Friday Photo: Stained Glass at Kanna Thalasso Okinawa

This photo was taken at Kanna Thalasso (かんなタラソ沖縄) Okinawa.

It's a resort in Ginoza Village that I'll be going back to visit.

They say that thalassotherapy is good for a body.

So, I was thinking, I should let the Missus, try it first, being the gentleman I am.

The management will let me get in there with cameras before opening hours, someday.

Then, I can take photos of all the jacuzzi, pools and saunas they have, when nobody is in them.

For now, you can do just like me and, admire the stained glass.

Checkout the Kanna Thalasso Website

On their homepage, you can press the English button and learn more.

 

In the Spotlight: Okinawa's Artist Shinzan Yamada 1885-1977

A Most Extraordinary Character

 

Shinzan Yamada created the Peace Prayer Statue, located in Okinawa Peace Memorial Hall.

Photos of that statue have appeared on this site and others, around the globe.

It was a project, Shinzan started at the age of 72 and, took 18 years to complete.

The finished product stands 36 feet tall and, is 24 feet wide.

It weighs three and a half tons.

This photo was taken inside the Memorial Hall where some other artist's works are displayed.

A close-up shot was taken so, you could better see.

Shinzan, worked on the project, by himself.

He fell from the scaffolding, seriously injuring himself, on more than one occasion.

But, he was determined, to finish this monument to world peace, without any assistance.

Artist with the Brush 

 

 

 

The Peace Prayer Statue, is what most visitors consider Yamada's masterpiece.

He was a renowned painter in Ryukyu art, as well.

This, I discovered, after taking a stained glass photo in the Ginowan City Museum.

 In January 2013, I was contacted by Liz Joyce of the Ryukyu Stamps Organization.

The stained glass, she referred to as The Heavenly Maiden, is the artwork of Shinzan Yamada.

The Ryukyu Philatelic Specialist Society now has this photo on their homepage.

 

 Copyright permission above and below, courtesy of The Ryukyu Philatelic Specialist Society

 It is an interesting story and shows how Shinzan's art came to be on postage stamps.

 

 More about the works of artist Shinzan Yamada:

Remembering Okinawa PDF

Gaijinpot

RyukyuStampsOrg

 

Ginowan City Museum: Stained Glass Photo

This photo was taken, just inside the entrance to the Ginowan City Museum in Okinawa, Japan.

Museums are great places to visit on cold or, rainy days.

They can be challenging for the photographer, though.

Many of them don't permit photography so, it's always best to ask, ahead of time.

One of these days, I'll make a checklist for museum photography.

That's after I do all the other checklists, I've been promising.  I'm always busy.  You know.

Genuine stained glass is becoming hard to find these days.

So, whenever I spot some, I shoot it.  It always makes a great subject.

The Ginowan Museum allows cameras is certain locations.  Not everywhere.

The staff are friendly, polite and, even go out of their way to help research, for me.

So, I'm going to post a link to them for other travelers who may want to visit.

Ginowan City Museum English Information

MORE OKINAWA MUSEUMS

Friday Photos: Stained Glass in Okinawa From A Safer Angle

This photo was taken going in to the Okinawa International Orchid show in 2012.

The camera, a Pentax K5, was mounted on a tripod and a shutter cable release was used.

Stained glass is a great subject for photography.  I've had better shots of the stuff that went somewhere in contests but, this one I'm only using here for comparison.

This photo was taken at a safer angle than those I shot last year.

It just doesn't have the perfect lighting required to be a contest winner.

This photo taken in 2011, of the same stained glass, was made using the Pentax K10D.

It was much later in the afternoon and the light spread evenly through the scene.

This shot won't go anywhere in a contest, either.

The composition is off and, the the shot was taken in a rush, without a tripod or cable release.

So, we have one photo with lousy lighting and fairly good composition.

Then, one with good lighting and lousy composition.

Why didn't the cameraman take his time on the second shot ?

That's because, while I was lying on the floor trying to compose the shot

 a busload of girls in short skirts

WALKED OVER ME !

The 2012 photo was taken from a safer angle.

Wouldn't you agree ?

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Stained Glass (Photo) Sometimes It's Worth A Look Up

Here'a a scene I spotted as we were leaving the Okinawa International Orchid Show the other day.

While most people are attracted to the souvenirs like jewelry, books, postcards and even flowers they sell in the gift store as you exit the place, I look for something different to do.

Anything, but another flower, would be fine to shoot. I looked up and saw this stained glass on the ceiling.

Hah, I bet nobody going to a flower show ever even thought of snapping a picture like this.

First, I set up the tripod and just guessed where I was aiming, set my exposure and snapped a fairly decent photo. But, I wanted more of the scene and wouldn't be able to do it with the camera on the tripod.

I ripped my camera off the tripod and asked the girls at the information booth if it'd be alright to lay down on the floor to take the photo the way I wanted. They signaled "OK".

Then, I laid down on the floor and composed this photo. I had to hold steady for 1/6 of a second. You can do that by planting your elbows real tight against your body, keeping your head on the floor and squnching the viewfinder real tight against your face. Nothing moves.

It's better than a tripod. You become a human bodypod and your camera can take sharper photos than it could with a tripod if you do it right.

So, practice finding things you can shoot by laying on the ground; most people don't realize "Sometimes it's worth a look up".

There is a word of caution I'd like to share with Mothers and Fathers who let their daughters run around in way-too-short skirts. Tell those girls to stay clear of cameramen laying on the floor.

While I was down on the ground with my camera, a whole flock or busload of them came by.

I was there just to shoot stained glass.

A different cameraman may have thought sometimes it's worth a look up for other reasons. 

What do they feed those girls?  Something makes them oblivious.

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