Visual Music - Visual Kei

For my first free blog entry I originally thought I would write about the cherry blossoms which are currently in bloom, because like probably every other exchange student in Japan I excitedly went to Kyoto to see the amazing blooming flowers, saw all the hype they cause, and offcourse took many many a photos.

Taken in Kyoto, really one of the best places to see such pretty Sakura

But then I thought “hey…but a lot of people will be doing their blog on the sakura, I want to do something else”

 So I then decided to do my first free blog post on something I know rather well.

Japanese Visual Kei music

Japanese Visual Kei music is the music genre which has a reasonably strong and very devoted following in Japan, in which the band members dress in a stronger more visual style of clothing, will often wear a lot of makeup and have their hair dyed and styled in very interesting ways, for a Visual Kei band, their appearance is just as important as their music, but that is not to say the music comes second.

For a good Visual Kei band, you need to have both the right visual look and the right sound.

Needless to say, I am a rather big fan of this music style; I have a lot of knowledge on it, and have been to many concerts while in Japan (I tend to go to the more indie/smaller band concerts)

But all though in my opinion, Visual Kei fits in perfectly with the study of visual anthropology, it is difficult to write a blog with my own pictures in it on this subject as these bands are “not allowed” to let fans take photos of them.

So with that said, this blog post will be mainly written with video from youtube, and pictures from band websites and members ameba (like a blog)

For the case of keeping this simple and short, I will only provide examples from my current four favourite bands.

Jackman

Melt

Dragon Wapppppper

Dog In The PWO

Jackman

(the vocals sound a bit weird in this video, but I am pretty sure I was actually at this concert)

Jackman is a small local Kansai band with growing popularity

Their visual look as changed 4 times (I think) but they have only been active as Jackman for just over one year (before hand they were in another band without the drummer Roi)

Currently they have a different look than what’s in the video, with white and other light colours instead of black, however there is still a lot of orange in their current style.

However changing from the look in the video to their current look, the guitarist Mike is barely recognizable.

Mike's previous look

And Mike's current look

I remember going to the concert, in which they revealed their new looks (it was actually there one year anniversary concert) and when the band starting coming out on the stage the drummer Roi came out (as the drummer always comes out first) but the fans in the crowd where confused, because no one could see his face clearly everyone seemed to think it was instead Mike, leaving everyone wondering why Mike came out first, then Lon Lon (bassist) came out followed by the real Mike, leaving everyone stunned by the transformation

And just to neaten up, I will continue complete a time line of Mike’s looks while active as part of Jackman

Mike's 2nd look

Mike's 1st look

(all pictures taken from Mike's Amblo http://profile.ameba.jp/jackman-mike/)

Melt

Melt is another Kansai local band favourite of mine.

Not only is their music good, their on stage energy is great, with really friendly fans (this is a huge plus if you go to concerts, as some bands fan bases can be quite nasty, especially if you stand out like I do) and they are also lovely people to (try) and talk too, whenever I go to one of their concerts I usually get to spend some time just hanging out with them and talking to them.

And the reason I mention them in this blog (apart from them being a favourite of mine) even though with them still being a small band, and it being hard to find pictures of them, is because last night I went to a concert in which they preformed and also revealed their new looks.

second previous look

Current look (also pictures with support drummer)

As opposed to Jackman, Melt has a somewhat more casual look when it comes to clothing, however they still do they makeup and hair.

(all pictures taken from Yuki's Amblo http://profile.ameba.jp/melt-yuki)

Dragon Wapppppper

Dragon Wapppppper is a really fun band from Tokyo (although the bassist Nagisa is originally from Kobe)  their style tends to match their music which is bouncy and energetic.

School themed look

Their current style has a school based theme around it, it is not uncommon for Visual Kei bands to sometimes pick up a look with a certain theme, infact some bands will hold onto a theme as part of their persona, however Dragon Wapppppper usually has a more casual style, so it will be interesting to see how long they maintain the school theme

In their last released PV (promotional video)  with their previous looks, they can be seen with un-styled hair and without makeup while in the studio, but also with their makeup and hair styled, its interesting to see the mixture.

However Dragon Wapppppper is a band that does not seem to worried about occasionally being seen outside the visual frame without hair and makeup, as I have seen met them once or twice without makeup and styled hair (I also have a photo with them)

(all pictures taken from Dragon Wappppppers website http://dragonwapppppper.web.fc2.com/top.html)

DOG in PWO

DOG is a very interesting colourful band from Tokyo which changes looks quite frequently

Their music tends to have a pop dance beat to it, and their looks always match this.

with all of this examples provided, I will end this here.

