Arito's blog

Random shots from February 2012

2012-02-29T00:29:00.002+09:00

February was a busy month, but I've managed to collect a wide variety of shots, so here they are. Hope you all like them...

２月は結構忙しい月になりましたが、その中でも色々とバリエーションのある写真をプライベートでも撮ることができました。ということで、今週はそんなコレクションです。

My web site: www.arito.com

The Lot Part II

2012-02-21T21:35:00.000+09:00

Part two of the Lot portion of our trip. The stereotype that the French love and appreciate good food was definitely true, we had some amazing meals even though the situation regarding the "kitchen" was, well, not really optimum... And of course, never a meal without some wine, which would probably be redundant for me to say: was really good.

先週に引き続き、道中ロット地方での写真です。フランス人が国民的に食に貪欲であるというのは本当に正しくて、台所はおろか、調理器具もろくに無いような環境でも素晴らしく美味しいご飯を作ってくれました。そして、もちろん食事にはワイン！これもまた安くて美味しかったのです。

My web site: www.arito.com

Into the Lot Region

2012-02-11T21:01:00.000+09:00

Some more shots from my road trip through France last fall. These images are from the Lot Region in Southern France. Beautiful light, wonderful people, and great food. What more would anyone need?

フランス旅行の続きをアップします。南仏のロット地方での写真。テントでの生活は慣れているので特に問題はなく、ひたすら景色と光の美しさ、そして良い仲間と過ごす時間の心地よさを味わいました。

My web site: www.arito.com

Honmoku, Yokohama part 2 & etc.

2012-02-05T22:49:00.003+09:00

Nothing special to write about, just some more shots from the following day with Numata san. And, yes, there IS a Hooters in Japan! Actually, only one for now, and it just opened at the end of last year. I've only been to Hooters once or twice in the States, but it was fun to have some wings and "breasts" for lunch... Good stuff.

The last four shots are of Nakamura san, one of the students from my photography workshop. She is putting together a small book of images she took of her husband, and I helped her on how to conceptualize the organization and order of the images. Over the course of numerous beers and sake, that is...

わざわざ書くような話は特にないのですが、前回の記事の続きの写真です。あの日の翌日は沼田さんと赤坂見附に新しくできたアメリカのチェーンレストランのフーターズに行ってきました。このレストランのコンセプトを説明するのが面倒くさいので、興味のある方は検索してみてください・・・でも、ちゃんとアメリカの味を再現していて、美味しかったですし、その証拠に外国人のお客さんが半分くらいいました。その後はナカコさんの事務所に行き、石巻の写真プロジェクトのミーティングに沼田さんの電車の時間まで参加させてもらいました。

最後の４枚は昔のワークショップの生徒さんの中村さんと横浜で飲んだ時のものです。中村は石巻に何回も来て下さっていて、今回は旦那さんを撮った写真をブックにまとめる作業で悩んでいたので、並び順やページ構成等、僕だったら意識する部分を色々お話しながら沢山飲みました・・・

My website: www.arito.com

Honmoku, Yokohama Jan. 26th.

2012-01-29T20:49:00.002+09:00

Numata-san took some time off from his extremely busy schedule and came to visit from Sendai. A good friend and very talented photographer, I met him in Ishinomaki through Sekigawa-san, another friend and great photographer. The three of us worked together at the cookout for the Ookaido shelter, during May and June, and became close friends.

Born and raised in Sendai, he was actually traveling through the US on March 11th, when the Earthquake and Tsunami destroyed much of his home town. The trip was the realization of one of his long time dreams; to do a road trip along Route 66. Obviously not in the mindset to enjoy his trip, he stepped on the gas and blew through all the sites, from Chicago to LA.

So, we got together with Nakako-san and Sekigawa-san and spent the day in Yokohama. My plan was to do a pseudo-Americana trip for him, and we checked out some Hot Rods and played pool in a seedy bar, then went to chow down some greasy BBQ burgers and Buffalo wings for dinner. We topped off the experience the following day, when we went to Hooters, but I'll save that one for next week...

