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The workshop series is back and we recently had the fluid movements of Tokyo pole dancer Masami in the studio for a 3 hour series exploring the use of RGB's, projectors and flash! Lets take a look below at what went down. Some of the equipment used: Camera: Sony A7IV Sony 24-70mm 2.8 GMII Lighting: Amaran 300C Godox AD300 Pro Godox AD600 Forza Nanlite FC-500B Zhiyun Molus G300 Godox 90cm PR P-90 Parabolic Softbox SET 1 - PROJECTOR PHOTOGRAPHY Projector photography is one of those things you can do in the studio that is actually quite simple in its execution but the final results look so elaborate and stunning. There are a couple of things to remember when using a projector in the studio: be mindful of the backdrop color. White or grey (any plain, light-coloured background) usually works best for projector photography as it makes the projections pop. However, if you want to really add emphasis to the projection on the model instead of the backdrop use black as black will absorb a lot of color especially depending on the image you are projecting. the brightness of your projector matters. You will find a ton of portable projectors on Amazon with crazy lumens ratings (the brightness units) of 10,000 + but these are arbitrary numbers. Instead look for the ANSI lumens ratings of the projector. The difference between ANSI lumens and lumens is important because it can affect the accuracy of the brightness measurements. ANSI lumens is a standardized rating across all manufacturers so you can have confidence when comparing models. I use a 10 year old BenQ HT1075 projector with an ANSI Lumens rating of 2200. Not the worst, not the best but for a small studio it does the trick! The higher lumens will allow you to keep your ISO low and not really on opening your aputure to its maximum or shutter speed too slow. Also, the less ambient light the stronger and brighter the projected image will be. position your projector carefully. The closer to the subject the projector is the brighter the output will be however the smaller the image and vice versa. Also consider putting your projector on a stand with a ballhead swivel to make minute and easy adjustments as needed. select the right images. When choosing images look for ones with high contrast and bold patterns for projection. Images with intricate details or strong graphic elements tend to work best for creating eye-catching effects on the model’s body and the background. Now, with some of the basics and behind the scenes images out of the way these were some of the final edited images I was able to capture. You'll notice that in order to make the model stand out a bit from the dark background we used lighting placed behind the model or above to create that backlight effect. It also has the effect of countering any light spill onto the backdrop if you want the projection mainly on the model for example. SET 2 - SHUTTER DRAG PHOTOGRAPHY If you've been following my work for anytime you might have noticed that I just love shutter drag photography. Whether it's on the streets outside or in studio, this style of photography takes some time to master but once you do can result in some truly artistic style photos. By slowing our shutter down (a good starting point could be around 1/10 second) and using flash we can 'drag' the colours in our frame to create painterly images with an almost ghost like final result. When using this technique be sure to use a constant light source like an RGB continuous light on the model as that is what the camera will pick up and 'drag' while the shutter is open. The flash will ensure you capture the crisp image of the subject. Also, play around with the movements you use when dragging your camera and see which one works best. Lastly, the colours you do use will have a big effect on the outcome. For example, in the images below you can see the difference between when I used blue as the continuous light to contrast with the red/orange hues as opposed to using a similar red hue as the continuous light. When I used the blue light the drag effect is much more contrasty and pronounced where when I used the red as the continuous the effect is more subtle and subdued. Both look great in my opinion so just depends on what you are going for. I've already got the next event planned so if you want to join please send a DM on my instagram for easiest contact but be warned that space is very limited and fills fast. Thanks for reading and until the next one! d.

With the weather currently a chilly 3 degrees as I write this in a cafe in Tokyo it's hard to believe that the pretty pink flowers and the influx of tourists that come to see them is right around the corner. No doubt it is a special time of year throughout the country and while I personally prefer the fall foliage there's no denying the unlimited potential photo opportunities during this short season. You just haven't experienced Japan until you've experienced hanami season. This year the bloom forecast is expected a few days earlier than last year starting March 24 and full bloom expected on March 31 in the Tokyo region. There are about 10-14 days to catch them in bloom and only a few days to catch them in full splendor so with such a short schedule expect crowds. Lots of them. And plan accordingly as it's the busiest time of year in Japan. But not all locations are equal. Reality is that some places, especially places on a lot of those cherry blossom guides online, are not photoshoot friendly and can be extremely stressful in general if you don't like crowds. Plus it's essential when planning a photoshoot that the trees in that spot hang low enough to have your face floating in those pretty pink clouds. Some places are great for landscape photography but not so much for portrait shoots. Lets take a look at a few options if you are looking for a photoshoot. Shinjuku Gyoen Of all the major parks in Tokyo I would consider this one to be the most relaxed for viewing and photos. It will be busy but unlike some of the other parks like Ueno or Yoyogi the vibe will be much more chill and calm. If doing a photoshoot there please be mindful that you will need to pre-register on weekends and holidays. With wide walking paths and plenty of trees (over 1300!), Shinjuku Gyoen is a great place for a cherry blossom photoshoot. Sumida Park The park in Asakusa can definitely get crowded but as it's not a gated park and