First fashion show back in Austin

Went to the RAWards 2012 show the other night. Here are just a few pictures that I took there.

Kyoto, Japan

Bamboo forest

I wish I remembered his name, but this guy was super awesome! He saw me taking pictures of the Bamboo Forest, and proceeded to pull out a small booklet of pictures that he took in the park, which included some sweet mountainside photos, the bamboo forest, and Kyoto covered in snow. Naturally, I wanted him to know my shooting style and see some of my work, so I brought out the iPad and showed him the pictures I had been taking of Japan. he enjoyed them so much, he insisted on showing me all of the spots from which he took his pictures! Haha! While we were walking, he proceeded to tell me he was 85 years old, and that he walked the mountain trail everyday. At first it was kind of hard to believe, because there’s a lot of big hills to climb, but every person working on that mountain waved and said hello to him like he was a local celebrity. Super cool guy! Oh, and he really liked my collection of Zeiss lenses.


Early morning sunrise

Follow the leader


The season is changing in front of me

Monkeying around…

Double rainbow at Kyoto Station

In a sea of ducks, one spotted me taking it’s picture. – at Kinkakuji Temple

Kinkakuji Temple

At the Rock Garden in Ryoanji Temple

Met a nice German guy named Peter and we discussed photography, Leica, and Zeiss lenses.

Tunnel vision or Temple Vision?

Rainy day at one of the temples

Making some bread

My buddy Robert and I made some bread today. First we had to fill the outdoor oven full of wood, then after an hour or so of heating it we cleaned it out and threw the bread in. Enjoy the pictures!

The climb of Fujisan (Mt. Fuji)

I spent the last few days climbing Fujisan. I only had 3 hours of sleep before arriving at the mountain, so I’m sure that impaired some of my climbing ability. But, I still made it to the top! The temperature was in the 30′s – 40′s (f), but the wind was completely insane and brought the temperature to below freezing. There were times when there was icicles on the hood of the jacket. Throughout the climbs I endured rain, hail, massive winds, and incredibly slippery rocks.

Now, let me say, there are two different ways you can climb Fujisan. One way is to take a rope walkway to the top, and encounter a few stations and a small hotel on the way there. To me, that isn’t climbing a mountain at all. If anything, it’s more like hiking a mountain. That wasn’t the route I took. The way I took was a completely vertical climb, with angles up to 60 degrees. With rocks constantly slipping under you, winds never letting up, and rain pouring down on you. There is almost no such thing as shelter on this climb. Every now and then you would encounter a big rock that would give you a little break from the wind, but that’s it.

Spent a total of 18 hours ascending and descending the mountain, and have to say I’m pretty proud of myself!

Where have I been staying the last three weeks?

So, some of you might be wondering where I have been staying at for the last 3 weeks? Well, I am doing wood work for the Yamazaki family here in Hino, Japan. Hino is a city west of Tokyo, filled with all sorts of age ranges from babies to seniors. People are generally more friendly and relaxed here, compared to the fast paced, robotic lifestyle of Tokyo.

Anyways, I joined a website called WWOOFJAPAN (www.wwoofjapan.com) in search of doing something out of my normal routine. After you become a member of WWOOFJAPAN, you get to search for different host houses that allow you to work on their farm (or garden/workshop in this instance) and in exchange they feed you, house you, and generally teach you new skills like learning the Japanese language.

The following images are of the “interesting” house that I am staying in. Traditionally for this kind of work, the wwoofers (my role) stay in a separate house from the host family. This house reminds me of the movie Jumanji, as it is slowly being taken over by the plant life. Enjoy!

At the host’s house in Japan

These are the people I am staying with in Japan for the first month that I am here. They are really nice, funny, and fun to be around! This isn’t everyone, but I just thought I would share a few photos!

Japan!

These are just a few of the photos so far from my ongoing trip in Japan!

Protected: Botanical Garden with Jenny, Kyle, and Kaylin

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Roger and Eliza – Engagement

Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity to take photos for my good friends Eliza and Roger. I have known Eliza since we were 14, and we have been best friends ever since.

When I see her and Roger together, I always see a sparkle in her eye. There’s just something about those two that is magical.

They are one of the greatest couples I know.

The Wedding of Stephanie and Jonathan 04-27-2012

Went to a wedding today with my friends Nick and Brooke. It was the most casual and relaxed wedding I have ever been to. Decided to bring my camera just for fun. The newly weds were very hospitable and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves!