Geisha- The Japanese Rock Star

After traveling and working in Japan many times in four years, I finally was able to arrange a meeting with a geisha in the Gion district in Kyoto over the weekend. It is actually one of the most difficult photo opportunities that I have tried to setup. Japan’s history and culture are sacred and it takes an introduction to arrange a private meeting for a photo opportunity. I was a strange case for them as a female client not looking for entertainment.

I attended a traditional tea ceremony first and then had 30 minutes to get an individual portrait session and discussion. I learned that she was a maiko, which is a young geisha apprentice in training for music and dance.

The experience was magical and well worth the wait. I always compare geishas to magical creatures like unicorns.

After my portrait session I went and had lunch at a traditional restaurant and then decided to walk around the area. I realized it was almost 6 pm which is the normal time for most geishas to go to work. I looked down the street and saw paparrazi-like crowds of photographers running after geishas walking down the streets on the way to work. Of course, I joined in and met people from France, Brazil, UK, and many other parts of the world. It was so fun. I got a few candid photos and captured the crowds outside the house where the geishas live. Overall it was an amazing day that I won’t forget as I start to finish up my time in Asia.

Blue Skies- Taj Mahal

I visited Hyderabad and Mumbai, India for work again in March. I had decided before leaving that I was going to make the long 10 hour travel excursion back to Agra from Mumbai to the Taj Mahal to try to get photos with blue skies in the background.

I was VERY lucky this time and was able to get the perfect weather for the photos.  I also had a fantastic local guide that took me to different view points to get some great photos.

One of the highlights of my trip was stopping to photograph some side streets and being attacked by school children who wanted their photographs. It was amazing to meet the kids and take some candid shots of them. It was one of my all time favorite experiences in India.

India is a very special place and there is so much more to see and photograph there.

Sunny Shanghai

I waited 4 years for sunshine in Shanghai to recapture the skyline shots that I had in May 2004. It was worth the wait for the golden glow over the city.

Shanghai Nights

Last night I went to the top of the new Financial Building in Shanghai for sunset. It was amazing to see the Pearl Tower from this angle and the skyline.

It was difficult to get the shot because the room had bright fluorescent lights overhead and the windows were angled so the camera has to be put directly on the glass.

Typhoon NURI

I was working in Hong Kong this week and the city was hit head on with a Level 9 typhoon called Typhoon Nuri. The city pretty much shutdown and I stayed locked in my hotel room on the harbor until the storm passed.

The only upside to being in the storm was the aftermath when the skies cleared and I was able to get amazing skyline shots with blue skies for sunset. Hong Kong is notoriously smoggy and its hard to get clear shots, so after the typhoon everything cleared out. Luck had me at the right place at the right time.