open all the time you can get there early and beat the crowds. Try for 9 am! In the park you have a beautiful shrine, Ushijima Jinja, which is located inside Sumida Park on the east bank of the Sumida River. Plus you are right by Senso-ji temple which itself has a few great spots including a more unknown, hidden location called Denpoin Temple Garden (hours are from 9:00 - 17:00). Ueno Park With over 1000 cherry blossom trees rest assured you're going to get your cherry blossom fix here and Ueno Park hanami is quite famous across Japan. While it is a feast for the eyes it is also one of the most famous if not most famous spot for picnic-goers so the crowds can be insane. There are a few areas away from the picnic crowd and if you can get there really early in the AM to beat the crowds there is an area of trees when in full bloom that can give you some beautiful portraits. Local Areas If you really do your research you can find some great spots that are extremely local neighborhoods that may not be insta-trendy but will deliver you beautiful photos. For example, my studio is in an area called Nishiochia, not far from Nakano. There are some local parks that have no tourists and not an over-bearing amount of locals either. In fact, there is a beautiful park right beside my studio which I get to look out at everyday during bloom season and I have done some great photo shoots here. Shot in a park next to my studio and made the back cover of LYBELL MAGAZINE Issue 76 I can go on with this list with other really famous spots like: Hamarikyu Gardens Chidorigafuchi Sumida Park Naka-Meguro Rikugien Gardens But the problem in Tokyo will always be the same. The crowds. It is the busiest time of year for tourists who flock to Japan to see the Cherry Blossoms specifically as well as a very special time of year for the Japanese who don't want to miss a good hanami party in the park. Also, finding trees that are low hanging enough to get the full 'floating in a cloud of cherry blossoms' effect we all dream of is quite difficult to find and when found you can be sure there are a lot of people taking photos there already. Solution If you want to have the best cherry blossom portrait session with little crowds and an abundance of variety in shooting locations I highly suggest stepping outside of central Tokyo and into some slightly further out, off the beaten path locations. And it turns out I know of one of these great 'hidden' spots and I am now offering it to you all in a brand new Sakura Portrait Shoot package for individuals or couples! Both packages will give you 1 hour of private one on one shooting time with me as well as 30 fully edited and retouched photos per person. These packages are for those willing to put in the time to get the absolute perfect sakura portrait photos as the location where we will meet is about 2 hours via a simple and easy to navigate train ride. Full transportation instructions will be provided! Shot at the location and published in PENG MAGAZINE Issue 28 The sakura season is fleeting and very short so bookings fill up very fast. If you are interested in knowing more please contact me directly through the contact form on my website or DM through instagram and I'd be happy to answer all of your questions. Safe travels to Japan and hope to see you in the spring!

From personal branding to celebrating moments in time everyone can benefit from a photography session. With the advent of AI and the ensuing clickbait-y titles of how "Photography is Dead" (again), it gives you some pause for thinking. There is no doubt that as technology improves there will be certain styles or categories of photography that will be hit harder than others. But things like live event photography, wedding photography, travel photography and portrait photography all have something in common that AI will likely never be able to touch or reproduce. And that thing is YOU. Photographers who are capturing a moment in time, never to be replaced or reproduced, of genuine (not AI simulated) people are only becoming more and more in demand. And in this post I'll look at a few reasons why you might want or benefit from hiring a professional photographer yourself. Personally, I’ve always been shy in front of the camera from a young age, making awkward faces and poses in family photos driving my mom absolutely mad. Maybe that’s why I eventually got into photography, avoiding being in front of a camera by being the one in control behind it. Through the years of taking photos of others I started to understand the importance of having professional photographs taken of oneself. I always like to ask about the ‘why’ before I shoot with a client to better understand what the photos are for. What is their reasoning in hiring someone like myself? The reasons are plenty: Milestones and Markers. Capturing oneself in a moment of time knowing we are not getting younger. It’s a celebration of where one is at in life currently no matter your age. People want to see themselves in a different light , something or someone they never imagined. A photoshoot gives people the chance to step into a new character. It’s a form of release. Giving up control to a photographer involves a lot of trust and the photographer’s job is to take any burdens off of your mind during the session so you can be relaxed, have fun and just be yourself. It’s empowering . Seeing yourself the way others see you, your captured essence, is a moving experience. Personal branding is more and more important and professional, creative photos are an absolute must! Recent Examples Aki (Japan) When Aki first came to me she expressed a desire to set up a more regular photoshoot every 2 months to track her fitness goals. The photoshoot would be a celebration of where she was at today and a tracker of how her hard work is paying off in the future. This experience, a first for her, was the extra motivation she said she needed to make sure she was keeping herself on track. John (USA) I recently had a client John, who was visiting Japan, come to me with some ideas for his first photoshoot for his own personal branding. We worked on some ideas and in our 2 hour studio session we brought these ideas and visions to life.  