2018 Cherry Blossom Photo Tour of Japan | Maiko Portrait Session in Kyoto

Jun 01 | Evan | No Comments |

I’ve been photographing this maiko san since 2014 and this past photography tour will be the last time I photograph her as a maiko as she is finished her apprenticeship and became a geiko (geisha are called geiko in Kyoto) in May!  A portrait session with a real maiko is always a popular request from photographers visiting Japan with me on the photography tours.

I’ve really enjoyed the portrait sessions with her in Kyoto over the years and it’s been fun to see her grow and become a fantastic model to work with.  At this point, I don’t have say anything to her until I’m ready to move to the next location or pose.  I’ve also grown and improved as a photographer myself, so it’s been fun working with her multiples times on the photography tours of Japan.

I’m already looking forward to next portrait session in Kyoto with her as a geiko san which will include a lot of changes in her style and appearance!  I will have to put together a book for her as a gift with some of my favorite portraits of her in Kyoto over the years! 

The 2018 Cherry Blossom Photography Tour took a small group of photographers to Japan.  We started in Tokyo and continued to Hiroshima, Miyajima, Himeji Castle, Kyoto and Mt. Fuji.  Here is the trip report from the 2018 Cherry Blossom Photography Tour of Japan. The 2019 Cherry Blossom Photo Tour of Japan is already planned and live!  Limited spots are available for the 2019 Cherry Blossom Photography Tour of Japan, with first booking already reserved!  Below is a gallery of more photos from our maiko portrait session in Kyoto.

2018 Cherry Blossom Photo Tour of Japan | Kyoto

May 20 | Evan | No Comments |

 

By the time our small group of photographers reached Kyoto, time earlier than normal cherry blossom season was starting to catch up with us.  Even that being the case, there were still areas of Kyoto where we could still find cherry blossoms in good condition and also many places in Kyoto are picturesque with or without cherry blossoms.

Often visitors of Japan tell me they want to go “off the beaten path” which sometimes we will do, but sometimes the view from the path is too great to pass up on. Kyoto has many of these high traffic paths with great views like Fushimi Inari Taisha, Golden Pavilion and Bamboo Groves of Arashiyama.  After all, there is a reason they got on the path in the first place!

 

So now the challenge becomes creating your art at this often photographed place in a way that is your unique view.  Usually I find myself having to take the “standard” photo just to get it out of my system, then I can look for my view off the path.  If you do visit Japan, even though Kyoto IS the beaten path, don’t pass up on it.  There is no city in the world like Kyoto that can match it’s mix of modern, tradition and culture and with more than 400 shrines, 1600 temples and plenty of small side streets, you will have many paths, on and off, to explore and photograph in Kyoto!  

The 2018 Cherry Blossom Photography Tour took a small group of photographers to Japan.  We started in Tokyo and continued to Hiroshima, Miyajima, HImeji Castle, Kyoto and Mt. Fuji.  Here is the trip report from the 2018 Cherry Blossom Photography Tour of Japan. The 2019 Cherry Blossom Photo Tour of Japan is already planned and live!  Limited spots are available for the 2019 Cherry Blossom Photography Tour of Japan, with first booking already reserved!  Below is a gallery of cherry blossom photos from our time spent making photos in Kyoto.

2017 Private Summer Tour of Japan | Kyoto

Aug 16 | Evan | No Comments |

Kyoto. More than 30 trips to Kyoto since 2004 and I’m still amazed every time I travel to Japan’s old capital.  The mix between modern and traditional Japan is is probably the main reason why Kyoto is my favorite city in the world though it’s always exciting to see what first time visitors to Kyoto will fall in love with.  Everyone comes to Kyoto with high expectations, but somehow tours in Kyoto never disappoint!

Whether it’s the temples and shrines themselves like Golden Pavilion, Nanzenji or Fushimi Inari Taisha, or the nature/gardens within or the food and shopping of Kyoto or the Kyoto arts and crafts or the old style buildings like in Ishibei Koji or Ninenzaka or the bamboo forest in Arashiyama, Kyoto has it all.  Of course then there is Kyoto for photographers….

 

Photographers tend to move at a different pace than normal tourists.  We look at things differently and for longer periods of time and then want to go back to some places for more sometimes!  For a photographer, Kyoto is almost like shooting fish in a barrel.  There are almost too many great opportunities which can be overwhelming at first because there are so many sights to see in a limited time.  While Kyoto does have an extensive bus network and a subway, for efficiency, hiring a car is my preferred way to get around Kyoto and having a car this time certainly helped us to get in as much as possible.  We had four nights in Kyoto, but no matter how many nights in Kyoto, it’s never enough and already looking forward to the next chance I have to spend time photographing and exploring this magical city!

Even after experiencing it a few times, I’m still amazed with the image stabilization on my Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II.  The first two photos in the gallery below of the waterfall were taken at 1/6th of a second and 1/4th of a second, handheld!

See more photos below or the full report to see more posts from the custom and private photography tour of Japan.

Private and Custom Tour of Japan | Maiko Portrait Session in Kyoto

Aug 04 | Evan | No Comments |

Just another day of taking portraits in Kyoto!  Sometimes I have to take a step back and really appreciate these special portrait sessions in Kyoto as after developing a relationship with a tea house in Kyoto, portrait sessions with a maiko have become a special experience that I’ve been able to offer on almost all my recent photography tours of Kyoto.  Taking portraits of a real maiko is always one of the highlights of the tour and an unforgettable experience!

  

 

This portrait session was on a moderately hot Summer day in Kyoto.  You wouldn’t know it by the sunny weather we had, but it was also in the middle of the rainy season in Kyoto.  This means that we had a lot of green to work with!   Her beautiful purple kimono looked fantastic with all the green, green and more green!

 

We got lucky at our portrait location in Kyoto as the temple was actually undergoing a little renovation.  Between the renovation and being a little away from central Kyoto, we had the entire place to ourselves to take portraits.

It was also really nice for Isabelle to take portraits of her and chat with her a bit as they are very similar in age but lives they lead are so drastically different!  After the first two photos below of the two girls together, there are a few portraits created by and courtesy of Isabelle Nazha Photography.

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