Lightning

As summer is well and truly over: my favourite picture from this summer.

I took this shot just before the 2008 Yodogawa Fireworks Festival got underway. It was a 3 second exposure, and was quite overexposed. However, thanks to photoshop I was able to bring the colours back. Shot in .jpg I can't help but wonder how the additional detail in a .raw file would have helped.

I didn't manage to get any shots of the fireworks as this storm rolled over and proceeded to rain for all but 5 minutes of the fireworks show, which nevertheless was quite beautiful.

Gyaru (Gal) Photoshoot

This is the first organized photo shoot that I have been involved in. It was organized by Zach, whos' blog has a link on this one.

(just look to the right -->).

The theme for this photo shoot was Gyaru, a transliteration of the word Gal from English. One of the more extreme forms that Japanese fashion has taken. The styles here have become a bit dated by about 2-5 years or so though it is still possible to see people dressed this way, everyday in Osaka. Zach and Miku, at the entrance of a UFO catcher arcade. Serious concentration.

Serious business.

Posing before the D & G store.

From left: Miku, Kate, Allison, Zach

Shooting: at the former Canadian Consulate

Climbing the walls.

Miku should be on a travel guide.

Miku at the Dotombori bridge.

Miku, Kate and Allison blending in.

Bugs II

Japan is also home to a large number of truly enourmous insects, these are some that I photographed near and at the school where I work.

A male stag beetle, prized as pets, can live for 3-4 years. Wild ones such as this can fetch a price of a few thousand yen. Very rare ones go for over 10,000 yen, sometimes even more!

This is a female Rhinocerous Beetle, it lacks the Rhino-like horn of the males but is almost as large. She was particularly hefty and quite strong. This beetle is about 5cm long.

A large Praying Mantis. Well camoflaged, they wait, wait and wait then when something tasty comes along...BAM! Lunch is served stabbed by and stuck to the forearms, eaten alive to preserve 'freshness'. As is a particularly nasty 'sashimi' dish that I will not partake in, I prefer my fish dead. Raw or cooked, it must be dead.

Sometimes they like to take a walk across the parking lot, and strike a pose for the camera.

Cleanliness is next to godliness I have heard.

Which god might this be?

It spotted me spotting it as it was stalking prey.

Antheraea yamamai. A bit like a flying plush toy.

It's 'The Hungry Catepillar'!

Dragonflies have the most jewel-like eyes. All 5 eyes.

Apiphobics may want to skip the next picture.

Vespa Mandarinia, the Asian Giant Hornet! Each is 5cm long, they kill people every year in Japan. Japanese people also eat them. This appears to be a group that has left the main nest and will escort a Queen, presumably in the centre of this mass of hornets. In this picture we can see 11 hornets, I don't know how many are on the other side of the leaf. None of them challenged me as I took the picture, sans flash, and quickly got out of there.

Leucauge subblanda: A rather beatiful little spider.

Dolomedes sulfureus. A large golden spider, I was most surprized by its colour.

The Last of the shots from Adventure World in Wakayama

There was a dolphin and whale show happening at the largest of the pools in the aquarium complex.

Dancing with the dolphins.
Flying with a whale.
Cheeky whale. Better give it the fish now.
A Sea otter, contemplating just how cute it is.
When you feed them, they get pushed into a higher energy state.

Low energy.

Meerkats, recharging in the sun.
Eye Ram Ewe
Stereotypical, but bananas ARE good. It's a chimp, not a monkey.

Birds!

Here are some of the birds that were represented at Adventure World in Wakayama. This mackaw greats visitors as they first come to the park.

A horned owl, which was thoroughly unimpressed with being photographed.

This little bit of grey fluff is a baby Adelaide penquin.
All grown up.

The Emperor Penguin family.

It will bite your head, it really will. Your head will fit in its beak.

(no, the pelican did NOT bite me)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Torpedo!

A Red Crowned Crane, a very large beautiful bird and one of the rarest in the world.

Pandas!

This last weekend I went to 'Adventure World' in Shirahama, Wakayama. They have a panda breeding program there. We went to see the baby pandas but they were not on display. I did get a few shots of their father Eimei, and their half siblings Aihin and Meihin.

Emei, taking a rest on his tire.

One of the twins born in 2006, snacking on some bamboo.

Aihin and Meihin wrestle to find out which is cutest.

It's ok, they are still friends. :)

And a lesser panda!

I'll be putting up some more shots from Adventure World soon!