Maiko
Maiko in Kyoto
Maiko in Kyoto
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May, 2018Views
368
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Awards
Fall Award 2020
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
Top Choice
Superb Composition
All Star
Outstanding Creativity
Virtuoso
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 30 rank week 1
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took the photo in Kyoto, Japan. It was in the hotel where my wife and I stayed during the visit to the city. Kyoto was the only large city we visited during our month long trip to Japan. We spent the rest of the time visiting rural places and remote islands away from the crowd.Time
Maikos are young aprendices, training to become geishas. The Maiko of the photo had just finished her performance in the hotel where my wife and I stayed during our visit to the city. Aware of my interest in photography, the manager of the hotel kindly asked the maiko if she would allow me to take pictures of her. On the walls of the hotel hall where we wen to, several Japanese style paintings were hanging. With the help of the manager I asked the maiko to stand in front of the paintings where this picture was taken. It was late afternoonLighting
The hall of the hotel where we moved to was illuminated by artificial lightening and there were no chances to change it. Furthermore I had no time to prepare the scenery and had only a few minutes to take the pictures. So I choose the paintings that would best serve as background of the mostly yellow dressing of the young lady and the light was sufficient enough for a handheld camera shoot.Equipment
I used a canon 5DMIV camera with a canon 70-200 mm f/4 lens. No other equipment was used for this improvísate picture session.Inspiration
The main reason for this second trip to Japan of ours was to visit more rural places of the country and become more acquainted with Japanese traditions, culture and art. Kyoto was the only large city we visited attracted by the wealth of tradition the city is famous for. With the help of a Canadian acquaintance who has long lived and worked in Kyoto we were able get more intimate with the “secret” life of Kyoto. It was a wonderful experience as it was the rest of the month long visit to the countryEditing
Generally, my post-processing is very simple and with Adobe LR I make the few adjustments to light and contrast that the picture necessitates.In my camera bag
In addition to my Canon 5DMIV equipped with standard 24-70 and 70-200 mm zoom lenses I generally travel with a Fuji X-type camera with the same equivalent zoom lenses. Depending on the type of travel I may add a wide angle zoom lens, tripod etc. I always take with me a home made bean bag and plenty of memory cards that I empty into a small lap top and portable hard drive at the end of each daily photo sessionFeedback
As said this picture was taken under somehow exceptional circumstances. I was able to do it thanx to the hotel manager with whom I had spent some time in the previous days talking about the reasons of our trip to Japan, my passion for photography and having a couple of drinks together. It was she, the manager, who introduced me to the maiko and the kindness of the latter who stayed at the hotel well beyond the time of her performance which made the picture(s) possible. So the only advice I can give is to talk to people interact with them and hope that some magical moment (photography speaking) may surge from it