I think it is clear to see just how much their “looks” effects this bands, it ties in with their music style and becomes a way in which they can further express their music and also a way in which their fans recognize them.

After all, its in the name right “Visual Kei”

Although at its core, its music, the visuals do matter.

But as a finishing note, I will provide what is not only a sneak preview of my end of semester final photo exhibition (on tattoo’s in Japan) but a photo I was allowed to take of a Visual Kei band member, however the identity will remain secret, as promised.

(so now this blog has two photos taken by me)

Photographers: Everyone is different

Like any other art form the ways and styles in which a photographer shoots and the end results of the process can be and are often very different from one person to another.

There should be no debate as to whether photographers are artists or not, like a painter they capture images but instead of using a brush and paint they use a camera and film (in this modern day it’s more likely to be memory card though).

And although it is my belief that like a painter not two photographers work can be the same, one can however be influenced by the work of other photographers.

Following the films watched in class, we learnt about just how deep of a difference can be between two different photographers, despite the fact that like a painter, they are using the same tool to capture images.

I will start with the undoubtedly world renown Annie Leibovitz

Creative and heavily edited

High fashion

A little more natural

Famous shot

Annie Leibovitz is a photographer famous for her work with Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair.

She is very well possibly the most famous and well know photographer in today’s times not only because of her own talent, but also due to the fact that many of the people who she shoots are famous celebrities.

Her work is often heavily edited and pain-strikingly staged as well a meticulously planned, considering the fact that she is a portrait/people photographer, some may argue that all of this leads to fake photo’s because being so altered, planned and stage would often remove all reality and truth in the person being photographer.

But Annie Leibovitz maintains belief that her photos in a way, just show the other reality, the other true self of the people she photographs.

The aim of Annie Leibovitz photos seem to be showing the true, or even an exaggerated beauty of the people she photographs, which is exactly why everything is often so staged, edited and planned.

Her work is people in art.

It’s very heavily conceptual.

It is probably the best way to describe it.

Despite everything, her work can still hold importance to the study of visual anthropology, her photography is a art which the viewer need to look at and perceive, something that the viewer often needs to form the own idea about, and because of the heavily artistic and creative style or her photos, it is possible for different people to gain different perceptions from one photo

Now moving to a completely different photographer, and style.

James Natchwey is a photographer, who like Annie Leibovitz specializes in people photography (though he does take landscape shots), but instead of artistic conceptual shoots,  James Natchwey is a war photographer, meaning his photos all show in often graphic detail, the dark side of human life where Annie Leibovitz (often) focuses on the glitz and glammer.

James Natchwey’s photographs are far from glamorous, and to be honest, more of a handful of his photos are difficult to look at because they are truly confronting, which is to be expected due to the subject of his photos.

The purpose of such a style of photography is for the photos to be confronting a thought provoking; such photos are meant to make us realize the truth in life and the atrocities many people face in their lives.

James Natchwey travels to many places that many of us would not dare to enter due to risks, as we ignore the people that already live in such a place, he travels there so he can meet the people living in such places, witness their story and capture their story with his camera, providing us with pictures with force us (for better or worse) to realize the pain of others.

It seems as though he doesn’t simply aim is lens at tragedy, as he very well could do, instead he works to know the people he is photographing, understand their life and their story, gain their trust, so he can take photos with much deeper meaning, because he understands for some of the people he photographs, this is the only chance for them that people will learn what has happened to them while in the comfort of their own homes.

He also doesn’t place as much emphasis on the equipment, due to the travelling aspect of his photography, it is difficult to carry heavy expensive camera’s and equipment, but he shows that no matter what type of camera you have, you can capture amazing pictures if you put your heart and soul into it.

James Natchwey’s photos also tend to be put into black and white, however there are also instances where his photographs have been primarily black and white with only small amounts of a strong colour such as red or blue, this help increases the strength in dramatic photo’s.

Needless to say James Natchwey’s photography holds a great significance when it comes to the study of visual anthropology, not only the photos he takes, but the way he takes them.

They show humanity, or lack thereof, the visuals offered to us in his photographs confronts us with reality.

In finality, I will conclude with my own photography style.

