To say I embraced my get-pushed challenge by Nia @sianipops this past week would be an understatement. It's been such fun! I've tried to depict images that say "Japan" to viewers without being cliche, and without being too subtle.
Sometimes, at the almost-midnight hour, you simply look madly around the house, and do crazy things like fling open the kitchen cabinet doors to photograph the dishes. But the photo turned out too dark, too keystoned (I'm short and the cabinet are high) and just not interesting. I did a retake today, added in a bit of staging (the teacups and the black soup bowls typically are in another cabinet). But most importantly, I raised my tripod to the highest level, stood on a step stool, and shot at eye level of the middle of the cabinet (tip from Carl).
My Western dishes (the Portmeirion that someone recognized in my Pomegranates photo) occupy about a third of the lowest shelf area. Japanese dishes take up a lot of space because each food is served in a separate dish. In a place setting, dishes are not matched to be the same. Each dish type should be the same pattern for each person (i.e., all soup bowls look the same but may not match the rice bowl), but in total, the dishes in front of a person should all match their food they contain. (I think it may be too late at night to write clearly so I hope I haven't confused anyone with my convoluted late night writing.
This is a great way to capture the precision of serving food in the Japanese tradition. I've always loved all your wonderful perfectly sized bowls and plates for the exact food item. Thanks again for a great evening!!
@agedrunner -- thank you! @taffy -- in Japan, there is a saying that you "eat with your eyes" so we will have many opportunities to photograph our food and the dishes they are served in!
I love the precision, care and perfect style of food serving in your culture. The preparation and serving of food is a ritual, all the dishes, little bowls, geometrical containers and all the array of tableware you use during meals fascinates me. This is a good example of something you look at and immediately identify as "Japanese". Good response to the challenge, Junko.
Great shot for your challenge Junko! Well done on your composition - I am smiling at you using the steps to look through the extended tripod - very inventive! I didn't know about all the different dishes for each food in Japanese cooking - how interesting! I love following your shots I always seem to learn something! I would love to be with you and Taffy for a meal I am sure it would be great fun! Lol!
@mara19500 -- thank you for your supportive comments and careful observation of food culture in Japan. @pamknowler - you are always so generous in your comments, too, like Mara! As for you saying you'd love to be with Taffy and me for a meal, be careful what you wish for, because @taffy and I are known to show up in various cities around the world together. And London seems like a sure stop in our future. Dinner AND photo walk!
Junko, I just heard about the tornadoes that hit Illinois and heard about the suspension of the NFL football game ... in Chgo.
Hope you and Taffy @taffy were not afftected..
I want your cupboard!!! A great Japanese inspired shot and educating us on the the tradition of matching dishware to what and who is being served. I look forward to seeing yours and everyone who goes with on your Japanese photo tour. (You should all tag your photos with something special so we can armchair travel along with you).
@mara19500 Thanks for asking Mara. We had huge winds and rain/hail, but no damage (a little water in the house) compared to the devastation that hit outside the city. We were very fortunate compared to others -- loss of homes and, worse, loss of life. Capricious -- they could touch down anywhere!
@anazad511 -- thanks for the FAV and for the comments of appreciating the information. Sometimes I wonder if I write too much! @steampowered -- "neat and tidy" only because I straightened each of the piles in the foreground a bit, and because if each dish doesn't go back in its proper place, there's no room to have Western dishes AND Japanese dishes! @jantan - thanks for your comment and fav!
@mara19500 -- Hi Mara, thank you for your concern. @Taffy and I made it through the bad weather and even had dinner together last night, but many were not as lucky. My personal regret is that we were driving around in the storm -- with no camera to capture the oncoming black ominous clouds, the torrential rain, the sunshine afterwards.
@sianipops -- so did I love my challenge enough? :) What a great idea to tag our photos on our trip next summer . . . will suggest that to @vankrey ! As for wanting my cupboard, most of those dishes are quite old; the Western dishes are at least 20 years old, and the Japanese dishes range from bequests from my great aunt, my parents when they first set up housekeeping, dishes I had in college, and more. Several things up there are "okaeshi" or gifts given as a thank you for a wedding gift, a tradition of a "return" present to thank the giver of the original gift. The three containers on the right side came with pickled vegetables in them!
@jyokota@taffy I'm so glad you were not affected.
However, shame on you, 2 expert photogs caught by a powerful natural event without a camera, not even a mobile phone camera. Naaah! (LOL)
@rachelwithey -- thanks for acknowledging my effort! It felt silly while I was doing it, I must admit. @roseolivia - Thanks for taking time to read all the cultural info! As for "neat and tidy" see my note to @steampowered above! @lynnb -- I love Japanese patterns, too, and especially appreciate that they don't all match, but instead flow well @kali66 -- my husband puts anything in our kitchen that "might" get damaged and chipped with styrofoam sheets or bubble wrap in between each layer!
@mara19500 I took several of the rain against the windows -- but in the end, they weren't that interesting! I'll send you one off line and you'll see how I got to the Danbo shots!
@mzzhope - thank you for taking time to look at my uploads for the challenge. As you can tell, I had a lot of fun doing them! @michaelelliott -- so nice to get Alexis' new 365 message alert sound and see that you've been visiting my album! :) Who knew a cupboard photo could generate so much comment?
Oh, I have Portmeirion as well!! Your bowl collection calls to me--oh the food we could serve! My portmeirion collection has dwindled in the years succumbing to accidents. Too expensive to replace, but I have been fortunate that I have much of my grandmother's china now. I'll have to look to see what might be a good shot. Love this one!
@darylo -- every piece of my Portmeirion comes from Marshall's or TJ Maxx. (My favorite places to shop.) Many are gifts from family for various occasions. And just think, in Japan, "mix and match" is the norm!
@taffy -- in Japan, there is a saying that you "eat with your eyes" so we will have many opportunities to photograph our food and the dishes they are served in!
@pamknowler - you are always so generous in your comments, too, like Mara! As for you saying you'd love to be with Taffy and me for a meal, be careful what you wish for, because @taffy and I are known to show up in various cities around the world together. And London seems like a sure stop in our future. Dinner AND photo walk!
Hope you and Taffy @taffy were not afftected..
@steampowered -- "neat and tidy" only because I straightened each of the piles in the foreground a bit, and because if each dish doesn't go back in its proper place, there's no room to have Western dishes AND Japanese dishes!
@jantan - thanks for your comment and fav!
However, shame on you, 2 expert photogs caught by a powerful natural event without a camera, not even a mobile phone camera. Naaah! (LOL)
@roseolivia - Thanks for taking time to read all the cultural info! As for "neat and tidy" see my note to @steampowered above!
@lynnb -- I love Japanese patterns, too, and especially appreciate that they don't all match, but instead flow well
@kali66 -- my husband puts anything in our kitchen that "might" get damaged and chipped with styrofoam sheets or bubble wrap in between each layer!
@michaelelliott -- so nice to get Alexis' new 365 message alert sound and see that you've been visiting my album! :) Who knew a cupboard photo could generate so much comment?