Ueno is an interesting little district in central Tokyo. Famous for its zoo, park, museums, and shitamachi 「下町 」– lit. the "low city".
Read MoreUeno Nights
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ueno
Whatcha makin'?
Wandering [what to do?]
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Though my destination is usually the same each night (same train line, same final stop), I try to walk through different backstreets to increase my chances for inspiration.
Sometimes, I see something "new" in an object or building I've seen hundreds of times. Other times, random situations present themselves.
Can you guess which photos are taken with the RX1 and which with the NEX-7?
If I am not in the mood or the weather isn't favourable, I won't bother even taking my camera out of my bag. Sometimes I walk the entire distance with my camera in hand, looking for things, but not seeing them.
Sparky
I think my message, if there is one, would be to not force yourself to take photos, or capture a moment. Some moments are better described verbally, and others visually. Whatever happens, keep the picture taking as a fun activity.
Happy snapping :)
Ascension
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I would argue that there are two zoos in Ueno; the official Ueno Zoo, and downtown Ueno. Downtown Ueno is home to one of the more "seedy" [みすぼらしい] areas in Tokyo, with questionable stores and love hotels in abundance. However, it's a pretty interesting area to walk around, especially as a foreigner. I'm either ignored by touts, or they'll ask me in English (sometimes Japanese) if I would like to visit their establishment (whatever it may be). "結構です。"（I'm OK thanks!）
Up early
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Woke up just before 6am this morning, to help Charlotte get the express train to the airport from the other side of Tokyo. Tokyo's Narita Airport is quite far from the centre of Tokyo - be warned! Don't get a taxi there. I've heard some horror stories. Anyway, up early, carrying bags, so I wanted a light camera with me. I took the NEX-7, which is pretty light, mated to the excellent Sigma 30mm F2.8, which I haven't used a lot recently due to the possession of the exquisite Zeiss 24mm. The Sigma is smaller, and lighter, so it was my choice for this morning.
The crop above is just about only the top half of the original image. The sharpness really impresses me with this lens! This morning, the weather was completely overcast, but the sun is still strong and manages to turn everything into a very hazy yellow hue. The sky is all but obliterated, but there wasn't anything really to see anyway; it's mostly just scattered light bouncing around the cloud cover.
I walked from Nippori Station, to the University, choosing back allies rather than the suggested fastest route (right). I am usually first into the office anyway, but there was little chance of anyone beating me this morning!
The empty streets give a serenity often missing from daily Tokyo life, with its general hustle-bustle, cramped streets, rooms, and trains. The odd salaryman (Japanese for a generic business man) would walk past, and a few shop keepers were cleaning their store-fronts, or putting out produce. There was the odd shout of "Irasshai!" ("Welcome!"), and the odd squark of a crow.
Walking through Ueno Park
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I ventured out from my air-conditioned office around noon to meet a work associate from Taiwan, at the nearby Ueno station in central Tokyo. I rarely leave the immediate area surrounding my workplace, so I took it as an opportunity to take a few photos during the 15-minute walk.
The intense light can be somewhat harsh, and as the sun is almost directly overhead, there's not much in the way of shadows, or shelter. Such conditions can make for some very flat and low-contrast imagery, but I was not deterred. The building featured in the photo above, is very close to my office. It fascinates me. It's completely consumed by vegetation. Who works in there? I hope they recycle their paper.
Tokyo Sky Tree was doing its best at attempting to look like a real tree. I've not been up there yet, but when I do go, I'll be sure to bring my camera.
Ueno's a funny area, but it's not without its charms. There's a zoo, and a collection of excellent museums. I know the area quite well, and if you look hard enough, you can discover some hidden treasures such as the odd temple, and this set of tori gates.