Winter Cherry 2015

Someone might say,”Same again how boring”

though, it’s not only an accustomed tradition here

but this tree is more than a friend to me.

She is an indicator of Life.

Having had a rather unusual life style = flowering in  

the winter and the last one tree left among the three,

— to see her flowering again in this year, really

gave me a sigh of relief.

By the way, they are the same flower though, right photo was taken

with a built-in flash of the Nikon D810, and I found it is rather useful.

(Though, flashlight was diffused by a white paper.)

So far, the weather in London is not cold at all.  Still it is winter.

The photos here were taken by either Zeiss 18mm F3.5 for Nikon or

Homemade single glass lens/so-called Gaudy Lens on Nikon D810.

(Strangely, the Non-CPU lens on D810 was functioning well here —

I haven’t fully tested whether D800 and D810 got different OS/setting.

The setting was for Non-CPU/Zeiss 18mm Lens = the Lens, brighter

than F5.6 may be working but may not be with Pinhole unless AI ring

was set to the proper position.)

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Selfridge Xmas Window 2015

Hand is a body parts which got second highest concentration of

the nerve after the eyes.  And especially we human got our hands

best developed among the any animal, we have best and the most

delicate control of them.    So that, not only its dexterity and the

function, its acquired the mean of expression as well. 

We can read the meaning of what the hand is telling or symbolizes,

and the eyes tend to follow what the hand is expressing.  

(I mean not only F**K or Peace sign but also more delicate mood

of its operator as well.)  🙂  

In old days, Selfridge’s decoration was based on the Children’s Tales

— though children themselves are not the shopper, and the Xmas

itself has changed its character too = Religious to Kid’ and to the

Grownup’s Shopping event.  🙂

= So, the window decorations now are,   Grownup’s fantasy !

(often, bizarre one) —– and they are fun to watch !   🙂

The lens used for those shootings were either Canon Fish-eye 8~15mm or

homemade, so-called Gaudy Lens and the Camera was Canon 5D Mk-III.

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Ai Weiwei Exhibition

Actuary, I went to the Fortnum & Mason again with different

lens (or hole ?) — Then, I just crossed the street to other side,

to the Royal Academy = where happen to have an exhibition

of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.

Academy’s courtyard having trees or re-assembled dead wood.

It was an utterly odd view.  Those trees were not in the original

shape nor well composed big “Ikebana” but the standing mess.

I wondered what’s going on the inside.

(Photo above = tons of building steel rod were piled up on the floor

=Ai Weiwei is not good to make the things by himself but to

organize the  workers to do the job.)

I’m not a fun of Ai Weiwei. 

I can see he is trying hard to MAKE something “looks like an ART”.

= in other words, he was not a born artist = so that, to squeeze the

brain to manufacture the piece, not spontaneously creates a shape.

Hence, the piece wouldn’t hit our emotion but just boggle the mind. 

= So, the art critics needs to write about those “Boggle” = keeping

them busy and the art-media flourish. — The good art will hit the

viewer’s subconscious direct = no need of explanation nor critics’

blah blah.  😀

So, those were the pieces made out of the pretext of the earthquake

= the list of the dead (Left) and the debris (right).

— did such big disaster inspire him only those ?   If I were him, I

would have put a school text book or a bunch of hair between the

debris = bad taste but such straight visual signal will hit the

subconscious of the viewers direct, without needs of blah blah.

Photo left showing “a chair IS a part of a tree” = I know,

a chair used to be a tree. = So what ?

And the photo right = nicely made cabinet having holes =

spoiling the effort and saying a twist = again So, what =

What a cheap idea.  Can’t you conceive anything better ?

Yet again like the words of a second class art school

teacher = “Make a thing out of norm/Break a stereotype”.

TV camera (or that kind of shape) was made by plastic.

Chinese has been making so many utterly inconceivable

products such as fake eggs, fake protein (melamine) in

the milk etc etc = Ai Weiwei should learn from them if he

want to impress us with the eye-opening incredible idea !

Something scribble ? — or repeated print covering whole wall.

He might have thought = highly technical idea — a piece using

the reflection of acril plastic. = Yes I can see its funny reflection.

So, what ?   A bit strange doesn’t mean “Impressive”  🙂

Everyday’s  objects made out expensive jade.

Handcuffs made out of plastic. Useless and out of norm again.

(Chinese kid’s toy Handcuffs were all made by plastic ) ?

Fabricated trees in the room — not impressive though, they 

still showed a kind of fun-full free structure he must have

enjoyed like a game.  So, I liked this piece.

Thousands white plastic pieces covering the floor and one

baby buggy  (= somewhat impressive fine work)

— is this related to the Chinese Scandal / billion of forcibly

aborted fetus by the “one child policy” ?  (I only guess =

I didn’t get any information or bought an exhibition catalog.

