EATING THROUGH JAPAN

a little over a year ago i was fortunate enough to go on my dream trip and visit the wonderful country of japan.  ever since i was a wee little samurai, i have had an interest in everything japan had to offer. i can't pinpoint exactly what drummed up this interest within me but if i'm speaking honestly it could be a lot of cliche things that my grade school self thought was truly authentic "japanese" - ninja's, sushi, white faced geisha girls, bonsai trees and mr. miyagi.

over the years, i learned that japan is so much more and for whatever reason i still kept pushing it out in the future in favor of other destinations around the world.  and even in visiting these other exotic locales (sometimes more than once) my mind wouldn't let go of the idea of the need to go to japan, even if it was by myself. so in the early spring of 2015 i packed my bags and ventured out on my own to discover the wonders of the land of the rising sun.

now i could go on forever about how awesome the trip was and how each passing day only added another day of proof that i needed to visit again. but instead of using my words, i'll let the photos do the talking.  at first i wanted this photo essay to be my big embrace to japan and all its storied history, culture and people but then i realized that should be a work in progress and i'll never capture it all in one slideshow.  so instead i focused my attention on one particular aspect of the country that had me buzzing from the moment i stepped off the plane in tokyo to the minute i landed back on canadian soil....FOOD.

this is by no means an attempt to flood your senses with emotional, beautiful photographs the way someone like Peter Lik or Steve McCurry would (those will come later on in a future post) but rather these images are only intended to make you salivate and tug at your tastebuds for the savory sweet art that is japanese food.  in fact, many of these images are captured directly from the iPhone and still you can get a sense of how simply inspiring dining is in japan, let alone how delicious it is.  from sushi to curry and ramen to rice bowls, the only way to really enjoy authentic japanese food is by going there yourself and spending yen at the nearby izakaya, the local hole in the wall noodle house or even the closest 7-11 or lawson's.  and if after you watch the slideshow and you still have absolutely no cravings for a succulent piece of tuna nigiri or a piping hot bowl of ramen, i feel sorry that you have no heart.  go enjoy a bowl of cheerios and ice water and talk to me when you want to enjoy life again.


have any questions or comments? did i miss out on something that i should enjoy the next time i'm there (and there will be a next time). find me and drop me a line on either facebook, twitter or instagram.

de jesus. irasshaimase! and then out.
  

RECENT AWARDS

at a wedding shoot this past weekend, an adorable middle aged woman asked me where they could see my work.  naturally i directed them towards my website and then she asked me if i had won any awards for my photography.  odd question i thought, "honestly..." i said,  "not for my wedding work, but i have been fortunate enough to win a couple of awards for my personal work."  i have never submitted anything for my wedding work, largely because i'm still searching for that perfect image that i know represents my voice but i do on occasion submit images from my personal work.  i've always liked competition and i've always enjoyed my work being reviewed by professionals in the industry who have a trained eye and know what to look for.  often times their honest critiques have made me a better photographer and allowed me to explore abilities outside of my comfort zone.

photography is truly a subjective art much like paintings and poetry, but there is always something in each image that can connect with an audience.  something that allows it to stand on its own and sometimes stand up above others.   i would love to be able to capture images that fit this criteria all the time, but sometimes images are made in the moment, you just happen to have a camera in hand when it appears.  other times, it's a carefully constructed composition which balances the elements of light, shutter and aperture to create the mood the way it was intended in the photographer's eye. heavyweights of the industry like Peter Lik, Ansel Adams or Walter Iooss know how to achieve both and ultimately has made them successful in connecting with their fans through their work.

as an amateur photographer, i'm always happy to get a couple of memorable images i know that not only mean something to me, but to others as well.  the validation is not essential, but it is nice to know that these accomplished experts connect with your work and would honor you with an award amongst the thousands of amazing entries that get submitted.  so for that charming lady who asked if i had won any awards and for the few hundred people who follow me, here are a couple of recent awards i have been fortunate to receive from the good people at the Worldwide WOW Photo Competition, based out of calgary.

2014 contest - "eager to learn"

2015 contest - "downtown mosaic"

as per submission requirements there is a short description for each photo, but i can certainly elaborate more in a future "from the vault" post.  stay tuned...i think you will enjoy the story behind each photo.

i still feel photography isn't meant to be judged but rather appreciated.  the old saying, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" really does ring true, but if judges can appreciate and connect with an image when they see one, i'm not one to stop them from letting people know about it.  semi-colon closed bracket.

de jesus.  still searching for the superbowl-oscar-grammy-stanley cup-gold medal photo. out.