Today I received my report card from the 2nd Annual Port Talbot International salon. I was pleased with 3 entries last year, but absolutely chuffed to find 7 out of my 12 entries have been accepted this time around – a definite improvement! Here they are:
They had recieved 12,049 images from 1,122 entrants across four sections, and the acceptance rate was approximately 30%. So I’ve beaten the average with nearly double that (58%)!
Whilst looking out some images for a recent article, I came across the picture of this chap who I photographed at Sensō-ji in Tokyo.
If you ever think you’re overburdened with photographic gear, I suggest you think of him!
September has been all about the Orient – with my wonderful trip to Japan which lasted most of the month. I was very luck to see many fantastic sights on my travels. You can read about Ikebukuro, Tokyo Tour, Nagano, Matsumoto, Takayama, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Miyajima Island, Kurashiki, Kyoto, Yokohama, The Grand Sumo Tournament, Contemporary Tokyo, Shizuoka, and more on Tokyo as well as my silly obsession as a Drain Cover Lover!
But here are a few more favourites from my time away – just click the thumbnail to see the bigger picture:
You can see the whole Japan 2012 Collection on Flickr if you have several hours to spare. Finally, topping off the month was my weekend trip to Brighton.
All in all, an incredible month for photography, and one that I will be unlikely to better for a very long time!
As well as the amazing architecture and culture available to photograph in Japan, I also noticed they have amazing manhole covers. Not like our boring old ironwork with just the makers’ name on top. Some were coloured and patterned beyond expectation!
So I started to look out for them as my trip wore on, and came home with quite a collection. Here are some of the best:
Here’s the full set for you to admire:
I decided some of my final days in Tokyo would be spent relaxing after such a hectic trip around the country. Here is a flavour of each of the days which I’ve only written about in my September Photo A Day diary.
First full day at my Tokyo apartment. Spent the day relaxing in my cosy billet and having a little walk to Shinjuku. See Day #1721.
Toy shopping in Nakano Broadway! Then a little bit of planking in Sensō-ji. See Day #1723.
A visit to NHK, then more shopping, this time at Tokyo station and Akihabara. See Day #1724.
Back to Nakano Broadway to marvel once more at the never-ending toyshops! See Day #1726.
Grizzly old rainy day spent at the apartment sorting photos. I only nipped out to forage at the supermarket next door. See Day #1728.
A sunny day at last! Visited Yoyogi Park via the National Gymnasium at Shibuya, then onto the Shintō shrine at nearby Meiji-jingu. In the evening there was the first of the two Asia shows in Shibuya that I’d stayed on in Tokyo to attend. See Day #1729.
Day spent sorting and packing before going to the final Asia gig in Shibuya with Tomoo in the evening. See Day #1730.
Sad to be leaving! An early start to catch the N’EX service back to Narita airport, and homeward bound. See Day #1731.
Japan is a wonderful place to visit. It’s people are warm and friendly – even if you don’t speak their language. The culture and architecture are amongst some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, and this trip was the culmination of many years’ longing to visit the country. And I can thoroughly recommend Inside Japan Tours who arranged my trip without a hitch.
So for now, it may be sayonara, but rest assured, I’ll be back as soon as I can! In the meantime, here is a selection of shots from my time in Toyko:
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