J Bride

god…another Japanese story…

As I continue my quests for those perfect images from Waikiki, I wandered through the entrails of the Hyatt after shooting my usual randomness when I came across the usual Japanese bride in a rental dress being hustled by the wedding brokers from ceremony to limo to photo session to dinner to whatever for a fee…most likely a large fee…as wonderful weddings in Hawaii don’t come cheap.

She was no different than any Japanese bride I’ve seen at Ala Moana or Waikik…but the light flowing from the open corridors of the hotel caught this bride-to-be in a very beautiful way. I don’t think I captured her how I saw her as she seemed a bit unsure of what was going on…I mean, I walked in and she is sitting in the lobby dolled up in her wedding dress. No one is talking to her, no one is with her. I almost felt as if she got a dress, got dressed, and went down to hang out in the lobby.

The light streamed in from the street and caught her nicely. I approached her after circling a bit and slowly asked if I could snap a photo of her. I must have looked odd and/or pervertish for taking her shot but she was really nice and smiled big.

She told me she was from Osaka and I bowed to her a thank you and congratulations.

Nice moment from a stranger.

UPDATE…

I did notice her hands…they were gripping her dress. Uneasiness? Needed a cigarette?

Or was it me, the fat guy with a camera?

hmmmm……..

A Japanese splash

A loss of words fills my empty head on this image. I’m not sure why but I really caught something unique to my eye. A bit papparazi, voyeuristic, yet to me beautiful. A young beautiful girl caught in the crashing surf of Waikiki.

Umbrella

I’ve been working on a stock project for Frommer’s guide books on Oahu and have shot like a madman over the last few weeks. I been all over the island, seen and done many things I normally would not have done. Amazing how we locals forget how wonderfully beautiful Oahu is.

But in my eyes, sometimes life isn’t like a postcard or some beautiful stocky image you typically see in guide books. Shooting stock is challenging and I seem to always find the unique in what is around.

I walked down Waikiki beach hoping to catch some nice light and good looking people strolling or what not…I never expected to see something fun. I stumbled upon an older beach goer wrestling with a stubborn umbrella while standing in the sand during the sunset. I think the photo says enough.

Enjoy.

Wall on Waikiki

My Leica and myself have been spending time at the beach. A little creative photoshop and I am developing a nice view of what I encounter on a sunny afternoon.

I keep thinking film is better than digital but in all aspects, digital wins hands down for its versatility and ability to capture detail film isn’t able to get. However, film still retains that je ne sais quoi digital can’t capture. Sure I played with the film scan in photoshop but there is something to it that makes film a bit magical.

Maybe its the fact that its not perfect…the exposures are not always spot on or what not. The Leica is also hard to use. Can’t focus quickly, load film easily but something about the camera, film and feel just make a sunny day a splash.