= In my policy, I SEE the piece, not study it by the words.)

In this room, and the confined small box explaining what

Ai Weiwei himself has been subjected by the So-Called

Authority’s tenacious interrogation = kind of torture/

intimidation/suppression.

This is not an art but just an indictment.= may have a

political meaning still, visually boring exhibit. Not impressed.

So far, this must be the most impressive piece in this exhibition.

May be it was just a coincidence = still, how bizarre.

On this occasion, I had only Concentric-Double-Dencity Pinhole

intended to use for F&M Window shooting, which was not best

suits for this  subject still, I think it wasn’t too bad.

—– If you want to see more info’ or clear images please

search in the net or go to the exhibition yourself. = don’t ask me.

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Cult Party

My friend’s Immersible Cult got 2 years anniversary and had

an end of the year party.  Especially they organized “Tokyo Dream”

party this year which was even featured in the Evening Standard

ES magazine, the party got quite few Japanese guests as well.

Free meals and drinks — though, they were completely vegetarian 

= boiled alive potatoes, skinned alive carrot etc etc.

= not much mercy for them.   🙂

In fact the guests are the staffs or the freelance artists who has been

involved into those projects etc = worked together, familiar faces.

Still, I do necessary know every faces neither who was doing what.

(In this time, those fuzzy photos were taken by a homemade

So-called Gaudy Lens — though some of them were out of focus)

Then the attraction started = Japanese singing/performing group

Frank Chickens. (Started here as the female Ninja !)

But, I’m not sure what are they doing.  🙂

The singers group Frank Chickens started 70s —–

and now having some new and young members.

(and even Irish and Polish men as well)

They sound something Rockefeller Building — ?

Don’t ask me what.  🙂

Then the party went into a dancing conclusion.

And so on, so on ~ ~ ~ till early morning.

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F&M Xmas Window 2015 (A)

Yes it’s the season to see one of my favorite subject = Xmas

show-windows.   And they are the Xmas window of the

Fortnum & Masons. (It’s an annual customs. Sir.)   🙂

(And for me, to shoot them, it’s the annual custom too.)

And on this post, they are rather ordinary kind of the photos.

(In my standard)   😀

I mean ordinary = By widely available Lens in normal shot.

= no artificial lighting or stage up = Just clicked straight photos.

If you think it’s looks a bit strange — don’t blame me. 

Blame F&M for their crazy decoration.  And if you click, 

a fish-eye lens, it naturally produces this kind of image

= It’s normal nothing special.

I think I took the pictures of the same man on the door so

many times = every year he is in the same place.

(And he might be thinking too, Gosh, that photographer again.)  😀

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New Year’s Card 2016

So, It’s the season again.   🙂     2016 is a year of Monkey !

The card samples here are from Japan Post and they are free to

download for personal use.

In their original site you can see lots lots more design though, you need

Japanese reading still, you can try click and find what’s there.

Some of the cards  showed the pattern of　申 it is in fact the

letter of monkey.  Normally, we (Japanese) use the letter  猿　

for the monkey, but Chinese use the  猴  for the monkey.

Still, only to say the Year of Monkey  we use  申  for monkey.

Don’t ask me why, it’s the ancient 4000 years tradition.

🙂  🙂  🙂

Those Links also provide Free Design Templates.

They are reputed, trouble-free good site.  = Worth visiting.  🙂

http://cp.c-ij.com/en/categories/CAT-ST01-0016/index.html  — (Canon)

http://www.designbank-nenga.com/

http://nengarank.com/html/index.html

http://www.wanpagu.com/top_illustration.html

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Toys (Are Us) Exhibition Opening

Last night, there was an opening of

the Exhibition titled Toys (Are Us)

at the Crypt Gallery, Euston, London.

It was organized by Kosha Hussain,

and my old friend, Wayne Chisnall

brought his sculpture, Magnet as a

major piece.  And I joined the party

wearing  Rotating LED Disco Costume

which was created out of £0.5 Chinese Toy.

(So, it was in line with the concept of the Exhibition)  🙂

(Kosha Hussain, a Kurdish Artist who organized Exhibition address )

Some more information about the Exhibition, please see this.

Mind you, I joined the party to see old friend, as a

photographer, not to show you a journalistic report

of each piece and the artist.

(The photo above was taken by  Concentric-Double-Density Pinhole

— for my fun)

This was the Wayne’s piece, Magnet (in normal view )  🙂

(It seems, Wayne is giving a lecture. = make a jaw of the people drop)   🙂 

As a Crypt of the Church, they got quite a collection of Grave stones,

though I have no idea what those white staffs were and doing what.

