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I didn't quite manage that daily update thing, did I? I have a darn good excuse though. I got a phone call last Friday from a friend who works for a rock magazine in Tokyo. She needed a photographer for a visual kei fashion show and concert on Saturday. At first I said no, owing to having private lessons to teach (and also a terrible fear of having to do a photo shoot with a band). Then I sat about thinking about it, and thinking about it, and thinking about it, and then I rang her back and said I'd do it.
So I met her and the fashion ed. (also an acquaintance) outside LaForet in Harajuku on Saturday afternoon and hung about for a while until the bands and models did the press call photo thing. I've never done one of these, and I've never had to do one in Japanese, so thank goodness my friend was on the ball on my behalf. After that we had a little interview and photo shoot with the designers and band members of Sixh. The light was terrible; they were not a little bit intimidating with their serious faces; and I was bricking it because all my Japanese left my brain. I felt totally out of my depth and this was reflected in the fact that I totally forgot to get a decent band shot.
After that was over the fashion show started. I wish I was pin thin and gorgeous sometimes, as I'd love to get into those clothes (and actually look good in them), but then I wouldn't have amazing boobs, so I guess I just keep the belly that comes with them...and the butt...and the thighs. Sigh.
After the fashion show ended the first band DaizyStripper took to the stage. Looking at those boys photos, I would never have expected to be quite as impressed as I was. Their first song started with a load of head-banging and gutteral screaming, which nearly had my jaw on the floor with the pure joy of what I was witnessing a mere six feet away. So, I spent the evening crawling around on my knees, taking photos of the bands, enjoying the music, and again totally forgetting to get band shots, by which I mean shot with the whole band in. Not one. Some had two or three members in, at most. And the poor drummers. They just don't keep still long enough for me to get a good shot. Entirely my fault. I shall not blame the equipment, or the drummers (even though I think drummers need to be blamed for more bad things in the world;).
All in all it was a great night, and I learned a great deal from doing it: don't freak out or the Japanese will fail you; group shots! groups shots! and drummers!; don't wear the baby-stomping boots when you will be crawling around on the floor (my knees have been complaining ever since).
Day 05 - Which, if any, Japanese mannerisms or expressions have you adopted?
I was having dinner the other week with a guy (oh, alright, I was on a date) who started laughing his head off while we were talking. He had asked me a question and rather than replying with a "yes" (he's almost perapera (fluent) in English), I had used the Japanese "un" noise instead. He thought it was funny that I did it so naturally. My kids also picked up on it the other week when they asked me a question in Japanese, so I must be pretty convincing at it. So that's one thing.
I sit on the floor alot (I didn't do this England - a house full of animals makes it far too dangerous).
I use "ne" a lot at the end of sentences, even English sentences, despite the fact that I find the overuse of it by aging women in the gym to be one of the most annoying things ever.
I guess the first thing I picked up was bowing, followed by my number 2 bugbear - the "peace sign" in photos. Ask most Japanese people where this affectation comes from and none of them will give you a decent or consistent answer. I shall just let the mystery remain. I have no idea why I do it, but sometimes I do, even though I refuse do let people do it in the photos I take. Here I am, at last year's New Year's Eve party, caught off guard by someone. I think I was standing on the table in the middle of the room at the time.
So I met her and the fashion ed. (also an acquaintance) outside LaForet in Harajuku on Saturday afternoon and hung about for a while until the bands and models did the press call photo thing. I've never done one of these, and I've never had to do one in Japanese, so thank goodness my friend was on the ball on my behalf. After that we had a little interview and photo shoot with the designers and band members of Sixh. The light was terrible; they were not a little bit intimidating with their serious faces; and I was bricking it because all my Japanese left my brain. I felt totally out of my depth and this was reflected in the fact that I totally forgot to get a decent band shot.
After that was over the fashion show started. I wish I was pin thin and gorgeous sometimes, as I'd love to get into those clothes (and actually look good in them), but then I wouldn't have amazing boobs, so I guess I just keep the belly that comes with them...and the butt...and the thighs. Sigh.
After the fashion show ended the first band DaizyStripper took to the stage. Looking at those boys photos, I would never have expected to be quite as impressed as I was. Their first song started with a load of head-banging and gutteral screaming, which nearly had my jaw on the floor with the pure joy of what I was witnessing a mere six feet away. So, I spent the evening crawling around on my knees, taking photos of the bands, enjoying the music, and again totally forgetting to get band shots, by which I mean shot with the whole band in. Not one. Some had two or three members in, at most. And the poor drummers. They just don't keep still long enough for me to get a good shot. Entirely my fault. I shall not blame the equipment, or the drummers (even though I think drummers need to be blamed for more bad things in the world;).
All in all it was a great night, and I learned a great deal from doing it: don't freak out or the Japanese will fail you; group shots! groups shots! and drummers!; don't wear the baby-stomping boots when you will be crawling around on the floor (my knees have been complaining ever since).
Day 05 - Which, if any, Japanese mannerisms or expressions have you adopted?
I was having dinner the other week with a guy (oh, alright, I was on a date) who started laughing his head off while we were talking. He had asked me a question and rather than replying with a "yes" (he's almost perapera (fluent) in English), I had used the Japanese "un" noise instead. He thought it was funny that I did it so naturally. My kids also picked up on it the other week when they asked me a question in Japanese, so I must be pretty convincing at it. So that's one thing. I sit on the floor alot (I didn't do this England - a house full of animals makes it far too dangerous).
I use "ne" a lot at the end of sentences, even English sentences, despite the fact that I find the overuse of it by aging women in the gym to be one of the most annoying things ever.
I guess the first thing I picked up was bowing, followed by my number 2 bugbear - the "peace sign" in photos. Ask most Japanese people where this affectation comes from and none of them will give you a decent or consistent answer. I shall just let the mystery remain. I have no idea why I do it, but sometimes I do, even though I refuse do let people do it in the photos I take. Here I am, at last year's New Year's Eve party, caught off guard by someone. I think I was standing on the table in the middle of the room at the time.
