Second Post (this is a bad titling system xD)

Hey! Here's my second post!

So, I want to explain the name of my blog, "36 Views of Mt. Rokko"

I suppose some of you have heard of the famous art series "36 Views of Mt Fuji" by Katsushika Hokusai. Hokusai was one of the masters of the Japanese "ukiyo-e" printmaking style, and "36 Views" is one of his most well known works.

Examples:"Red Fuji Southern Wind Clear Morning" (or something like that)

Great Wave off of Kanagawa (like the most famous piece ever, notice the little Fuji)

I love the composition style of ukiyo-e artists, and how the complexity of a ukiyo-e piece is built of many little simple parts, and "36 Views" is just a shining example. Because of "36 Views" and his other works, Hokusai is one of my favorite artists, and I would definitely say he is one of my biggest influences (harder to see in photography but more visible in my stuff in other mediums)

So, thats where the 36 Views part of my title comes from.

The second part, well. This is intended to be a blog documenting my time in Japan, and when I am in Japan I will not be around Mt Fuji, but instead near the much smaller (but still awesome) Mt Rokko. My university will actually be ON Mt. Rokko (coincidently, one of Hokusai's 36 views of Fuji is from the viewpoint of pilgrims ON Mt. Fuji... love that piece x3 ).

Combining these two elements resulted in the blog you see here "36 Views of Mt Rokko." I think its a bit more original than "Japandrew" 笑 and has quite a bit of meaning for me.

A couple photos from today. I was in a black and white mood :D~

I decided to leave my classroom through a different door today and found this passageway with a bunch of beautiful lighting. Unfortunately I got lost here and ended up late to class, but it was pretty :D

Had dinner with the Kaiwa Table (Japanese conversation group) today at Thai 65~ This glass was for someone who left soon after we arrived, but the server filled it up anyway and without someone to drink from it it ended up spilling all over... messy but interesting puddles :D

My artsy shot of the day :D My friend Mayu, taken with no viewfinder~ I like the feeling of this shot where you can tell there is a beautiful face there, but you only get to see a hint of it~ I call it "Where are you?"

Anyway, thats my post for today :D Hope somebody enjoyed it! I'm going to go do my homework so I can properly enjoy the promised sun tomorrow... YES SUN :D

First post~

Hey everyone :D
This is my new blog! (as in the blog of Andrew Jansen, if you want to make sure) I am actually making this blog for when I go to Japan, so I can communicate with friends and family, but unfortunately I won't go for another 4 months. And I want to try blogging NOW... so... I'm starting this a little early :D

I plan to use this blog to share updates on life and photography, so don't expect too much hahaha. First, a new picture:So anyway, my recent excitement is a new lens! This is a Sears Auto Zoom MC 80-200mm f4... ooo sounds intimidating right? Actually it was 15 dollars on ebay :D Its very big and shiny, and took the above picture, so I think its doing a fine job~ Unfortunately it has fungus... *A*;;; If the ebay description does not say "no fungus"... then it must have fungus,,, lesson learned xD

Its on my film camera in the picture, but actually I haven't used it to take any film shots yet, only on my digital. Now that I have it, I'm not actually sure if I need a telephoto lens at all,,, I'm glad this lens was only 15 dollars haha

However, as you can see above it has really nice bokeh :D So I am pleased~
Anyway, now that I have scared off all possible followers of my blog with this boring post, I shall go eat dinner :D