Random Japan #34 :: Flowers, Walls, and Parks
You know what time it is, right? It's Random Japan time! Your favorite look at completely random shots of things in the country that I happen to come across during my day. Sometimes interesting, sometimes boring, always random. Let's see what's up for today. First off—flowers.
You have seen many houses in this series by this point, some with yards and some without. I'd say the latter type is more common, simply because (as I understand it) many cities charge quite a bit extra for any green space, meaning a lot of the houses being built these days forgo any yard or any green space at all. Oh, but they do find a way to have a garden. Flower pots and lots of 'em!
One thing I like about Okazaki, my adopted hometown, is the castle and the surrounding park. It extends quite a bit from the castle in all directions and makes for a lovely area to hike around in or just sit and relax.
Last up we have this strange honeycomb pattern in a home wall. I have posted a few shots of the walls surrounding older houses (older houses that can afford to have a yard, unlike the one in the first shot) in older Random Japan posts. Usually the vents in them look like faces. The pattern in this shot doesn't quite fit the normal theme and is a new one to me.
BTW, it may be of interest to some of you photogs how exactly I process these photos and what cameras I use.
As a freelance photographer, I have too many (according to my wife) dslr cameras, including the latest and the greatest. As a photography lover, I have perhaps even more film cameras. I love film. But for this series, in accordance with the theme, I am almost exclusively using my smartphone. I have both an iPhone 6 and an iPhone 5. I prefer the 5 for photography, but I use them both.
For editing, I don't go into Photoshop, nor do I use any manual Lightroom adjustments beyond occasionally cropping. The point of these posts is to show random things but also to give more casual looks; casual looks which I think wouldn't survive too much processing. I don't want to spend so much time on the shots, at any rate.
What I usually do do, however, is apply a VSCO filter. VSCO is a company that makes a number of film emulation packages. Being a film nut, I absolutely adore all the VSCO filters. They aren't cheap, so I can't really recommend them unless you have money to burn or can write them off as a business expense, but they are wonderful.
Just for the curious, the VSCO filters used today were Velvia 50 for the first photo. Fuji FP-3000b for the second, and Agfa Scala 200 for the third. Velvia was a slide film loved by many for the incredible saturation. I usually dislike it for that same reason, but it can make flowers just pop. FP-3000b was a professional instant film. I never used the real film back in the day, but I often turn to the filter for my shots. I love the grain, slight faded look, and contrast. Agfa Scala was also a slide film. Even stronger contrast, less noise, and no fading, this is the one I turn to when I want a clearer monochrome look.
That's all for today! Tune in next time for more Random Japan.
If you like this random photo from Japan, be sure to check out @kaliju's great Random Korea series. The latest entry there is Random Korea #17 - Air Cafe, Work Til You Drop and...Branching out!
Also be sure to follow @kafkanarchy84, @maxinpower, and @boxcarblue for even more random Japan fun! Also, follow the #randomjapan tag for more from Japan, #randomasia for random shots from the entire area.
Are you a Japan-based or Asia-based photographer who posts somewhat random photos from the country? If so, use the tag #randomasia, and #randomjapan (or randomASIANCOUNTRYYOUAREIN) on your posts. Also, join our Discord group. DM me on Discord for a link to the server.
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Missed a past Random Japan? I've got you covered!
Index Post
Recent Posts
13. Abandoned and Overgrown
14. Ting Ting
15. Render Unto Caesar
16. Lotsa Bikes
17. Axis Chemicals
18. The Wide View
19. When Dinosaurs Rules the Earth
20. After the Fall
21. Crusin' Japan
22. Random House and Japanese Graveyards
23. Lion Dogs and Photo Booths
24. Rainy Day, Japanese Houses
25. The Heartfelt Life
26. O Weary Traveler
27. The Red and The Blue
28. Cars, Ugly Buildings, and Free Water
29. No Walking Without Hat
30. Kill it With Fire
31. Around the Neighborhood
32. The Thin Green Line
33. Time for Some Lovin'
 | David LaSpina is an American photographer lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time. |
Nice episode as usual.
I never really used them, but I generally like the look of VSCO filters. I think I would definitely buy a few of their packs if I wasn't addicted to the ergonomy of older (film) cameras. When I shot digital though, I personnaly use the Mastin Labs Ilford package for b&w since they give me a look I am familiar with, and Fuji's "classic chrome" film simulation for colors.
What a cool idea for this series. It would be nice if I attempted to make this a new habit, since my steemit posts have diminished a bit lately. It would get me taking photos and making posta again regularly. Even if I went for twice a week, "Random Alaska" could be fun.