I think my style of photography has recently moved into the area of people photography, over the last year I have loved taking photos of people, something that came as a surprise to me considering that from when I picked up at camera at a young age, I hated taking photos of other people and always istead opted for landscape or object photography.

But this could maybe be because in my younger age, perhaps I was unconsciously aware of my lack of knowledge and understanding of other people, so I did not think I could correctly capture them.

But nowdays I feel like a can capture a little bit of someones true self, their personality if I put the effort into knowing about them before aiming my camera lens in their direction.

My photos tend to be stylized and edited, but I try my best to maintain the true personality of the person I am photographing.

I don’t think my photos are as deep or meaningful as the photos taken by James Natchwey, nor are they as conceptual and glamourous as the photos taken by Annie Leibovitz, but they are what I strive and manage to take with my efforts alone.

However in the future, I would like to try my hand and more conceptual and meaningful photos.

Photos from

http://www.jamesnachtwey.com/

http://www.fanpop.com/spots/annie-leibovitz/photos/6

Portraits - Ayaka

Every person is different

Every person needs to be represented differently

But is it possible to catch someone’s true self in a camera lens.

The task of this particular entry was to take pictures of a Japanese person, and display who they are as a person, straight away I was doubtful if this was possible, people have many different aspects of who they are, so I never believe you can completely catch someone’s personality in one photo…honestly, I don’t think you can capture a person’s entire personality no matter how many pictures you take.

And in the case of Ayaka, this thought is intensified in my mind.

A picture taken during a photoshoot, but it was just while I was fixing my settings, so its kind of a unintentional shot
but Ayaka's expression in this is amazing

Many people would say she does not fit the mold of the typical Japanese girl.

Her fashion style is her own, she is relaxed, calm and very easy going.

She is a indiviualist

She is able to joke around and have fun, and is a great person to talk to about anything.

You can talk to her knowing you will get a honest opinion and support if you need it, or you can talk to her about nothing in particular to just kill time

Sharing her heart

But as easy going and relaxed a person as she is, she also does have a serious side.

She is a hard worker, determined to archive her goals in life, which I am sure she will.

I am not sure if she realizes it, but she is also a very loyal and protective friend, if its someone who she considers a friend, you can count on her being there for you, also when she talks about her friends she does so with such fondness



Doing homework, I just wish I had a picture of her in her suit for job hunting



But those are only several aspects of what kind of person Ayaka is, I feel like I could write thousands and thousands more words, post millions upon millions more pictures, and still not get close of showing all of who she is.

But I can say with all honesty, I love taking photos of Ayaka, because I know whenever I take a picture of her there is no fake-ness behind it, in every photo of her she is just being herself…or one aspect of herself.

A great model, and a great friend

My Neighbourhood - Yamanouekitamachi

My current neighbourhood is an area called Yamanouekitamachi (山之上北町)  which is part of Hirakata shi, and is roughly around 10 minutes by bus from Hirakata city station, but whenever asking many of my Japanese friends if they know where Yamanouekitamachi is, I get blank expressions or a sudden quick search on a iphone, which leads to the impression that Yamanouekitamachi  is a small neighbourhood.

But in reality Yamanouekitamachi  is a neighbourhood with several large pachinko parlours, a love hotel, a swimming lesson building, internet café’s and a various range of café’s and restaurants, as well as the combini’s such as Lawson’s and family mart.

But sadly, the most I really see and experience of the Yamanouekitamachi  neighbourhood starts from around the door of my homestay family house, until the bus stop about a four minute walk away (two minutes if you are going to be late and run instead)

A common sight for me

But it is hard to not notice a few things about this neighbourhood during that four minute walk, first of all, the area is a mixture of really nice big well cared for houses (by Japanese standard) and the smaller apartments, and the less cared for small houses and apartments, with random warehouses thrown in around the way.

A assortment of  nice houses

A block of apartments that have probably seen better days

Then you also bring in the pachinko parlours, combini’s and various restaurants, leading to a rather mixed message of what kind of neighbourhood Yamanouekitamachi it.

A huge pachinko place in a small neighbourhood???

But unfortunately with the pictures I took on my quick two minute dash to university (because as usual I was running late) I am afraid that I was unable to capture what kind of neighbourhood Yamanouekitamachi is.

All I have provided here are pictures of houses and apartments, sure they are a big part of a neighbourhood, but the most important part of a neighbourhood is the people that live in it.