Well well.  Some good staff, some not so staffs. Still, the exhibition

open till 21st (two more days) it must be interesting to pop in and

see the exhibits.

They got one of the most unusual atmosphere among  art galleries. 

(By the way, photo above was taken by 5 seconds exposure,with

Canon Fish-eye 8~15mm, on 5D-MkIII —– if the image was not

fuzzy DD Pinhole, the lest were all by the same Fish-eye Lens)

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Pinhole Machine in the Field

It’s not a Pinball Machine.  And a photo above is a Japanese maple ! 

As I explained in the Previous post, it is a combined / selectable Pinhole.

Single Pinhole, Multiple Pinholes and a Concentric-Double-Density Pinhole

were all in one panel, with or without a Wide-angle Front Lens.

Those were taken by the Concentric-DD pinhole.

They too, by the DD pinhole with the typical radiating halation.

And those images were taken by the Multiple (4) Pinholes.

If you carefully check the photo, you will find the 4 repeated images.

And DD pinhole image again. (Some years ago I made similar image !)

In the same time same subject but by the Multiple Pinholes.

Taken by a single pinhole though, with a very slow shutter speed =

camera was shaken, bird has moved = hence utterly blurry image.  🙂

Still, they were the very painterly images which I wanted.

By the DD Pinhole.

Last moment of sun hit the Single Pinhole and created

fantastic diffraction pattern.

Single Pinhole with half a second shutter speed = camera shake.   😀

And this image —– 1.6 second exposure.

(I would rather say, not too bad for a hand-held shot !)

I think, the Lens (?) worked well for the purpose to produce

impressionists like / painterly image !   🙂

(You must have seen the most unusable photos here though,

if you like to have so-called good photo, use Phone-camera.)

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Evolution of PINHOLE System

Till now, I made quite a lot of Pinhole to take pictures for my

Canon, Nikon and invented “Concentric-Double-Density Pinhole,

and Wide-angle Pinhole. 

On top of those, even Double, Triple Pinhole, Tri-Color Pinhole

— on the end, it’s a mess. = In order to rationalize, I designed a

Convertible Type = Simple Single Pinhole, up-to-4 Multiple Pinhole

and Concentric-DD Pinhole with Selecting Tab, on the Nikon Mount

(Which is easily converted to the Canon) together with Detachable

Wide-angle Lens on front. 

So, the sample images were, Top photo Left = by Single Pinhole, 

Middle = Triple Pinholes,  Right= Concentric-Double-Density Pinhole.

In this photo, Left is the Detachable Wide-angle (Diverging) Lens. 

In the Middle, Triangle-ish panel which got 3 selection of Pinholes can 

be moved to each position.      Right is a NikonAI  to  CanonEF adapter.

Photo left is my kitchen.

Or you may call my work shop.

—– you may realized, how

my work is casual.   😀

Still, it’s OK to produce

properly machined like quality ! 

And the photo here showed the effect of = with or without the

wide-angle lens.

And the photo here, right, the panel shows 4 holes — by moving

rear panel, the selected Pinhole will come to the position.

Photos from the window —

Left = Single Pinhole,   Middle = Triple Pinhole. 

Right = Concentric-DD Pinhole.

—– So, I have to go out to make worthwhile pictures !

* * *

Incidentally, a test shot of “that rose” with this DD Pinhole was:

Considering it IS mere hole, without focus or any control, still

the image was somewhat comparable to a good German lens

—– isn’t this, amazing ?

—– Or, unlike the Leiz, the Zeiss might have kept their belief

on “Natural Optical Image” like this !

—– Mind you, the Pinhole is not a “Light-bending” Lens or a

Grass, therefore neither has aberration inherent to the Lens at all.

Still, the outer (larger)  hole of Double-Density Pinhole here is

acting as a “Dispersed” Light-pass, hence showing similar effect of 

the Spherical Aberration (= effect of light coming from not only the 

center but the outer area of the lens as well which is not necessary

converges the light to the same point = make the image softer.

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Bonfire

I got quite few typical round flower like Fire-work photos of film

time, somewhere.   but nothing special of such ubiquitous photos =

no interest to find the photo from bottom of the box.

Instead, I just clicked the shutter and found the expected exposure

(ISO 200, 1/2 sec, F-5.6) was correct, when I saw the Fireworks

over my window.  —– Then, I set my camera (5D Mk-3) to 5 frames

Multiple Exposure.)    So, this is the end-product.

Those Fireworks were just made by locals and seen over the roof, 

so, nothing grand at all, still it was a fun to watch. 

And the Golden Rule to make a humble subject looks rich =

give multiple exposure while shaking the camera, worked perfect.   🙂

So, it was my Bonfire Night.

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