So the trains booted back up at 5am, i had a train from my house just after 5am, which i missed >.< cos i am slow when its cold out. I made it successfully to the market and turned left, i had a few westerners following me, as if i knew where i was going pffff, but for once i was right and hit a wall of activity. Within the first 2mins i was nearly killed twice by carts zooming around. I felt bad for getting in their way sometimes but they are used to gaijin. I did read once there were some hostilities between a gaijin and a worker and the place had a month long ban from gaijin entering.
You soon wake up pretty fast after facing near death not once but twice! i was always looking for photos to make but unless you are down one of the sushi allies then you really don't have time to stand around. You almost become one with the workers rushing out of the way and finding little spots to stand in to let the carts fly past.
After visiting the place you really get a feel for how Tokyo grew, and i could imagine the same thing happening way back when the boats were still wooden. After seeing people at work you understand how fast the fish is transported away from the market to the different restaurants ready to be prepped for the day, after all the fish must be fresh for sushi, you cant be selling bad meat and risking being shut down.
The sushi restaurants were just opening as i arrived but the queue outside were crazy long! some places only seated my 8 people and the queues were 20-30+ already at 6am. I decided to find other food, and bought some fish off an old lady thinking it would be warm, as it looked like it was coating in a lightly fried doe. After eating a few cold and crunching down on hard octopus tentacle i was out. I usually up for trying anything but after that i was put off, especially at 6am. I ditched the food for some light bread. I felt bad not trying the freshest sushi in Tokyo but im sure i will get the opportunity to return to this fascinating country and try my luck again.
As the sun set the markets pace slowed a lot, still working hard but not at the frantic pace as before but dont be fooled the carts still move the same speed as before!
heres a few shots, if a little slightly blured from the panic of getting hit while shooting!
cheif works frantically in the back of the restaurant
men drinking coffee in a noodle bar
checking stock first thing
carts waiting to be ridden to collect fish for further down the market
this looks like a smaller operation, most likely a man who runs a business or a few loading stock to rush back to get ready for a busy day of customers ahead
cart zooms past as i pan for the shot / dive for saftey
fully loaded
if you cant find your cart, just run! haha
'thats not a knifffee, this is!' woah shit no kidding, one big as knife!
this shot came out really nice, such an eary glow from all the bulbs first thing in the morning, as the man watched me humbly take his photo, i gave him a slight nod as i passed and he let me knew that i was ok to take a frame for which i was greatful!
meat cut ready to be packed and used for other places, possibly 7-11's
a old couple grab breakfast after rushing to get ready for the day head, well earnt if you ask me!
Ok so after i had been to the market i decided to go to Shinjuku just to see how much it would cost me for a Leica lens for my new GF1 micro 4/3's camera. As i had read you can buy lens adapter rings and the camera works well with the amazing german glass. i had always wanted to use Leica ever since i became intrested in street photography but the price as just always been such an issue. I discovered that brand new from Yotabashi cameras it would cost at least £1,500. Way way too much, as i had little time in Japan left and not much else to spend money on i thought if i can find one for under £500 second hand i would get it.
And
I found one for around £500 at a second hand camera store in Shinjuku called 'Lucky Cameras' I was chuffed to bits. Finally a dream come true! I am a proud owner of a 50mm f2 Summicron lens. Two dreams come true i am so happy, although still a little unsure as to justifying spending so much money when the standard 20mm f1.7 lens on the gf1 is fantastic!! Only time will tell, the proof is in the pudding as they say, so roll on the black and white's ;)
these are the 1st ever shots i took with the lens and i found it immensely difficult to use with my current camera which is still new in itself to me, totally 100% manual focus and exposure control mean there was so much room for error and hip-shots are just imposable
Posts
