A lot of attention is being paid to the effects of over-tourism in Gion Kobu, but I haven’t seen any discussion of the causes. This post describes some of them.
Read MoreKagirohi is an excellent photobook with shimmering black-and-white photographs of cherry blossoms, Kyoto, and tayu.
Read MoreMaiko and geiko are not the only ones who perform Kurokami…
Read MoreToday I’m posting photos of every step in my lighting process, and I’ll explain my thinking behind each one. You’ll learn how I go from the image of me (one light) to the image of Kohana (four lights).
Read MoreAlthough these portraits of Toshikana and Mamefuji share several similarities, the real story is in their differences.
Read MoreSometimes the stars align in your favor, and my fourth time photographing the maiko Kohana of Gion Kobu was one such time.
Read MoreI have been blogging about geisha, maiko, and Kyoto for ten years now and have written almost 300 posts. It’s my tenth anniversary! Thank you for reading!
Read MoreAlthough I like this image of Yukako and Makiko very much, I considered it a failure in the months after I made it.
Read MoreThe images I created with Manaha and Mameharu are my favorites from all my dance duo sessions, but not for the reasons you might think!
Read MoreThis month’s post is going out to my newsletter subscribers. If you’d like to subscribe, you can sign up at the bottom of this post.
Read MoreSometimes the best way to get portrait subjects to relax is to do absolutely nothing at all, especially if the subjects are best friends like Mameharu and Manaha!
Read MoreIf you are interested in color theory, this image of Toshikana and Toshimomo performing “Harusame” is a perfect example of the art of combining colors!
Read MoreAlthough photographing two maiko might be more visually stunning than photographing just one, it probably takes more than twice as much work!
Read MoreSometimes 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.
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