河内成幸 – 翔べ北斎 (XIIX)

For the last few weeks in the art gallery in the Stevenson Union Building on the Southern Oregon University campus, there has been an exhibit featuring several Japanese artists. Today’s photo is of one of the works.

Japanese love to use words in a way that yields double meanings. The English rendition of this woodcut print clearly has a double meaning, but I don’t think 翔べ北斎 has the “knockoff” meaning that “take off” has in English. Native Japanese speakers, please correct me if I’m wrong.

More on the original Hokusai can be found in my earlier entry.

Posted on March 17th, 2013 under Japan, Oregon. Tags: hokusai, Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on Seiko Kawachi’s “Take Off Hokusai XIIX”

Misoya Bistro – Medford, Oregon

I picked up a couple of used, manual Nikon lenses in Medford this morning from a Craigslist ad. I purchased them mainly because I have fun playing with new lenses, and the price was right. The one I used for this photo of my “Japanese” lunch is a Nikon 20mm f/2.8 AI-s lens. It weighs about 25% as much as my 14-24mm and is much smaller. I will take this (or my 24mm prime) along when going on a hike or bike ride instead of my much larger and heavier zooms.

Why did I put Japanese in quotes? Because all of the “Japanese” restaurants (other than 武蔵スシバー Musashi Sushi Bar & Japanese Cuisine in Grants Pass) in Southern Oregon are run by non-Japanese with non-Japanese cooks and with foods that only partly look and taste Japanese.

Posted on March 14th, 2013 under Japan, Oregon. Tags: beer, food, Nikon 20mm f/2.8 NIKKOR AI-s lens, Nikon D600, sushi. Comments: 1

Randy Blythe of Lamb of God

Randy Blythe, lead singer of Lamb of God, has been acquitted by a Czech Republic court in the death of an attendee at one of their concerts in that country. Today’s photo is from the Lamb of God show in Medford, Oregon in December of 2012.

“Not a prisoner, I’m a free man,
And my blood is my own now.” — Iron Maiden (1982)

Posted on March 5th, 2013 under Oregon. Tags: concert photography, lamb of god, metal, Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on “I am a free man” — Randy Blythe (March 5, 2013)

The short walk to Bridal Veil Falls along the Historical Columbia River Highway features this view as you cross a wooden bridge.

Posted on March 4th, 2013 under Oregon. Tags: autumn, Nikon 18-200mm VR II, nikon d7000, portland. Comments Off on Walk to Bridal Veil Falls

Columbia River Gorge – Oregon-Washington border

I took today’s photo from the Crown Point Vista House in Oregon. Across the river is Washington. I believe the island in the middle of the river is Reed Island State Park. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

Posted on February 26th, 2013 under Oregon. Tags: Nikon 18-200mm VR II, nikon d7000, portland. Comments Off on Columbia River