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.

2015 Fall Photo Tour of Japan | Kiyomizu Temple & Shinnyodo Temple

Feb 17 | Evan | No Comments |

At this point in our tour we had learned colder than normal weather, followed by drought, followed by warmer than normal weather, had split the vast majority of maples into three groups, turned color early, dried up and died early, or turning color late.  Our tour of Japan must go on, though it meant now we were hunting for the best trees in each location, sometimes not having so many to choices! Even with the explanation of why the fall leaves weren’t out in full force in Kyoto, we were still able to make some great art and photographs in Kyoto.  In this post I’m combining 2 places that are quite different but both are nice to visit in Kyoto in Autumn.  First is Kiyomizu Temple and second is Shinnyodo Temple.  Kiyomizu Temple is in South Eastern Kyoto in the area called Higashiyama.

Kiyomizu dera is probably one of, if not the most famous temples in Japan.  There are almost always crowds and thus if you are taking photos, I’d highly recommend going early in the morning as it opens at 6am.  Hopefully, you will get a nice sunrise (which we didn’t get so much) or fantastic moon setting over Kyoto (which we did)!

Later in the day we would make our way over to Shinnyodo Temple, a much lessor known temple and often passed over by visiting tourists.  Not because it isn’t great, but because there are so many other wonderful places to visit and experiences to do in Kyoto.  Being slightly overlooked though is part of what makes Shinnyodo Temple great to visit as crowds tend to be much less but there are still some great fall leaves to be found here!

The 2015 Fall Photography Tour of Japan included Tokyo, Kanazawa, Shirakawago, Okayama, Hiroshima, Miyajima and Kyoto!  Interesting in joining your own escorted tour of Japan with Japan Photo Guide?  Contact us to get the planning of your trip to Japan started or join one of the group tours of Japan!