
I can't say how glad I am to meet the same person again, especially when they dress this well every day! In a sea of jeans and off the shelf high street clothing, a well-made suit and coordinated look stands out like a lighthouse!
Sharp!
Luckily, I didn't feel quite as bad about myself today, at least I am wearing shoes.
100 Strangers
Drum and plates
shy for a street performer
Seeing Iliya beating out some captivating rhythms on the street took me back to the first time I saw a street summer performing on pots and pans in New Orleans. It's amazing the amount of sounds that can be gotten out of a plastic tub and some old saucepan lids. Iliya told me he picked them up from hostels while he has been touring Europe. I always take street performer signs with a pinch of salt but I believed him when he said he's saving for a real drum kit so he can go to university to study music. With his talent it shouldn't take him long.
100 Strangers
Sometimes I struggle to find someone to take a photo of. One day I might feel less confident, other days I can't find the person who is close enough to the image I have in my head, and sometimes a person walks past and it takes a couple of seconds before I realised I actually did want to ask if I could take that person's photo, but by then the moment is gone...
Banking style
But when I see someone this sharply dressed, there's no hesitation! The only downside being after taking a photo of somebody this stylish, I look at what I'm wearing and cry inside.
100 Strangers
Maria Anna
This morning I found the perfect spot in town where the sun rises between two tall buildings and is reflected in the windows of another. This creates a massive natural golden urban reflector at just the right height for only 5 minutes before the sun is too high. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anyone suitable for a photo before the light had gone. I was just about to head off feeling cold and disappointed when I noticed Maria Anna was walking just behind me so even though I had lost the perfect moment, I decided to ask if I could take her photo. Well, at least, I tried to ask but she didn't understand what I was saying as she only spoke Russian. After some poor attempts at communication, she graciously let me take her photo. It was only then I realised walking round in the cold without gloves didn't help with keeping a camera steady. Luckily, after taking a couple of photos I asked if I could take one more, and this one (above) wasn't a blurry mess! I guess the moral of the story is never give up and don't dwell on missed opportunities... But always wrap up warm.
Kimonos in the cold
in daily
Pentax 67 on Fuji 400H
100 Strangers
Fukumoto san of Dep bloc's, Fukuoka.
I took this photo in January while in Fukuoka staying at an apartment style hotel next to a hair salon. I walked past one day and was interested in the owner's style and asked if I could take a photo. I used a Pentax 67 with 105mm f2.4 lens which I really love. After waiting forever for the negative to arrive, I'm glad that this image has the medium format film look I was after. There's something about this picture that makes me think of a modern cowboy stylist that's quick on the draw with his trusty side snippers.
Fasching
in daily
On one side of the world, Brazilians parade in the heat to samba beats and tropical drinks, on the other side Germans march in freezing temperatures drink pils and throw boiled sweets into the crowds of onlookers. I'm not sure why we can't have German carnival in summer instead.
Kimono in the cold
in daily
I don't know how anyone can survive outside in a kimono with no proper shoes on when it is staying to snow.
Fly like an eagle
in daily
Change over
in daily
There is a reason why Japanese shinkansen accidents are so low despite how fast they travel. The drivers follow tons of safety checks and procedures to the letter including handing over the train to the next driver at the final station.
The ice man
in daily
I'm always amazed by how Japanese people embrace traditional methods of working in this technological era and how much effort and dedication they put into a craft that has been forgotten in western society. This man was cutting big blocks of ice into cubes, dipping them in water and then bagging them up for sale with a lot of care and precision. The shop sells frozen kakigori (Japanese slush puppies). As it is January I wasn't ready for one, but I bet they are the best around in summer!
Coming of age day
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Monk
Bare foot in January but unflinching.
Morning yoga on the Main
in daily
After some initial confusion, I found out that this group are from a physio school just a short distance away: https://www.facebook.com/physiotherapieschulefriedrichsheim/
what are you looking at?
100 Strangers
I've never seen a graffiti artist at work and never expected they would do it in broad day light. Glad to be allowed to take a few photos of them as who knows when I will meet another.
100 Strangers
Daniela
I spotted a heavily laden bicycle by the river before I noticed Daniela sat behind it eating breakfast before heading off to Frankfurt as part of her journey to cycle to the sea in the North of Germany which she had set aside a month to do. It made me feel like I need to challenge myself more too!