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Thread: Koryu embukai photos - Nara 7/10/2007

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    Default Koryu embukai photos - Nara 7/10/2007

    Went to a v.good embukai today in Nara that celebrates the 400th anniversary of Hozoin-ryu.

    I took so many pictures that its hard to sort through... but I have upload about 11 into my flickr account already.

    Please check them out. They are the top 11... pictures below them are from other embukai, keiko, etc....comments welcome!

    If anyone has a specific ryu request, then post here and I will see what I can do. If I dont have a good pic then its possible that my friend who I went with does.

    Enjoy!
    George McCall

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    Your photos are amazing!!!!!!

    I know they are the "top 11" but I am awestruck. I'd love to see the rest.

    Being a photographer myself, I am truely humbled by their quality, composition, etc.

    There's a Hontai Yoshin Ryu school here in Louisville, and I have a good relationship with one of the students and the Sensei (Brian Barnes)....I'd love to see some HYR specific photos.

    Can you post some someplace and PM me, or something.

    Again, fantastic work.

    Jim Mahanes
    Jim Mahanes

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    Thanks.... but I dont deserve that much praise!! I'm very much a beginner at photography... dont even have a decent camara yet! Glad you liked them anyway.

    I took a lot of Hontai yoshin-ryu pics, but I deleted the vast majority of them... only got 3 left. Will make them available soon. Might also have some from an embukai last year as well... if I can find the cd...

    EDIT: here is the best one
    George McCall

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    Great pics! I too would love to see some high quality HYR pics

    Jeff
    Jeff Brown

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    "I took a lot of Hontai yoshin-ryu pics, but I deleted the vast majority of them... only got 3 left. Will make them available soon. Might also have some from an embukai last year as well... if I can find the cd..."


    Ouch.....any you could come up with would be appreciated.

    The accolades are deserving. As far as camera type...don't get caught up with that, obviously what you're using is fine.

    Many years ago, I had the good fortune of meeting master photographer Duane Michaels (who shot the cover photography of the Police's Sycrynicity (sp?) album). He shot that entire thing and a lot of his early work with a point-and-click camera.

    Photography has so little to do with equipment and more to do with the photographer's eye and talent than anything else......you, have both.

    Keep clicking away,

    Jim
    Jim Mahanes

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    Cheers for your kind words Jim!!

    Check out my friends ace pictures here.
    George McCall

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    Quote Originally Posted by Shodog
    Many years ago, I had the good fortune of meeting master photographer Duane Michaels (who shot the cover photography of the Police's Sycrynicity (sp?) album). He shot that entire thing and a lot of his early work with a point-and-click camera.

    Photography has so little to do with equipment and more to do with the photographer's eye and talent than anything else......you, have both.
    For general photography, like album cover portraiture that may be true, but it certainly isn't for many other photographic areas.

    Try photographing a tiny insect up-close with a point-and-shoot camera. Unless you are using a specially made lens you'll likely get nothing but blury photos as normal lenses cannot focus that closely. How about an Olympic event where you are restricted to a particular area, often far from the action, and not allowed to use a flash? No one enjoys squinting in a vain effort to find the action in a wide angle shot of an arena. Most sports photographers drag around those large white Canon telephoto lenses for a reason.

    A photographer needs talent. There is no doubt about that. However, without the proper equipment, in certain areas it can often be impossible to get a good photograph. That is why 35mm systems are so popular. They often have a large assortment of interchangeable lenses.

    Regards,

    Ron Beaubien

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Beaubien
    For general photography, like album cover portraiture that may be true, but it certainly isn't for many other photographic areas.

    Try photographing a tiny insect up-close with a point-and-shoot camera. Unless you are using a specially made lens you'll likely get nothing but blury photos as normal lenses cannot focus that closely. How about an Olympic event where you are restricted to a particular area, often far from the action, and not allowed to use a flash? No one enjoys squinting in a vain effort to find the action in a wide angle shot of an arena. Most sports photographers drag around those large white Canon telephoto lenses for a reason.

    A photographer needs talent. There is no doubt about that. However, without the proper equipment, in certain areas it can often be impossible to get a good photograph. That is why 35mm systems are so popular. They often have a large assortment of interchangeable lenses.

    Regards,

    Ron Beaubien

    Yes, you are correct. I guess I should clarify....when I say point and click, I'm not speaking of a disposble camera you get at a drug store, or one where you can't zoom or change the apature/shutter speeds. But you can get a fairly descent 35 mm, SLR camera with a single, versitile lens (mine zooms from 28 to 200....with a Macro zoom...and suits me fine). Most of the cameras these days, especially the digitals, will have shutter speeds fast enough to catch action shots wihtout a flash and/or built-in flashes that will cover a variety of basic needs.

