i wrote a self-evaluation of my whole body of work, just for myself, so i could figure out what i need to work on. i thought i'd share it here, to see what anyone else thinks. keep in mind that these are my personal thoughts, not originally intended for anyone to see, and i've quoted it directly, without changing anything.

self evaluation:

many (most?) of my photos have glaring technical faults (blurriness, etc), but i think i'm around the 50th percentile range of WORKING, PROFESSIONAL photographers, which means i've got a shot!

but, i think my visual style and the emotions/ideas in my work are exceptionally good. (compelling?)

busy

busy with many projects now--it's a good thing. so i'm thinking of stopping this blog.

follow me on google+ !

realizations

recently, i've been working on a lot of things that have been keeping me busy: web updates, a new version of my website, an exhibition, a big photo contest, etc...

i felt like i wanted a break. after finishing the contest entrance work, i didn't have anything big or important to work on. sure, i had a few small things here and there, but nothing with any kind of deadline, and it wasn't important that i work on them soon.

the next day, i got depressed. like, why-am-i-alive?-level depressed! so, i figured out that next, i'll work on exhibiting at design festa. now i feel great! there's a lot of work ahead of me!

which leads me to believe, that i can probably never again stop working on photos or other creative things. possibly for the rest of my life.

maybe it's a good thing?

new exhibition: photoArt+絆

may 29, 30, and 31 in yokohama, at the kenmin center, there will be a 3 person photo exhibition (i'm one of the three) to benefit victims of the disaster in northeastern japan. come if you can.

here's the flyer:


the map is here:
kanagawa kenmin center

more info at the facebook event page.

projects that i have been working on recently are completed!!

completed!

i now have my second draft photos up on flickr, which will be be updated often. also, i have merch available at zazzle.com. and also, i have prints available for sale. all of these are linked to from my photo site, but i'll put some links at the end of this post.

the other two things that i finished up are putting like buttons on my photo site, and setting up a "page" on facebook for my photos.

it feels really good to get so many things finished. but somehow, i find myself drawn into another 3 big projects in the next couple of weeks, and these actually have deadlines! it all seems to be happening at the same time, in a whirlwind of synchronicity! i'll post about them when i can, or check the facebook page.

facebook page
merch
my photos on flickr
photographs by hikaru (prints are also available for sale here)

that is all (for now).

☆

preparing for updates

i'm working on a lot of things right now, trying to get my web presence going in a lot of different areas. it's difficult, frustrating, and stressful, but i should have a lot of new, good things going pretty soon.

stand by for updates.

i was lucky enough to get 2 new cameras recently:

a polaroid sx-70 (used, of course), and
a nikon d700!! (also used)

i'm really excited! i had an sx-70 before, but it broke, and i've been polaroidless for a while. i'm looking forward to getting some more film from the impossible project.

also, the d700 has been the object of my coveting for several years. in fact, getting this camera was my biggest dream in recent times. and now i'm holding it in my hands, and shooting awesome photos with it!!

fuck, things seem to be working out.

thank you, karma.

110 film

110 film is apparently no longer available anyfuckingwhere.

last weekend, i got a 110 film-using camera as a prize after filling out a survey at a photo tradeshow. now i know why they were giving so many of them out for free.

next project

the next project that i'm working on might turn into another book, but this time, it's a collaboration! tentative theme: colorful.

i just got my first digital slr

i just got my first digital slr, a nikon d70. it's a few years old, but i got it for about 10% of it's release price!

i thought it would be fun to own a dslr, but i didn't know it would be *this* fun!! before, i carried my camera around at all times, and when i saw something that made me think "i *must* get a shot of that!", i took it out and shot a photo.

but with this camera, i just feel like i want to shoot everything around me in every direction at all times, and it's so fun!

as of now, my two favorite cameras are my most expensive one and my cheapest one.

persian?

my photos seem to keep popping up on blogs of a certain language. without the people asking me (though i don't particularly mind that). but i'm pretty sure the blogs are in persian?

it seems strange to me.

stock photos

i've decided to start doing stock photography work. it's a lot different from the kind of photography that i've been doing up till this point, but at least i have the possibility to make some money, and without having a real boss.

much research is needed.

book published!

the book is finished!!!

AWESOME!!!

it'll just take some time to get everything set up so that it will be available for purchase in a lot of places.

for now, it's available here:
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/darkness/14019135

here's a preview:

view obstructions

i used to complain that power and other utility lines got in the way of a lot of really good shots that i wanted to get here in tokyo. i whined that they should be buried underground, as they are in a lot of places in the good old u.s.a.

but i've stopped thinking that way, without really noticing that i had changed. now, i expect the lines to be there, knowing that they're going part of the shot, and just try to use them as a composition element.

my previous attitude was sort of like, "i wish i could get a picture of this forest, but there's so many fucking trees in the way!"

i'm happier now.

work on my upcoming book has recommenced!

tentative title: darkness (and light).

sugimoto hiroshi

i like this guy's work:
sugimoto hiroshi

although his site is quite sparse.

another project!

i'm overflowing with ideas for t-shirt designs. might as well start actually making them!

next project!

so, the response to my new site has been overwhelmingly positive (maybe the people who think it's shit don't bother to tell me...?) anyway, i feel like i'm on a roll, and i'm working on my next project: to publish a book! the working title is "darkness," though this could certainly change. i'll be publishing it through lulu.com. i haven't gone through much of the creation/publishing process with them yet, but from what i have done, they seem extremely awesome. i'm very excited, and at this point, i recommend them to anyone who may be thinking about publishing almost any kind of book.

speaking of books, i wanted to talk a bit about where the motivation and inspiration i've felt this year came from. for years, i've been meaning to completely redo my photo site, and get started on various other projects. but i kept telling myself, "yeah, i'll start tomorrow." and then i found something else that required my attention 'tomorrow.' i would do this for days and weeks in a row, until i forgot about it for the next few months. i have a gift for procrastination.

but, early this year, i read a book. this book seriously, literally changed my life. you may have heard of it. "the alchemist" by paulo coelho. it made me realize that, if i have a dream, i have a choice: either fucking go for it at all costs; or, let the chance slip by and be miserable for the rest of my days. sometimes i read a book or watch a movie, and i'm overcome with some kind of emotion or motivation, but it usually only lasts a few hours, or days at most. but i'm *still* feeling this motivation to make my dreams come true, over half a year later. and it's not showing signs of going away. i recommend this book to everyone within the sound of my text, more than anything i've ever recommended. if you have a dream, do yourself a favor and read it.

bad joke

i heard this joke yesterday:

what's the difference between a photographer and a large pizza?

the pizza can feed a family of four!

ha!
(good thing my family is only 3 people...)

done!

finally! after all this time! the site is finished.

i'll say that it's still in beta, because i may have to make a few small tweaks.

photographsbyhikaru.com

anyway, i feel really good. it's taken so long, with so many difficult decisions, while trying to do so many other things. but i managed to keep myself motivated, and completed this project! time to move on to the next project...