_valerian

In the zone

If photography was a game and scores were measured in rolls of film taken, on Saturday I would have bagged 23 points. It is not often that I shoot that much in one day but then again it is not every day that I am in China Town in Yokohama when the chinese school has their school festival AND there is a Taiwanese independence day parade. Come to think of it, it is not every day that I am carrying 23 rolls of film in my bag either.
I have been here almost 2 months- and have shot somewhere around 100 or so rolls of film. I develop them 5 at a time in my kitchen sink. Printing will begin after I get paid and buy some 11X14 Ilford Pearl RC photo paper.

Among the photos that are not posted here yet, you are not able to see:

-Any of the shots I took when I came across Japan's most famous Father-Daughter team, Kyoko and Animal Hamaguchi in Asakusa. They were planting an olive tree in a ceremony attended by old men on the Asakusa city council, many Maiko, several TV and newspaper cameramen and a mish mash of Shita-machi folk. Kyoko won a bronze medal in her weight class in women's wrestling in Athens, and her fantastically cool father is an ex-Pro wrestler. Both are genuinely nice people and we even shook hands. I distinctly remember hearing Mr. Animal say "Nice to meet you".

-Pictures from my kindergarten's fall athletic meet. (this was in the morning before I went to Yokohama.)

-Shots of the China Town School's festival- I hung around behind the crowd that was watching the demonstrations to shoot the elementary school kids in their costumes act like kids anywhere else in the world when adults are paying atention to something else. This involved a lot of horse-play, and what british peoiple might call tomfoolery.

-I also have been shooting almost a roll of film on my way walking home from school each day. The street I walk is no more interesting than any other in a suburb of Tokyo- actually, probably slightly less so. Still, it is interesting to see what kinds of pictures come out of shooting the same area each day. I think if I ever had an exhibition of this work I would call it "everyday photographs" or something else that is slightly clever.

Photography is indeed a game for me, but not "won" simply in quantity. I don't even think you can win in the sense that we use the word "win"... I am not mindlessly burning through film- I am working towards something for myself.

NOTE to Leica- The rewind knob assembly on an M6 looks real sharp but begins to wear into your fingers by the end of a day of heavy shooting. Plus, it does not feel as solid as my Nikon F2's. Guess I will have to break down and buy a brand new MPwith it's sturdier rewind knob. Because when it comes down to it, your fingers are worth more than three grand in cash for a new camera, right?

Right?

Posted by john at October 11, 2004 08:18 PM