Sometimes the strangest things will make you laugh…
Read MoreIn a dark year like 2020, it helps to stay positive by remembering better and brighter days, like the day I photographed the maiko Yuriha amidst the vivid colors of Kyoto’s fall foliage.
Read MoreI’d like to invite all readers of my blog to visit my Etsy shop, John Paul Foster Prints.
Read MoreAlthough I never met the maiko Komanryo, I feel a connection to her through the tea house she owned and that I have used for my photo sessions for more than a decade.
Read MorePhotographing crowded events like Hassaku is always challenging, but sometimes a little magic (and light) happens.
Read MoreMy early days as a street photographer in Gion Kobu were memorable because of poignant and frustrating encounters I had with a small group of photographers who came to the district
Read MoreFinding out that a painter had copied two of my favorite photographs, pretended they were his own, and tried to sell them has led me to feel some anger, some pain, and some compassion.
Read MoreThe maiko Kohana of Gion Kobu brightened up a dark time in my life just by waiting to say hello to me. Little things really do mean a lot!
Read MoreThis is a peak behind the scenes at my lighting set-up for a photo session with new geisha Mamefuji.
Read MoreNatsuko was one of the first geisha I met in Gion Kobu, and also one of the kindest. It’s time I finally wrote about her!
Read MoreOut of respect for the geiko and maiko and everyone else who lives in Gion Kobu, I won’t be among the crowds at major public events like Hassaku and Shigyoshiki.
Read MoreI’ll be adding several new prints to my shop on January 31. I will also be increasing the prices of prints currently in the shop on February 1, so you can save some money if you purchase a print before then.
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