The Tokyo Beats

The observant among you will have noticed that the slideshow on the main “Tokyo Beats” page has been updated with 30 new pictures.
A little something we are trying out.
Each member will select 5 pictures from the flickr stream of the other 5 and 5 of their own.
That way you get to see what we like about each others work. Plus a little selection of images we like of our own.

First up, as it was my idea, is my selection and I have tried to select images which represent that persons work to me.

Below are individually linked thumbnails so you can click thru to each image and so you know who is responsible for each piece.

Enjoy.

					Manny Santiago
					Motionid
					Eiichi-Scart
					Zebrio
					Jim O’Connell
					Uchujin

Recently we were included in a “Best of Japan on the web 2009” list over at Japanzine in the Photo Gallery section. Nothing like some free unsolicited publicity.

(Must remember to buy this Jon Wilks guy a drink, should we ever meet.)

A big thanks to Jon and Japanzine for noticing us.

Also, winner in the ‘Poser’s Corner’ category was the MEKAS site designed by our very own Motionid a.k.a Sean Wood which features many of his excellent photographs and even some of mine

Just a little blowing of my own trumpet……

In case anyone didn’t know I now have a blog too (check me out I’m SO last year)

It’s here – uchujinphotography.blogspot.com

Its mostly for my rants and a little bit about photography, or rants laughably justified by the inclusion of a picture.

Drop by and say hello.

2006_09_829, originally uploaded by Jim O’Connell.

In HESO Magazine’s most recent issue, Performance 11-12/08, Tokyo Beats Zebrio & Jim O’Connell show off some of their pole dancing talent. As well as Flickr Luminary Bruno Netto, the Amazing Edward Olive & more…Check it out here or visit the HESO Website to get your very own.

23ª CASA DE CRIADORES, originally uploaded by Bruno Netto.

gogo, originally uploaded by edwardolive hasselblad amateur photographer.

Technorati Tags: Edward Olive, HESO Magazine, Jim O’Connell, Max Hodges, photography, Pole Dancers, Tokyo Beats, Zebrio, Zokyo

I was recently commissioned to shoot the opening party of the MEKAS website at an insanely expensive and disgustingly trendy club in Omotesando, Tokyo called Le Baron. Luckily they had to let me in as I was working and even more fortuitously there was a free bar ;-)

MEKAS is a website for fashion professionals, featuring the latest news and analysis of the Japanese fashion market, apparently. That would explain all the expensive suits and color framed glasses. It was actually pretty cool and there were some interesting people there, like the head designer for Cartier and the geezer who designed the BMW M3…….not that im remotely impressed by that kind of thing, of course.

Oh and the site was designed and built by our very own Motionid (which is how I got the job….props to you brother ;-)

Click HERE to view the pictures on the MEKAS site

Oh and as an interesting side note (well, maybe interesting), I stayed shooting the party and enjoying the free bar until it stopped being free and then went home, only to discover a few days later that after I left Bono from U2 and Bob Geldorf had turned up.

“Hail to the Taxi”, originally uploaded by Zebrio.

A Tokyo Beats Project

You are cordially invited to the closing party of Tokyo Beat Member’s Sean Wood and Brian Peterson’s photo exhibition “Hail to the Taxi” at Cafe Pikey in Daikanyama, Tokyo on Saturday, June 21st from 8:00pm.

Excerpts from a Black and White Photography Magazine article by Colin Harding

The Japanese Camera industry in its formative years was characterized by imitation rather than innovation. The first Japanese cameras were copies of varying quality, of European and American designs. In 1933, Goro Yoshida and his brother-in-law Saburo Uchida founded the Seiki Kogaku Kenkyusho (Precision Instruments Labratory) in Tokyo. Their aim was to produce the first original Japanese 35mm camera – a camera that would be the equal of the Leica and the Contax.

The prototype of their first camera, based looely on the Leica II, appeared in 1934. Yoshida, a Devout Buddhist, decided to name the cameras ‘Kwanon’, after the Buddhist goddess of Mercy. Ushida, however took exception to the overtly religious overtones of the name which he felt, with its traditional association, was unsuitable for a high technology product.

Uchida won the day and Yoshida resigned from the company less that a year after he founded it. Uchida, now sole in charge, applied for a new trademark which was granted in 1935. The new name was to become famous worldwide – Canon.

I’m not one for voicing my opinion often but if ever there was an occasion to do so it’s now. I’ve just been to see timelessness, an exhibition by Toshiya Murakoshi and couldn’t tear myself away. His panoramic landscapes, shot with a Fuji TX-2 *, are in most cases very simple yet full of incredible detail. The prints he’s made are just superb and the overall presentation of the work left me almost weeping at it’s elegance. It’s a must see if you like Landscape photography.

Well that’s it ladies, gentlemen and those of you that, like me, fit into neither category…

Last night we took down the inaugural Tokyo Beats exhibition at Le Temps Perdu in Yokohama and sealed the event shut with a shot of Southern Comfort.

Thanks to everyone who came to see it. We were all very pleased with how it looked and how many people came down. We are already planning our next exhibition for later this year so watch this space.

As Richard Brautigan said ‘And the beginning was over’