Focx Photography » city

Hatsumōde

Christoph — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 13:28:28 +0000

E-M5 , 0 mm, 1/640 sec at F 0.
Taken on January 1, 2013 14:34.

From this year’s traditional Japanese New Year visit (hatsumōde) to the Shintō shrine. The weather was beautiful and warm, with a lot of people happily waiting in line. This shrine is in the heart of Nagoya, Japan.

Ginkgo alley (Sakaegaoka Park, Sapporo)

Christoph — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 10:51:37 +0000

E-M5 , 42 mm, 1/250 sec at F 9.
Taken on November 8, 2012 10:55.

A rest in this beautiful park full of autumn-coloured trees in the north of Sapporo quickly turned into an unplanned photo session during my university fieldwork!

Toyohira River, Sapporo

Christoph — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 13:36:37 +0000

E-M5 , 35 mm, 1/800 sec at F 7.1.
Taken on September 28, 2012 12:49.

A view from the Toyohira River basin near the south end of Nakajima Park in Sapporo, Japan. I shot this photo with the Olympus 35mm Macro lens – because I was out to do some macro work! Turns out this lens is just as capable of landscape pictures ;)

After the storm

Christoph — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:46:25 +0000

E-PL1 , 14 mm, 1/1000 sec at F 11.
Taken on February 21, 2012 17:28.

A tropical summer thunderstorm hit the Gold Coast this afternoon. When I returned from university, the storm was luckily over already, but had left some great cloud formations. I took this picture while walking home from my bus stop.

Spontaneous Vegetation VII

Christoph — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:00:59 +0000

E-5 , 55 mm, 1/320 sec at F 7.1.
Taken on June 22, 2011 15:22.

Spontaneous vegetation breaks rules. It grows where nothing is supposed to grow, where plants were not part of the plan. It finds chances and uses them without regard for place, context or human intentions. Humans, however, help constructing space for spontaneous vegetation, influence it and are influenced by it in various ways: spontaneous vegetation is therefore also part of our culture, as we are a part of nature.

Spontaneous vegetation: “…defined as all plants that develop without intentional horticultural input, is a characteristic element of the urban environment. It grows at no financial cost, is authentic and is always appropriate to site conditions.” (Kühn, N. “Intentions for the Unintentional: Spontaneous Vegetation as the Basis for Innovative Planting Design in Urban Areas”, 2006), “the de facto native vegetation of the city.” (Del Tredici, P. “Wild urban plants of the northeast”, 2010).

Spontaneous Vegetation VI

Christoph — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:15:43 +0000

E-PL1 , 17 mm, 1/130 sec at F 4.
Taken on July 12, 2011 17:05.

The interaction between plants and human artefacts is one fascinating aspect of spontaneous vegetation. This also raises the question of how we deal with such “coincidental” art. Do we disregard it because there is artist’s intent? Do we appreciate the beauty in chance? Do we even notice and recognize it?

Spontaneous Vegetation V

Christoph — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:54:48 +0000

E-PL1 , 17 mm, 1/130 sec at F 3.5.
Taken on July 12, 2011 17:03.

Unplanned, unused, useless? These are the places we often overlook but sometimes notice, especially when plants manage to use them and grow against all odds. To spot spontaneous vegetation, we need to re-focus and look away from the points our attention is naturally (or better, socially) drawn to.

Gold Coast II

Christoph — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:28:04 +0000

E-5 , 37 mm, 1/50 sec at F 11.
Taken on August 6, 2011 07:05.

Shortly after sunrise, I was looking around for nice things to shoot when I saw the glowing reflection of the highrise building in the Pacific Ocean.

Spontaneous Vegetation IV

Christoph — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:00:54 +0000

E-PL1 , 17 mm, 1/250 sec at F 5.
Taken on July 12, 2011 16:39.

Cracks in the pavement, still unsealed fragments of urban soil: these are the places we often overlook but sometimes notice, especially when plants manage to use them and grow against all odds. To spot spontaneous vegetation, we need to re-focus and look away from the points our attention is naturally (or better, socially) drawn to.

Spontaneous Vegetation III

Christoph — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 07:41:29 +0000

E-PL1 , 17 mm, 1/160 sec at F 4.
Taken on July 12, 2011 16:47.

This tree grew in the small space between a wall and a building. I find it intriguing to see the workers left it standing when they demolished the building. Location: Nagoya, Japan.

Spontaneous Vegetation II

Christoph — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:58:04 +0000

E-5 , 12 mm, 1/500 sec at F 8.
Taken on June 22, 2011 15:21.

In this series of photos I am documenting spontaneous vegetation wherever I find it.
Various plants and trees are thriving on industrial buildings along the Horikawa in the center of Nagoya, Japan.

Mode Gakuen Spiral Towers

Christoph — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:10:40 +0000

E-5 , 18 mm, 1/640 sec at F 10.
Taken on June 22, 2011 15:04.

The Mode Gakuen Spiral Towers near Nagoya Central Station is certainly one of the cooler educational buildings out there! As you walk by, the view changes and so do the things reflected in the glass.

Gold Coast I

Christoph — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 08:56:12 +0000

E-5 , 12 mm, 1/80 sec at F 11.
Taken on August 6, 2011 06:55.

Today I decided to make use of the nice light just after sunrise, got up early and went to the beach near Anzac Park in Southport. With relatively low tide, the sand had nice lines and the rocks provided a nice contrast.

Abandoned shed

Christoph — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:14:46 +0000

E-5 , 14 mm, 1/500 sec at F 8.
Taken on July 5, 2011 18:17.

Even in densely built Japanese cities, some areas remain undeveloped and one can find rice paddies, fields or empty lots. This shed stood next to such a field.

Please do come in!

Christoph — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 11:36:40 +0000

E-PL1 , 17 mm, 1/800 sec at F 5.
Taken on December 2, 2010 10:40.

I notived this funny graffiti the other day when walking back home from the train station. As it is not very big and down on the ground, I must have walked past it a lot without noticing it! This kind of creative graffiti really makes cities an interesting place.

Bicycle Clown

Christoph — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:47:48 +0000

E-620 , 45 mm, 1/500 sec at F 7.1.
Taken on September 12, 2010 13:54.

One of the many great costumes at this year’s Kurilpa Derby in West End, Brisbane.

Urban hermit

Christoph — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:48:47 +0000

E-520 , 25 mm, 1/250 sec at F 9.
Taken on July 12, 2009 03:08.

This looks like the perfect place for an urban hermit, but noone was at home when I came by.

City sunset

Christoph — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:28:51 +0000

E-620 , 52 mm, 1/640 sec at F 9.
Taken on September 27, 2009 16:59.

The silhouette on the right belongs to the Aichi mag-lev train Linimo.

Air guitar master

Christoph — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:06:44 +0000

, , at .
Taken on .

This fellow rocked really hard at Yoyogi park, Tokyo.

Business As Usual II

Christoph — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:25:11 +0000

E-620 , 14 mm, 1/80 sec at F 3.2.
Taken on September 12, 2009 07:32.

A middle-aged Japanese obasan is circled by hopeful buyers at the world’s largest fish markt Tsukiji in Tokyo, Japan.