“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” ~John A. Shedd, Salt from My Attic (1928)
We are made to experience life and all it has to offer and not stay safely at home. Mark Twain said it best:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.“
Use your God-given gifts and talents to serve your family, friends and community. Don’t be afraid to take risks and dream big in 2012!!
I received one Accolade of Excellence from the image below. Thank you to my family and friends for all the support and encouragement you give me in my photography journey!
My friend, Hazuki, used to live in Kitakyushu but due to her husband’s job transfer, she and her family moved up north. Hazuki and her daughter were back in town last weekend for a quick visit. Shortly before their departure, I had a chance to do a photo shoot at her request. She is a yoga instructor and has started a small business. She naturally wanted profile pictures for her blog/website and that’s where I come in. Hazuki was great to work with and I believe the images we captured that day reflect her fun and engaging personality. I am sure that future clients that visit her site will notice this right away. Happy viewing, everyone!!
We found this empty park with beautiful fall leaves and decided to do a couple "yoga" images.
Before their train departure, we found one more location and came away with beautiful portraits of Hazuki.
Here are some behind-the-scene shots of Hazuki with her cute daughter.
My assistant, Shouten, and I put in some shooting practice time earlier this summer. Our model for this photo shoot is Shuming from China. Thanks, Shuming! You did a fantastic job!
Little Fuuta has been swimming since he was one. And, at a young age of five years, he is an impressive swimmer. This is not a kid who is forced to do this. He loves what he does! Between laps, he won’t hesitate to smile and give a good laugh. It’s been a complete privilege (I sound like an Idol judge) for me to take his pictures and to see him develop each year. Who knows? Fuuta might represent Japan one day. Here he is…Fuuta!!!
Today’s blog post features a family from Texas: the Moores!! They spent 10 days in Japan to do summer ministry at our church. Although each day’s schedule was jam-packed, we managed to squeeze in a family shoot while playing at the beach. I am so glad for the opportunity to meet them. They were such a blessing to all the people they met. There’s such a zest in the way they live their lives that people take notice. Thank you, Moores, for reaching out and sharing God’s love with us!
**Don’t forget to watch the slideshow at the end!**
With Mr. and Mrs. Itoh: wonderful hosts during their stay
"That's the Pacific!"
What a great-looking family!
Ocean waves are the cause of this fantastic rock formation which makes for a great backdrop.
A beautiful daughter!
A beautiful daughter!
Time for the couple shots!
Love this moment between them! What did she say to him?!?
Anne and I went on a hiking date up a mountain know for its gorgeous views of our city. The mountain (Mt. Sarakura) is not too far from our house, about a 20 minute drive. You can even see the mountain from our neighborhood. Anne and I had a great time hiking and exploring. The last time we did a hike like this together was when we lived in Kobe in the late 90′s. It was so fun that we agreed to do more hiking dates in the near future. As Anne shared yesterday, “You get exercise, photography, and each other all in one shot!” I couldn’t agree more!
Anne loves to climb!
This part makes me think of Narnia or Lord of the Rings.
My climbing buddy!
Here's our ride back!
And for lunch: Turkey kebab at a new joint in town! It was soooo good!
“What is CMA?!?”, you ask. CMA stands for Celebration Ministry of Arts. CMA is a performing company of Christian dancers who are based out of Colorado. This summer is the 7th year CMA will do ministry in Japan. You can find more detailed information about CMA and the work they are doing in Japan on their website.
What is exciting for me about CMA’s tour this summer is that the dancers will go and help with relief work in Fukushima prefecture. This is one of the areas in the Tohoku area that was affected by the earthquake/tsunami that hit Japan on March 11th. I have been to the devastated areas twice and having hope is a constant struggle for many of the survivors. I am confident that through their gift of dance and through their ministry of service CMA will bring a message of hope to the Japanese people they meet in Fukushima. Let’s remember to pray for them as this is an incredible opportunity.
CMA dancers have an incredibly busy schedule during their brief time in Japan but last summer, I was able to squeeze in a short practice shoot with three of the dancers. The dancers are Tiffany Case, Gwen Kennicutt, and Christine Rempel. The fun part of shooting dancers is that they are so graceful and beautiful with the poses. I wish I had all day with them! I hope I will have other opportunities in the future. Hope you enjoy the photos…..and remember to pray for CMA!
We are made to experience life and all it has to offer and not stay safely at home. Mark Twain said it best:
