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.
  

FROM THE VAULT: BIRD'S EYE VIEW

when in cappadocia, it is highly recommended to do a hot air balloon ride at sunrise.  some travellers may grimace at the idea as it is the touristy thing to do, but as the saying goes, "when in rome..."  the beautiful natural landscapes of the area and awe inspiring views certainly make this a must do when visiting the area and i would definitely recommend it to anyone. having never been on this mode of transport and only mildly uncomfortable at heights, i did not hesitate at the opportunity to enjoy an early morning wake-up and ride in the sky to start my day.

cappadocia, turkey (2013)
photo credit: me

i really enjoy this image because of the contrast of perfect and imperfect lines that make your eyes dance around the image and the vivid pop of color from the balloon below which break up the earthy warm tones from the rising sun. by composing this image downwards towards the ground, i hoped to show that it wasn't necessary for me to highlight where in the world i am, but rather where in the moment i was - flying hundreds of feet above ground just like a bird would.

it truly is a unique experience to be this high off the ground and hear nothing but the wind - no mechanical engines, no flight attendants explaining how to buckle a seat belt, no kids screaming two aisles back.  occasionally, you might be snapped out of the calmness by the combustible roar of the hot air balloon intended to keep you afloat, but just as quickly you can revert back to the serenity and peacefulness of the breeze gently blowing through your hair and whispers of the wind speaking in a hypnotic silence. seeing our world from a bird's eye view brings a new perspective that helps us appreciate the colors and lines that our winged friends in the sky get to enjoy anytime they want.


de jesus just below the clouds. 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.

PUERTAS

who thought my fascination with doors would come to good use one day? recently, our city hosted the calgary international flamenco festival which featured talented artists from around the world.  in its 4th year, the festival awoke our senses to the beautiful culture that is flamenco.  everything from the dramatic melodies of the guitar to the haunting notes of the singers which complemented so neatly with the rhythm of the flamenco dance itself - these series of shows provided a glimpse of a day in the life in southern spain.

one of the key organizers and featured performers of the festival is Fiona Malena, someone i have admired and respected professionally and fortunate to call a friend for many (many) years.  when she asked me to help with her upcoming show, "Puertas" she brought out in me a new dimension of enthusiasm in my work that i didn't think was possible.  being a portrait photographer by profession, my work isn't featured much past my clients and their family and friends to enjoy and share.  i have been able to collaborate with clients for the occasional poster advertisement, but this was a unique opportunity to share a few images of my hobby photography as a backdrop to an actual show.

la puerta principal

the purpose of "Puertas" was to bring in different cultural influences into a flamenco concert, allow the audience to experience the differences (but more importantly the similarities) of how music/dance from different regions interplay with each other.  Fiona's vision of the show was to have people feel how connected the art of flamenco is in spite of its differences.

for an unseasoned audience like myself, i particularly wouldn't know when one culture was being featured apart from each other.  perhaps the breaks in the music and style may have helped, but the appreciation of the transition from one theme to another may have been lost on the casual observer, especially if it wasn't explicitly mentioned.  Fiona believed that utilizing imagery could complement both her dancing and the music and would also provide just the right amount of atmosphere to let the audience immerse themselves in the story being told, while allowing our base senses to provide its own narrative.

la puerta judia

in the planning stages, Fiona and i met for dinner and discussed the show.  there were visions of grandeur that involved laser beams, pyrotechnics and little people on unicycles balancing on a camel's back, but Fiona shot my ideas down...thinking that it might be juuuust a bit over the top (she probably regretted asking me to help out at this point).  but as we continued with her vision for the show, she asked if i would be able to share some of my photography, a portfolio of work she has sampled on those ever important social media sites like facebook and instagram (photographers - don't ever discount the importance of these sites...more on that on a future post).  i of course was more than happy to share my work for her show and with a common understanding of expectations, i sifted through my photos to see if i can align with what she needed for her ambitious and thoroughly captivating plans.

the goal was simple - the show would be divided into cultural sections: latin, arabic, jewish and indian. the overall theme was in the name "Puertas" which is spanish for "doors".  "Puertas" is a story focused on four doors or four portals to the cultures mentioned above.  music would be composed and the dance choreographed with that in mind and the imagery would complement each section as a dramatic backdrop to the performers.  and my job was to simply provide the four doors...

la puerta arabe

so i went through my photography, challenged to provide architectural door images i have taken throughout the world while keeping in mind that i haven't been to places like israel or india.  but as most travelers know, influences are everywhere no matter where you are and much like the food of a country, the influences and diversity from neighboring or even faraway cultures still manage to find its way in foreign lands.  you just have to open your eyes to it.

la puerta latin

luckily enough, i did find compelling images from my travels that suited each section which had enough interest to be a backdrop for featured performers but not overly busy to take away from them either.  after the sign of approval from Fiona, we went ahead with the images shown here.

la puerta india

i attended "Puertas" here in calgary and was simply amazed at the concert as a whole.  Fiona and her ensemble were flawless, carrying with them a sensibility of their culture that was expressed in such a beautiful and immersive form.  there were several moments throughout the performance where i did close my eyes and breathed in the vocals, the dancing guitar and the steady cadence of hand clapping and percussion.  i listened for the light clicking of her shoes as she commanded the stage, broken by the timely joyous praise of "ole!" from people in the audience.  even when i opened my eyes again, the beautifully crafted costumes, the passion for song and the breathtaking images of doors in the background pulled me away from home for at least that moment and brought me to a faraway place and it is that feeling of transport that i can say that it was a total success.

courtesy: fiona malena

on a personal note, i've never seen my photos displayed at that size and resolution so it was a proud moment for me to see the images in the first place but to see them beautifully incorporated into the show  was a really great experience. the feedback to the show and the images were very positive and i would like to thank Fiona for allowing me to be a small part of such a unique and inspiring opportunity.  i hope that i can to continue to share my work with people and collaborate with passionate artists like Fiona and find new and exciting ways to explore my own creativity.

here is a sample of the show, (notice the huge amazing images in the background!) but more importantly features an interview with the talented Fiona Malena herself:

de jesus. ole and out.