And here there are no pictures of the people I meet on the quick dash to the bus stop, the people like the grandmother and her young granddaughter that greet me with a happy “ohayo gozaimasu” and tell me to have a safe day at school and return in good health and spirits, the kids that play in the empty lot near my house, my host brother fiancés family (who also live in the neighbourhood) who saw me walking to the bus stop one day and insisted they give me a ride to the university.

Buildings are only part of a neighbourhood, what good would a house or apartment be without the people living in it.

I will once again end this blog on a slightly different but connected note.

Every morning when I walk to the bus station, there is one house that has a plum tree out the front, usually the flowers are bloomed a lovely pink, but once again, in Japan things can change so suddenly.

Such a lovely bloom

But even they hide in the snow

Japan: First Impressions x2

They say you can only ever have one first impression, but in this blog entry I am going to debate this fact by arguing the fact that I have been able to get two different “first impressions” of Japan and Japanese culture.

Currently I am a second semester international student at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka prefecture Japan (this blog is actually part of one of my classes) but this isn’t my first time coming to and experiencing Japan, when I was 18 years old I made my first trip to Japan through a youth exchange program, and upon landing in Narita airport in Tokyo I was itching to get out there and experience Japan. No matter what time it was, what the weather was like or even how tired I was.

But instead my first experience in Japan was locked up in a hotel room (that we weren’t allowed to leave) and waking up to this view.



not exactly a wonderful sight



But I managed to cope with this negative first impression and more than lack lustre sight, because I was going to catch another plane to Osaka then a train to Fukui, a small country prefecture in Japan that I had honestly never heard of before.

The plane trip itself was rather uneventful apart from seeing Mount Fuji and watching a fellow Australian shamelessly flirt with the flight attendants.

But it was on the train ride from Osaka to Fukui that I saw what will always remain one of my strongest memories of Japan.

Before going under a short tunnel the view around me looked like this



pretty nice, green and normal right?

But when the train exited the tunnel, suddenly I was greeted by this site

so much snow, I was stunned

To this day I look back on that moment in wonder, not only was it the first time that I had even seen snow in my life (because I am Australian) but also the first time I had witnessed just how flawlessly and suddenly things in Japan could change

The rest of my time in Fukui I literally and honestly had a wonderful time, I meet so many wonderful and kind people, as well as a few people who were much less than pleasant, and because Fukui is a smaller country prefecture I got to experience many different things.

My impression remains today, that the Japan I experienced in Fukui was filled (mostly) of great people, I got to experience many things that people would associate more with the western idea of “traditional Japan” where I spent time either looking after and playing with children or talking to the older adults because there was really no youth culture (in the area of Fukui I was living in for a majority of the time) that I could inject myself into, but still managed to have a wonderful time.

But moving to the present day.

Well let’s not quite say the present day, more so around seven months ago when I arrived in Japan to start my year study abroad in Kansai Gaidai.

I think this is really an example that the impression of where you are, and in one context you are entering a culture can change the perspective and impressions.

Because literally as soon as I entered Japan this time, and even more so when I entered Kansai Gaidai I realized the “cool young” Japan that I had previously missed out on.

Where smoking is cool, because all the cool kids do it (plus there are even special flavours!!!!)

dont follow my lead kiddies, its a bad thing, even if all the cool kids are doing it!

Everyone takes fashion very seriously, every aspect of it, but somehow everyone’s fashion styles seem to somehow stand out but fit together all at the same time

who ever said a girl could own too many pairs of earings~

Where people are one moment loud and crazy, then relaxed and chilled the next

after a hard day of classes (the ones that actually were attened anyway) and probably more than a healthy amount of smokes!

But with all of this being said, even though the I had many different experiences due to the youth culture that I was surrounded in this time around, I was still able to see many of the more traditional aspects of Japan, and much like Japan I once again realized I was surrounded by many amazing and kind people (along with a hand full of less than pleasant people)

But after all of this, what I am trying to say with all of this is that I think you can have two first impressions of the same country depending on in which context you enter it and what sub culture you enter it in.

But if I needed to make one general first impression on Japan, I would need to go back to my first memory of Japan with the tunnel and the snow.

Japan is a country that can change/shift in the blink of the eye, even the way it moves between the old and the new so seamlessly can be considered part of this amazing skill.

And I shall leave this blog entry with this last picture

(sorry if this was a long and drawn out read, next one will be shorter ne~~~)

expect anything in japan, and always carry a camera, never did I expect to see a chicken standing ontop of the roof of the car in one of downtown Osaka's busiest area's