logistics - Martin Belgica Files

Japan Nihon…

A very interesting space on earth. A land full of culture and heritage leaping with technological force. Seeing Japan is like acquiring a cube. A land with different faces. My family went to Osaka, Nagoya and Kyoto. I being a very relaxed person, do not push forward towards something without the necessary training to perform tasks. Japan was a strong land to deal with and so my Nihongo was my downfall. Interesting people are Japanese people without a decent amount of Japanese words counts to me as not taking photographs based on the standards of the land, expect my photographs to be just a beginner level Nihon taking photos of a very advanced level Nihon. Japan is an advanced subject to tackle, I was not prepared to take it on and so we step back and see what can be photographed and what is the proper ways to capture Japan on a standard of a ‘BAKA’ (Idiot).

OSAKA JAPAN

1st to tackle is the streets of Osaka Japan, Osaka is a lively place with a lot of infrastructure and interesting people, Osaka is a friendly place with a tint of modern living. We stayed at a building in Tanimachi 9 Chome with good air conditioning and a safe neighborhood. What you can do there is visit the night life and eat some good ramen.

Stores are also present if you are into shopping tech and Japanese items for consumption or to take back home as a tourist. Osaka nightlife is kinda shaded with the artificial lights of signs giving the vibe of a cultural phenomenon of strictly business in Osaka japan.

People are blurry while the Osaka city lights shines well. Moving photographer capturing at shutter speed. 1/160 f/8 ISO3200

there are a lot of shops and bars inside Osaka Japan. In Tanimachi 9 Chome where I stayed it was quiet enough to sleep but when you want to party, be kinda loud(Not so much) and enjoy, the trains station is just around the corner where you can just ride to a near machi or town and have a go. Having friends in Japan is super required and is pleasurable for you can visit easily if you have the luxury of time and money.

Food in Osaka is delicious, I tried a ramen house with the family and enjoyed it very well, also some udon Yakisoba was sweet and superb.

KYOTO JAPAN

Kyoto the samurai vibes, A very cool relaxed town in Kyoto Japan. People with kimono and also Bhuddist temples all over the place. It was a nice place to visit and have fun. To feel and experience the diverse religious beliefs of Japan from Shinto to Bhuddism and beyond, Kyoto must be on your list. The strict appearance of Kyoto and its people will be the testament of what Japan is. Experiencing the place makes you think of what the world really is.

The Bamboo forest of Kyoto japan is a place to take deep insight towards the beauty of nature. The natural parallel forms of the bamboo touched by the light of the heavens makes you turn towards the soul or the divine just being there.

People are seeing the wonders of the bamboo forest. Assisting each other as they walk towards the pathways.

the light on the background spills forward towards the observer. The parallel lines of the bamboo creates a filter or buffer of light.

NAGOYA JAPAN

What can I say about Nagoya Japan? Interesting people live in Nagoya, you will see a lot of cosplay, good food, gaming culture and a good marketplace. You can find everything in Nagoya Japan. Sadly we only stayed 2 nights in Nagoya but the place was kind of relaxing and home like.

TRAIN MADNESS

The train stations in Japan is very effecient but due to my lack of Nihongo it is kinda confusing. The subway system is vast and impressive. Taking yourself all over japan is like just taking train rides to places. It is very fun but confusing. It is like a maze transferring from platform to platform and train to train. Having decent nihongo and knowing how to read kanji will make your trip much more fun.

Going back to Japan is a natural tendency. Studying their language adds the fun to Japan. Not knowing anything about their language is a big ‘NO’ due to the people not really answering back in english but in Nihongo. They have love and pride towards their own culture and preserving it is sensed. English speakers are found in Government establishments and Hotels but as for the people of Japan it is not in their mind I think or purposefully not their intention to start speaking English for Non-Japanese tourists. I do know they can speak English I can see it in their jaw, but I tell you they will not and that for me is a good thing.

Till next time
SAYONARA 🙂 NIHON 🙂

Hello 2023. The 50 watts bulb for the cheap softboxes just came. Price is like 5 dollars per bulb, around 500 Philippine pesos. I tested it to see if it will work compared to continous light Yungnuo. I am having struggle to complete my budget for this small studio. My purchasing month will be march and before I can use the studio for projects it will take time, for now let me show you some of the pictures the studio can produce pre purchasing of equipment. #Hardtimes.

I took my Video light and plugged the softbox. It looked like shit.

But lets still check on how the lights would look based on a wall background rather than a Cloth or paper backdrop.

NIKON COOLPIX SB5100

I used 2 cameras for testing, the Nikon point and shoot sb5100 and my Oppo Reno6. Oppo has good exposures while the old Sb5100 is kinda struggling with the Auto Focus so I had to take a number of shots just to get something in focus.

Old Nikon Cameras can still produce good images but you can tell the developments from modern coolpix cameras that sb5100 is very old. Last photo for the Nikon Coolpix.

The light was received okay using the coolpix but not as good as newer Coolpix cameras. My exposure meter was right on the middle not overexposed but just right.

OPPO RENO 6

The Oppo Reno6 had better exposures but the quality is much more less in terms of texture and pixel. The technology and Ai of the oppo produced better looking pictures but with less quality.

I had fun with the Oppo its focus system was better and it was just tap tap tap. A very usable device to take decent portraits for Social Media and blogs. Who needs a Bridge and a point and shoot?
“I still prefer point and shoots though. Shhhhhh….”

Mobile Portraits is fun. I am not into portrait photography but sometimes I take photos of family and friends. It is not my forte but it is also a fun style or type of photography. Taking portraits is also one of my lack in terms of photographic imaging and style. I am planning to venture in depth with this style in the future. Portrait photography is also the unescapable image for everybody wants to be photographed and be seen in a rectagular space or square. It brings memories or maybe just pure vanity.

I can’t post family portraits here or portraits I took cause it feels weird to post family pictures specially if it is your family. I can post maybe some simple portraits just for reference on how I take portraits. One is landscape square and one is a traditional portrait.

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY NAHHHH!!!

Some say that cropping is done not on the joint but I just think of it this way, do not crop out of context of your shape. That is my simple rule but if you do not like my rule then shit. I suck at portraits. I just prefer to crop in context of the shape. A round face must be contained what is within that round face must be expressed. It is that simple cropping rules can go to the trash bin but most of the times cropping rules still fit with my technique I just don’t like thinking of it.

SELF PORTRAITS

Self portraits is just selfies. It is challenging and fun and so the only thing I can do with it is to practice my posing, my gestures and my directing as per models. To know how to direct a model is to slightly know how it works.

So to end this blog is to just say lets hope this studio goes somewhere in the future and produce good photographs to be published and be seen by the people who supports it.

Martin Belgica Files

Graphing light since 2014

Category: logistics

Studio Moments for 2023 Pre Purchasing