Isaiah (Japan) Isaiah is another photographer based in Japan. This was going to be the first time he had hired another photographer to take photos of him and this was something very personal and special for him. I'll let him explain (taken from his own Instagram post ) Photo context: Alexithymia. A psychological phenomenon that is commonly found in those on the autism spectrum, but isn't just exclusive to that. It is signified via "emotional blindness". Difficulties in recognizing, identifying, and expressing ones own emotions. Through this and over long term this leads into depressive isolation due to troubles with developing interpersonal relationships with others. How can one understand others if they do not understand themselves? This is something I strongly empathize with and is actually a very emotional shoot for me, as I've struggled in maintaining connections with others for years and self-absorbed, social isolation while saddening and depressing isn't unknown to me. As a birthday present to myself yesterday I asked @ denizdemir.photos to do this and now I'm sitting here staring at my computer screen in awe because of how well it's done. Thank you... ❣️ --------------- These are just some examples and hopefully I've given you a little bit of inspiration and courage to seek out your local photographer to something special for yourself. If you live in Tokyo or just passing through I would love to discuss your ideas and vision! Send me a message or visit https://www.denizdemir.photos/private-studio-photoshoot  for more information on how to book a studio session with me 🙏🏼 Thanks for reading! Deniz

We all know the turning over of a new year is full of promise, goals and resolutions and I want to do what I can to help give a little push to anyone that might need it. Because becoming a better photographer is one of your 2023 goals, right? 🦾 In this 7 part mini-series which I'll be releasing periodically over the coming couple of weeks, I'll break down in a quick and concise way the core of what I believe can help any photographer become a more wise and seasoned pro out on the streets as we'll cover everything from the obvious like gear and settings to things less obvious but equally important such as mindset. In no way, is this complete and you might read this and think I have no idea what I'm talking about but this is just my thoughts after 7 years of working the streets with a camera and an endless obsession of study and learning from various sources and people. So take it for what it is 😊 MINDSET Needless to say that before embarking on anything in life your approach and mental mindset will be what sets the tone and in my opinion make the biggest difference to your results. Photography is no different here and before we can even attempt to talk about the HOW in terms of what gear and settings we use, we need to understand our WHAT and our WHY. Having a good understanding of your purpose will go a long way in maximizing your time out on the streets. Is it ok to wander around aimlessly pointing your camera at anything you find interesting hoping to get a good shot here and there? For sure and when you’re starting out without an idea of what interests you in terms of subject matter that’s totally normal. But with purpose we can be efficient and you’re here because you want to level up your street photo game so my number one advice would be to be clear on what you want to achieve before going out and then when you ARE out there to get in the ZONE! So what’s the ZONE? Well, lets break it down like this. Your mindset can take on a few states but to keep it simple we’ll narrow it down to three. Negative mindset Engaged mindset In the Zone NEGATIVE - A negative mindset is as it implies. You’re cranky, you had a fight with your friend or lover that morning or you’re just having one of those someone pissed in your cereal kind of days. Take that mindset out onto the streets and guess what? Chances are that you’ll come home with a bunch of bad shots and none the happier. ENGAGED - Now, an engaged mindset is when you’re feeling it. You feel good and you see plenty to shoot but hey, why don’t I check on how that post I did this morning is doing. And while I’m there let me respond to a few DM’s. Oh and I’ve been out for an hour already and got some good shots, maybe I’ll go take a break in a cafe for a bit before heading out. You see, when you’re engaged the potential for greatness is there but you’re letting your mind wander in too many directions. I’m going to take a guess and say that the majority of us go out shooting in this state of mind. IN THE ZONE - Now this is some Michael Jordan Game 6 ’98 NBA finals vs the Utah Jazz kind of state. There is nothing that can distract you and this is as close to zen meditation out on the streets as you can get. You are one with your environment and all 5 senses are engaged. This is where the masters of photography have spent their time in creating the worlds most inspirational works and this is where each and everyone of us should aspire to be whenever we go out to shoot. Realistically, this is not a switch you can just turn off and on nor is it something we can give a quick fix solution to. But being mindful of staying well away from a NEGATIVE mindset and keeping distractions to a minimum with an ENGAGED mindset and we can start to have those days where we truly feel IN THE ZONE. In simple terms, learn to quiet the mind. What I can say is the less time spent thinking about anything other than taking great photos the closer you can get to this state of mind. This includes the HOW, which we talk about later on this course such as knowing your camera and gear inside and out as well as correct setting you can change on the fly. The old adage stays true here, practice makes perfect so there is no substitute for going out and shooting as often as possible. I know this is a photograph blog but again on Jordan, listen to what he has to say about practice in this video below. It applies to anything we do in life. So while our first step here is having a clear understanding of our WHAT and WHY when we combine this with our HOW we can get closer to this state of photographic nirvana where we are truly IN THE ZONE. Next post, DAY 2 - GEAR ... stay tuned and thanks for reading. I'd love to hear your comments or questions below so hit me up. LASTLY, if you are looking for a photography coach for a couple of hours or longer I'm doing tours and photography lessons / workshops in Tokyo. Please visit https://www.denizdemir.photos/street-photography-workshop and send a message through my contact form on the site or directly to hi@denizdemir.photos Thanks for reading! - d.