Inspiring Story from Kris Phillips (费翔) - Guys must read!

What do you think of this picture?
Well, remember the conclusion I've made in one of the previous post about Japanese girl's posing? They like to show "peace" sign right?
(Yes I know that in the previous post I called it "winning" sign, but that is in Malaysia. In Japan when they show their pointing and middle fingers, it means "peace!!" I've just learned this from my Japanese Language teacher)
Anyway, in order not to get the "peace!!" I captured this shot without prior notice. I like this picture more because it is so spontaneous, captured the expression of the girl that is so real, something cannot be prearranged.
As a photographer, I think one has to had the gut to take risk like this. I called it a risk because no one know what will happen next. Do you interested to know what give me such courage to take such risk? Here is the story...

Do you know Kris Phillips (费翔), a Taiwanese singer. He once shared a very interesting real-life story when being interviewed in a TV show, which is very inspiring to me, and thus I think I should share it to others as well...

In the interview, he brought a black-and-white photograph of a lady walking on a street (that means it's a very old photograph before colour photo is available). Apparently, the photo was taken without prior permission of the lady, as her looks was so spontaneous and fierce, as if she is being very angry on the camera man for shooting her picture.

Then Kris revealed that the lady in the photo is his mother, and that the camera man who took the picture at the cost of having a pair of fierce eyes glaring at him is his father. At this point I guess you can already tell what happen next after the candid photography incident... eventually the lady and the man get to know each other and then...

Here is the point (not from me, but from Kris):
"When you are getting an unfriendly response from a girl, you should not be too bother about it. Don't be too sad. It doesn't means you stand absolutely no chance at all. Because no one can really tell what will happen next."

So that is the words from Kris. I apply it in photography to capture moment, while for many of you guys (yes, this post is especially dedicated to male readers), I hope this do help you in sometimes of your life.

Hokkaido Uni. festival - Part C

After reading the Hokkaido University Festival part A and B, some might start wondering what this festival is actually about...
Alright, actually people (the students) were selling things during this festival (mainly foods).

As we have international students here, so we have the opportunity to taste foods from other countries.













However, many are Japanese cooks...













































This is banana "tinted" with chocolate.
Sorry for the used of mechanical term here to describe food stuff.







In order to attract customers, they came out with many creative ideas...

















































































































Beside foods, they also selling other things such like these, mainly hand made.


























Off all their creative crafts, I bought this one...
No! not the pig, the one behind...
Yes, I bought shit!
It's only 10 yen, which is RM 0.30 sen.
What a cheap shit!











After the festival, I went to Odori Part for dancing competition and came across this very beautiful dog...

















There are also very sexily dressing men dancers...

To those who like to have my free photography service - a win-win deal

I've been loving photography since my university years.
It's a very expensive hobby as good photography equipments are very costly.
In order to support my hobby, I offer a win-win deal for those who like to have photos of themselves but don't like to pay for what the photography shops are charging...

All you need are to sign model release form in order for me to have the right to use the photos for commercial purpose.
Be bear in mind that you might appear as one of the model who shows on brochures, posters, flyers, etc, as your photos will be trade at stock photography sites such like:
http://www.istockphoto.com/
http://submit.shutterstock.com/top50.mhtml

Let me know if you are interested...
yuanstudio@yahoo.co.uk

p/s: or you don't have to sign the release form if you willing to pay for my service : )

Hokkaido Uni. festival - Part B

Another of my favorite photography subject is children. So I've photographed some during the Hokkudai University Festival.
The way I like to composed my shoots maybe way too over for some peoples, but for this one, I just wish to express my feeling that I've found boots here at Hokkaido very fashionable...
I think I can just photography boots and publish a photography booklet of boots if I want to, seriously.





This one of cause everyone know how to appreciate... a safety composition.















Another daring one... a risky composition.




































After the Hokkaido University Festival, I went to Odori Park for the dance competition, and took some photographs. Here are some about kids...
















How kids at this age perceive the world?

Hokkaido Uni. festival (学祭) - part A

The past four days were Hokkaido University's Festival.

So coincident that I just bought a new set of expensive camera gear (which almost make me declare bankruptcy), so I exploited the opportunity to test it's performance.

There are too many pictures that I've took, so it is not wise to put them all here, thus I shorted them out and decided to share what I think most reader are interested... here is the topic "Japanese girls"; this not only interest male, but also female readers for reasons that we male can't really know why.


































































































Before I came to Japan, almost all of my friends who get to know that I am going to Japan for phd have suggested to me the same thing "go and find a Japanese gf!" While some even asked, "Will you marriage Japanese girl?"

Well, here is my thought pertaining Japanese girls... after some careful observation, I have come to the conclusion that - Japanese girls (100%) love to show winning sign when posing for a shoot :)