    Don't think the Sport Illustrated guys don't use flashes just because they're not mounted on their cameras. They have a team of guys spend days before an indoor game rigging up multiple flash units around an arena and slave it to their cameras....then again, they're Sports Illustrated.

    I shoot a Nikon D-70, with one lens and an auxilliary flash unit (less than $2,000 worth of equipment). I have shot professionally, and for myself and it works great.

    For the stuff that George is shooting...he's got the eye, and whatever equipment he's using meets the needs of good photography. I'll take eye over equipment any day.
    Jim Mahanes

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    Quote Originally Posted by Shodog
    Yes, you are correct. I guess I should clarify....when I say point and click, I'm not speaking of a disposble camera you get at a drug store...

    Don't think the Sport Illustrated guys don't use flashes just because they're not mounted on their cameras. They have a team of guys spend days before an indoor game rigging up multiple flash units around an arena and slave it to their cameras....then again, they're Sports Illustrated.

    For the stuff that George is shooting...he's got the eye, and whatever equipment he's using meets the needs of good photography. I'll take eye over equipment any day.
    Thanks for the clarification.

    George got a lot of good shots at that embu, there is no doubt about that but it was also outdoors. He was also shooting koryu schools performing kata, where there the movements are slow and deliberate.

    I'm quite aware of what Sports Illustrated does, but being a kendoka, George shoots a lot of kendo tournaments, where flash is not allowed (even by the pros) and the location is indoors. I know exactly what shooting conditions he usually has to overcome as I often shoot at the same venues myself.

    The last time I shot kendo in Kyoto's Butokuden I had use ISO 1600 even though I was still using Canon 200mm F 1.8 lens (which is the world's fastest lens in its class) wide open and I still got a motion blur from the shinai. Take a look:

    http://www.kendo.or.jp/download/wp/2006_1024.jpg

    I used to use a Canon D60 (a digital SLR with interchangeable lenses) when it first came out, but for my purposes it wasn't good enough. Like George, I do a lot of martial arts photography. For any fast action, the "prosumer" cameras were just not able to focus fast enough to catch the action. Sure, I could pull someone aside and have them pose, but that wasn't "the decisive moment" that I was after. I finally had to upgrade to a Canon EOS 1 Mark II and even then I find that it can be difficult for the camera to focus as kendoka dress almost entirely in dark indigo blue with very little contrast.

    In that way, I totally understand the frustration George feels when he says that he doesn't even have a decent camera yet. I felt the same way for years. Actually, I still feel that way because what George and I shoot currently pushes the limits of today's camera technology.

    I totally agree with you that camera gear does not necessarily make a good photographer. However at the same time, one still cannot take photos without a camera and all cameras/lenses are not created equal.

    Thanks again.

    Regards,

    Ron Beaubien

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    Ive updated my URL...... please look here from now on.

    An even better idea is to bookmark my website: www.eikenkai.net

    As for my pics, im not so much into action shots per se anyway... even kendo stuff. I like faces, solid kamae, and the occassional strange shape. Even if I got (when I get) a better camera I imagine my pictures wont really change stylistically... maybe. Anwyay, im just a baby at this milarky... it might just be a passing phase!!!

    Also, I dont make my money this way... so the quality of my photos (except on the web) isnt really that important.
    George McCall

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    That's a nice shot Ron....and I see what you mean about the blur. It's hard to get good depth of field when shooting low light, dark clothing and from far away.

    Yes, sadly some situations are beyond today's technology....and you still got a great shot.

    By the way, I'm jeolous as hell that you and George both live in Japan where you have access to these types of events

    I'd love to see more sometime.

    Jim
    Jim Mahanes

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    George, I definately bookmarked the site....great stuff once again.

    Let me know if you ever have the opportunity to shoot any judoka?

    Keep clicking away and I'll keep checking back.

    Jim
    Jim Mahanes

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    Judo?? I guess if I wanted to.... Im not a big fan though.

    I might give some iai and atarashii naginata a go in the next couple of months.....
    George McCall

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    Added 20 new embu pics from the weekend just now.

    Please check them out.

    Slight brightening on some of them, but thats about it.
    George McCall

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    When I say Judo, I don't mean a tournament or sport judo...there's enough of that on the Internet as it is (YUCK).

    I mean judo shot as art (creative use of light/shadow, traditional settings, etc.) ...much the way you approach your work now. From what I've seen, I'll bet you could produce some beautiful pieces.

    I've never been to Japan (frown) so I don't know how hard something like that would be to set up or find....it's just a little wishful thinking on my part.

    Anyway, please keep me in mind whenever you post new photos and PM me if you would...I can look at good photography all day.

    Thanks for sharing,

    Jim
    Jim Mahanes

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