Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/40 sec, f/7.1, ISO 6400 — image data — nearby photos
Me and My Family
my folks me, my son, my wife my wife's folks
I'd like to share a bit more from my New Year's trip to visit my folks in Ohio. It was notable in particular because it was the first time for my parents to actually meet my wife's parents.
Anthony and I left Kyoto first, having been seen off at the Osaka airport by Fumie's folks...
iPhone 4S at an effective 35mm — 1/20 sec, f/2.4, ISO 400 — image data — nearby photos
Pre-Flight Snack
Starbucks in the Osaka Itami Airport (大阪伊丹空港)
Anthony had a lot of homework over the break (boo, hiss), so we had to squeeze study in everywhere we could. Here, at the gate while waiting for the plane, he's memorizing Japan's 47 “states” and their capitals...
After a somewhat harrowing flight via Tokyo and Chicago (see “Thank You Anonymous Hero at Chicago O’Hare’s Gate E2a”) and a couple of days without luggage, we had a quiet Christmas in Ohio...
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 2200 — image data — nearby photos
Opening Presents
We don't get much snow in Kyoto (but when we do, it can be beautiful) so Anthony enjoyed the snow and ice...
... and feeding birds on the veranda that have trained my Mom to provide snacks....
Panasonic DMC-TS3 at an effective 29mm — 1/200 sec, f/3.3, ISO 400 — image data — nearby photos
Chickadee
But there was study... always study...
Fumie and her folks came in via Toronto (via a horribly-late flight). Her folks had never been to Ohio, and mine never to Kyoto, so after 14 years of marriage, our folks could finally meet.
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/60 sec, f/3.2, ISO 1600 — image data — nearby photos
Warm All Around
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/60 sec, f/4.5, ISO 2800 — image data — nearby photos
Cheers!
with Ohio and Canadian ice wine
I normally would take a group shot like this via the intervalometer, to have a shot fired every two or three seconds so that we'd hopefully get a good one, but this time I tried a CamRanger, which allowed me to fire the shutter from my iPhone. The only problem is that the button on the screen has no tactile feedback, so it was a bit challenging to hit it blindly.
Fumie's folks then took the opportunity to try things some new things: feeding the birds, and sledding...
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 102mm — 1/60 sec, f/2.8, ISO 180 — image data — nearby photos
Another Chickadee
Panasonic DMC-TS3 at an effective 29mm — 1/1000 sec, f/3.3, ISO 100 — image data — nearby photos
Sledding
Anthony and his maternal grandparents
Panasonic DMC-TS3 at an effective 29mm — 1/800 sec, f/3.3, ISO 100 — image data — nearby photos
Three-Generation Race
Anthony liked the crashing more than the actual sledding
Canon PowerShot SD870 IS + 4.6-17.3mm @ 4mm — 1/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 125 — image data — nearby photos
Choo-Choooooo
three generations on one toboggan
photo by my mom
It was a wonderful day.
Fumie and her folks headed back to Japan the next day, while Anthony and I stayed on for a few days.
In the next few shots, Anthony is helping Grandpa with a lake-related chore...
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/6400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — image data — nearby photos
Careful Instruction
on breaking a hole in the ice
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/2500 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — image data — nearby photos
Throwing Snow
just because it's there
There was much more snow play, and that most-excellent visit to a LEGO store before we returned to Kyoto, via Chicago and Tokyo. On the short final segment, a Japanese domestic flight from Tokyo on ANA, we for some reason got bumped up to business class, which thrilled Anthony to no end:
iPhone 4S at an effective 35mm — 1/15 sec, f/2.4, ISO 400 — image data — nearby photos
Enjoying The Fun Seats
But it was the end of a long trip...
Out Cold
via the iPhone front-facing camera
I enjoy your blog so much because I can relate to many of the photos that you post. While your photo skills are constantly getting better, often I find myself fascinated by the content. Having a Japanese wife and a bicultural son (or whatever the safe/pc term is these days) a year younger than Anthony… viewing your blog is almost like viewing my own family albums.
ME & MY FAMILY is a fantastic shot contextually! It really tugs on my heart strings to see your family with your son in the middle as a metaphor for the joining of your families, not to mention 3 generations in one photo. I also love the shot of the ice wine… (Looks delicious.). What did your inlaws think of the sledding and the ambitious American birds?
Lastly… oh the sweet joy of flying to Japan in coach… and miraculously/ironically/don’t-question-the-airline-gods…ly taking that last intra-Japan flight in BIZ class. That same thing (and probably the same airline) happened to us! Talk about being happier than a pig in poop!
Ummm, Ron, I believe the expression is “Happier than a pig in slop” At least that’s the way I ‘ve always heard it, Jeff’s Dad grew up in a farming family , and he fed a LOT of slop to the pigs in his day. But on the other hand he manured out a lot of pigpens and the pigs were always happy so perhaps we are both right. But whatever floats your goat.
Great to see the family pictures. The CamRanger looks very interesting. Thanks for mentioning it. One question: does it work OK when the camera is set up with radio triggers to drive off-camera speedlights?
I don’t have any radio triggers, but I’d think it would all work fine. —Jeffrey