Graffiti or Street Art?

Okinawa is quite beautiful this time of year...or everyday for that matter. And there's one thing that stands out, the street art or graffiti. Whichever, regardless I'll be doing a series on these and have a master portfolio on http://flic.kr/ps/8J1JU as I build a library, so be sure to view the set once you find it up.

Graffiti - writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place.    As per the online Oxford Dictionary. There seems to be a distinct line drawn between Street Art and Graffiti, with Street Art as everything else BUT graffiti, but once you see some of these, how are they not art?

There's obviously talent, composition, a statement being made.

I will shoot as much as I can, geotagging while I'm at it. There are a few obvious artists around the island that have made their mark.

So, the debate is over art? or not? Some are primitive while others are incredibly elaborate, and placement based on seclusion or high-traffic. The time and effort put into these is stunning for some of the ones I have coming up, so stay tuned!

Oh yeah, and if you see this:

Pterois sp. (Lionfish)

DON'T touch!!

Pick up your trash, and leave bubbles!!

Uneventful week, well, for me maybe...

Not to much happened last week. Usual playing with the weather, waiting to dive. Finished a solo student who left for Sydney Australia on vacation. Now he gets to dive the Great Barrier Reef!! Score +1 karma point for me!!

Took some surface photos on Tuesday around Oyama Port. A little shack where they serve some delicious bento...and have a plethora of cats. I'll be returning there for another shoot to document the street-art (grafitti). The local government seems to have gotten funds to paint over everything very recently, so I've been trying to capture it before it is 'corrected'.

The new camera is making me picky about my underwater camera. The last few weeks I've been having strobe/flash issues. Things are washed out, double exposed, underexposed....not exposed. It's frustrating considering how difficult it is in the first place to capture some of these images.



The 'business end'

Took a moment to catch the last of the Sunabe Seawall that I had failed to shoot after we first arrived here. Still, it's rather timely considering 'progress' is being made. There will be a full publication of the seawall eventually, I have all the old street-art before one section was completely renovated.

'New' seawall on the right

The most popular beginner entry point for scuba



Can't wait to see the final results, I'll be shooting this site during construction, so stay tuned!!

Remember:

Take out the trash, and leave only bubbles!!

Kin Red Diving

So I spent most of the morning today identifying marine animals from a photo shoot Robert L and I did on Sunday. Pretty interesting dive site, only the third time I've been there, but I have to say a dream for a photographer.

Left side

Right side

Buoyancy is key in this area

The area has a nice entry point with easy access, and isn't to deep either (10m/30ft). However, be
forewarned, the bottom is VERY silty. You so much as look at the bottom and you can destroy visibility. There is no current to speak of, so if you do muck it up, you either have to move on or give up on making a shot. Don't be 'that diver' if you go there, especially if there are local photographers there, you'll be sure not make any friends.

Robert and I saw Thor amboinensis and Holothuria turriscelsa as well as some beautiful sponge formations (my specialty) and a couple of nudibranchs, with Blue Dragon (Pteraeolidia ianthina) being a regular show for the day.

Watch out for fishermen,

The structures to the right (pylons) are the primary place to go for shooting but you have to watch out for fishermen. Most of the shots were in the shallower area (3m/15ft). This is also an area that can't handle to many divers at one time, so if it looks busy, you're probably best going somewhere else, especially since visibility is a primary concern here.

Keep in mind when you dive sites like this, if it's a primarily local dive spot, be courteous. Park properly, don't be loud, pick up your trash. Robert and I picked up trash while we were there, even though it wasn't ours, it doesn't matter if it's yours or theirs, pick some up. Help Ty's environment!!

As always, leave only bubbles, take out the trash, and I'll see you below.