A Year in Pictures – Ironwork Detail

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I think I’d been to Nanzenji before, on my previous trip to Japan, but I wasn’t as much of a photographer then; I didn’t pay attention to small details, and wouldn’t have been able to control my camera to get the short depth of field I have here. It’s nice to know what you’re doing . . . .

Originally published at Swan Tower. You can comment here or there.

quick Okinawa update

I have survived training! Most of it, anyway; maybe all. It’s unclear whether there will be more training on Kouri Island, which is where we’re going for the next couple of days. The schedule originally said yes, but the final version said no, and we’ve been told not to bring bo or sai or even gi. So if we are going to do more karate, it’ll be in swimsuits on the beach. Which would not be a bad thing . . .

Apart from the fact that I ended up learning kusanku yesterday (a kata I’m not supposed to know for another year or so, which involves dropping to a one-legged crouch three times and is absolute murder on your right quadricep and glutes), I think I’m in pretty good shape. Ankle isn’t bothering me much, though it was a bit bad on the first day — I think I blame the plane flight. Okinawa is hot and humid, but so far not as bad as it could have been. I’ve experimented with continuous shooting for stuff that’s moving (traditional Okinawan dancers; adorable ducklings), and therefore have vast quantities of photos to wade through and cull. I would try to make a more interesting post out of this, but my brain appears to have been chopped up for chanpuru.

I should eat breakfast. And pack for Kourijima. Yeah.

Originally published at Swan Tower. You can comment here or there.