石巻で共に活動し、大街道の避難所での炊き出しを手伝ってくれた沼田さん（通称チャーリー）が横浜へ遊びに来てくれました。沼田さんは仙台で活躍する売れっ子カメラマンで、カメラマン友達の関川さんが石巻での活動を通して紹介してくれました。

沼田さんはアメリカのルート６６を車旅するという長年の夢を実現させる為、３年ぶりに長期休暇をとってアメリカに行きました。そして、現地入りし、旅を始めた僅か数日後に３．１１の震災が起きたのです。『その後の事は全く覚えていない。』という彼は、夢の旅を楽しむ事なく帰国し、毎日の様に車で仙台から駆けつけて僕らの炊き出しを手伝ってくれたのです。

そんな沼田さんを関東に呼ぼう、と関川さんや中子さんと企画し、４人で『擬似アメリカな一日』を横浜で満喫しました。怪しいバーで瓶ビール（←これ大事）片手にビリヤードしたり、本場の味を出してるアメリカンバーでＢＢＱバーガーとチキンウィングを食べたり。震災後初めて石巻から離れてこのメンバーと過ごす時間は本当に貴重で楽しいものでした。他愛無い会話で盛り上がりながら何てことない路地を散歩し、ここでこうして一緒に笑っている不思議な縁に感謝した一日でした。

沼田さんのブログ：http://nu4611.exblog.jp/

関川さんのブログ：http://moonisup.exblog.jp/

My web site: www.arito.com

Ishinomaki Portraits 02

2012-01-24T23:54:00.000+09:00

Sada, another one of those great guys that I met through my volunteer work, happened to be in the seat in front of me on the bus to Ishinomaki. Yes, he is bare foot in the snow. He said he's in his third year living the bare-foot-life, and has traveled through the outbacks of New Zealand and the peaks of Yakushima without ever wearing a single sock. His first reaction upon stepping off the bus, was: "Ooh, that's cold."

The "Saving Memories Project," is one of the longest on going projects that we have. Collecting personal belongings that were found in the rubble and mud, we then clean and categorize them, so that survivors can come looking for anything that might possibly have belonged to someone they knew.

The biggest effort within the project is the preservation of photographs. Thousands upon thousands of photographs have been brought here, and volunteers have spent months hand cleaning each picture. They then gets scanned so that the images can eventually be made into an archived database for people to easily browse through, in search for a lost memory.

Kazumori and Ken have devoted every moment of their time in Ishinomaki as the leaders of this project, each having worked for at least 3 months for a combined total of 7 months now. The work is tedious, time consuming, and emotionally strenuous. Just imagine going through piles of photographs, thinking, in the back of your mind, that these people looking so happy in front of the camera, might not be with us anymore. Still, they both say that the work is gratifying, especially after witnessing the great joy people express when finding a photograph of a simple lost moment from their life before the Tsunami.

I went to visit a family that I became good friends with, while cooking at the Ookaido shelter. They now live in one of the many temporary houses within Ishinomaki. The Mother shared with me some "behind the scenes" stories from life in the shelter, and we laughed about things that happened behind those cardboard walls. I played Nintendo with the kids and drank beer and sake with the Father. It was wonderful and strange to be doing such simple everyday things with them, when the circumstances that brought us together were so extreme and out of the ordinary.

Ishinomaki Portraits 01

2012-01-16T22:41:00.000+09:00

I was up in Ishinomaki last Friday-Sunday, helping out with the projects that our Kizuna group has been continuing. I plan to post the details of our activities on my Facebook page within the next few days, but for now, here are some portraits of just a few of the many wonderful people I've met through volunteering up there.

金曜から日曜までの３日間石巻に行ってきました。活動の詳細に関してはまた近日中にフェイスブックにアップする予定です。とりあえずは、僕が石巻での活動を通して出会えた多くの素晴らしい仲間の中から、今回ご一緒できた数名のポートレートをアップします。

My web site: www.arito.com

Colors and Light, In and Around Paris

2012-01-08T23:08:00.002+09:00

I just love that deep, deep blue the sky takes on, maybe 30 minutes or so after sunset on a clear, dry day. You don't get to see it everyday, and for me, even less so because I live in a humid country. The first two pictures in this set were taken on such a day in Paris, and I love the contrast between the blue of the sky, and the warm tones of the street lights.

Otherwise, just another collection of images trying to chase color and light, with some grub thrown in between...

車旅の写真は一回お休みして、今週はパリ近郊で撮影した「Colors and Light」を意識したセットです。少しだけフード写真も紛れ込んでますが・・・

My web site: www.arito.com

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T17:03:00.000+09:00

Happy New Year!

Without a doubt, last year was one of the most difficult years of my life thus far, and probably so for many people in Japan and around the World. But, it was also one of the most wonderful, as I met some amazing people and was able to witness the strength, beauty and compassion of our human race. In the end, I think I learned a little about what is truly valuable in life.

I'm sure this new year will be a great one, and hope that everyone will laughter and excitement, in all those simple, precious moments of life. Let the good times roll...

(pic is from Ishinomaki)

みなさま、明けましておめでとうございます！

昨年は本当に色んな意味で大変な年になりましたが、同時に自分にとっては多くの素晴らしい出会いと、人が持っている優しさや強さを実感することができた良い一年でもありました。

色々と考えさせられることもあり、人生とは、なんて書くと哲学的に聞こえてしまいますが、自分の命に感謝し、こんな自分と共に過ごしてくれる人に深く感謝し、生きていく上で本当に大切なものを少しは見極められるようになった気がしています。

ではでは、今年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします！！！そして、今年がみなさまにとって素晴らしい年でありますように！

（写真は去年石巻で撮ったものです。）

My web site: www.arito.com

On the road with a Peugeot 106...

2011-12-27T15:01:00.003+09:00

I think we encountered almost every weather scenario possible on this road trip. From beautiful sunny skies, to some of the hardest down pour I have ever experienced. In between there was the dense fog, where visibility sometimes went down to about 10 meters. Despite all of the sketchiness, it made for a great way to see and experience the French landscape under a diverse range of light and texture. But most of all, I'd say it made for a great adventure.

今回の旅では、絵に描いたような晴天から屋久島以上の豪雨、そして視界１０メートルくらいの濃霧まで、道中あらゆる天候に遭遇しました。運転中は冷や汗を拭うような瞬間も何度かありましたが、おかげでフランスの風景の様々な表情を凝縮体験できた感じがしています・・・

My web site: www.arito.com

colors and light

2011-12-18T09:35:00.001+09:00

I shot these images at a park by the localBudokan, on my way home after signing up for next year's kyudo class. They'renot meant to be "straight" images of the fall foliage, but more of anabstract play of light and colors.

"Drowning in The Light," is anexpression I sort of created, and I'm not sure if it's grammatically correct,but I feel it perfectly represents what I experience during moments like these.

数日前に来年の弓道教室の申し込みをしに行った帰りに側の公園でちょっとだけ撮ってきました。

『紅葉の写真』というよりは、光と色だけを頼りに感覚で撮った絵だと思って見て下さい。

『光に溺れて』という表現、好きで良く使うのですが、僕が作った"Drowning in The Light"というタイトルを訳したものです。日本語として正しいのか分かりませんが、これを撮っていた時間はまさにその様な感覚の中にいました。

web site: www.arito.com

Moon pics

2011-12-12T23:16:00.001+09:00

A shot of the total lunar eclipse last Saturday.
先週土曜日の皆既月食。

Moon set from my porch this morning.

今朝、ベランダから見た月の入り。

プジョーの助手席から・・・

2011-12-11T22:26:00.001+09:00

フランスに４週間弱、行ってきました。
一応ちゃんとした目的はあったのですが、
パリから中～南仏をふらふらと車旅しました。

まだまだ写真の整理が出来ていないのですが、
今後ゆっくりと旅の様子をアップしていく予定です。

とりあえずはこちらを・・・

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