• Model: Amanda Li Paige
• Photographer: Dallas Nagata White
• Photo Assistants: Gabriel Yanagihara & Kaeo Kepani
• Hair and Make-up: Erica Elisha
• Stylists: Erica Elisha & Dallas Nagata White

Model: Kristen Kerch
Photographer: Dallas Nagata White
Styling/Makeup/Hair: Sarah Pacheco
Assistant: Edward White

More to come!

My fourth and final day in Japan began with a new sampling of canned cold coffee, as usual, and then a quick morning walk around Dōtonbori for some street photos. Some of my stops included the Shouchikuza, a kabuki theater, and the Dōtonbori Don Quijote location.

After my walk, I met up with Mari and Burt back at the hotel, along with one of Mari’s Japanese friends, for our train ride to the Kaiyukan, Osaka’s Aquarium. There, we were joined by Bert and Mary, two of Burt’s friends who used to live in Hawaii, and now in Kobe. Lunch was had at a small curry shop, famous for their traditional Japanese curry served with raw egg on top, and it was delicious! We then ventured through the aquarium, which had some fantastic exhibits, particularly the massive whale shark tank.

Once we were finished with the aquarium, we had intended to go to the museum of instant ramen, but most of us were feeling tired from the heat and all the rushing around we’d been doing, so instead we took the train back to Umeda in Osaka, destined for Yodobashi Camera, a Mecca of electronics. This gigantic building offered not only an entire floor devoted to cameras and photography, but even floors of clothing, and food (including a wide selection of sweets!). Being the foodies we are, we stopped for a special matcha shave ice, called uji kintoki, which cost about $12, but was totally worth it! I also ordered a matcha parfait for myself, which was layered with some soft serve ice cream, matcha cake, azuki bean, mochi, and matcha kamten. My stomach was happy, so it was time to make my heart happy too, and I had a blast in a whirlwind run around the camera floor. I didn’t spend nearly enough time there, but it’s definitely one of my main goals for the next time I’m in Japan!

Finally, it was time for me to catch my train to the airport. I walked with Burt and Mari’s friend to the station, which was a few blocks away from our hotel, so I snapped some photos along the way.

It was lonely to take the train back by myself, after traveling with others constantly for the last few days, but it gave me a chance to relax and reflect on my few days in Japan. I loved my first trip to the country, from my first bowl of garlic ramen, to the final view of the moon rising over Osaka with its Tempozan Ferris Wheel.

I am so thankful to have been given this fantastic opportunity by Hawaiian Airlines for my first visit to the Fatherland, and encourage all of my readers to take advantage of this new Osaka route. The food was unbelievably delicious, the sights were a treat to this photographer’s eyes, and the overall experience was like none other.

I already miss Japan, but I have to admit, it’s good to be home.

Related Posts:

• Osaka 2011 – Day 1
• Osaka 2011 – Day 2
• Osaka 2011 – Day 3

I am honored, humbled, and excited beyond belief to have been invited by Hawaiian Airlines for their inaugural flight for their new route to Osaka, Japan.  I’m a fourth-generation Japanese-American, or yonsei, and it’s taken me 24 years of life before venturing to what my hapa friends and I refer to as “the fatherland” (as most of us have Japanese fathers and Caucasian mothers!).  Though I’m only staying for a few nights, I’m going with one goal in mind: Don’t feel like I didn’t take enough photos.

Okay, maybe a goal-and-a-half: Don’t feel like I didn’t take enough photos, and feel good about the ones I do take.

It’s my photography that got me invited in the first place, which has been a greatly validating feeling. I can’t complain – I’m going somewhere I’ve always wanted to go because of (and for the purpose of doing) what I love most!  With fashion as my second passion in life, I admit to having muddled over what clothes to bring, but with Japan having incredibly hot summers, at least much of my Hawaii wardrobe will translate.  That’s left me with fussing over what gear to bring and carry on my own, since the husband is sitting this one out.

I’m also lucky enough to be traveling with some of Hawaii’s social media giants:

• Toby Tamaye, @atmarketing, of AT Marketing
• Esme Infante Nii, @esmeinfantenii, of Moms in Hawaii
• Burt Lum, @Bytemarks, of Bytemarks.Org/BytemarksCafe.Org
• Mari Taketa, @NonStopMari, of NonstopHonolulu.Com

Follow any of us on Twitter (I’m @dallasnagata, of course!) or the hastage #HAOsaka to follow our adventures over the next week!  I will also be blogging my personal impressions and photos here on this blog, while posting photo galleries of my more artistic scene captures on my Nonstop Honolulu blog, Moments Around.

I got a haircut so I don’t look too unruly, I’ve gained 5lbs in the last week in preparation of eating my way through Osaka, had my dollars exchanged for yen, and I think I’ve decided what camera lenses to bring. I should probably start packing.

Randomly, I went with my friend, soldier/photographer Phil Velez, to shoot the flag detail ceremony at Ft. Shafter as they took down the gigantic flag that had been flown for Columbus Day. It was nice to shoot something a little more relaxing and artsy after the crazy 10/10/10 wedding weekend! As you can see, I had fun with just some random processing. A lot of this was quick edits, so I might come back and polish them later, but for now it was just for fun.  This was not an official PACOM event like the others that I’ve been photographing this year. (…speaking of, I’ve just realized I still need to edit my F22 Activation Ceremony pics…such a backlog of work to do!)

I’d also like to mention that even though I’m an Army wife, this is my first Army event that I’ve shot! So far it’s all been Navy, Air Force, Marines, Air National Guard…now I just got to get the Coast Guard!

This past Friday I had the opportunity to attend the Blue Angels’ airshow rehearsal day, ahead of the major crowds and epic traffic jam. I was also granted a media pass, allowing for front-row seating within the media section. Here are some of my favorite photos captured from the day:

Continue Reading…(Warning: Large Images Ahead!)

Even though I posted most of the photos I took, you can see my entire gallery of them here, and at larger sizes than posted.  I hope you enjoy them!

Here’s a super cute digital camera bag styled to look like a retro camera! (This is the one Appi showed me first.)

So, I went to further investigate Fred Flare, and found several more photography-related goodies that I just have to share! (Because I can’t afford to go splurging on them now, haha!)

First, how adorable are these mini camera zipper pulls?

They even come inside a little old-fashioned film canister! I love it!

Along the theme of mini cameras, here’s a couple of tiny wooden cameras that are actually rubber stamps for old-fashioned camera graphics:

Of course, vintage camera love is never complete without Polaroids. Here are some beautiful notecards inspired by Polaroids, using actual Polaroid images:

And finally, an actual camera, and something I intend to get eventually, an action sampler camera that shoots 35mm film!

I love that retro-camera-inspired things are so in style right now!

I even got to capture a near-perfect circular rainbow!

Having seen my dad don his flight suit for various helicopter operations for the National Park, I was quite proud to put one on myself and join him in the sky. Plus, it was just cool!

One of the best parts of the experience was getting to fly with no doors!  Being 10,000+ feet in the sky and looking over the edge is an amazing thrill. (And my dad is posing in the pilot’s seat in the following photo – he’s not a pilot himself.)

(I don’t care how geeky those helmets look, it’s totally awesome!)

Fast-forward three years to 2010, and I’ve finally taken my first helicopter tour of Oahu, my home-away-from-home for the last six years.  I was joined by my father, naturally, as well as my great-aunt, for the tour provided by Blue Hawaiian Helicopters.

It was fascinating to see Oahu from the air!  Unfortunately, because this was a tour helicopter, there were doors present, and thus my photos were of an infuriatingly degraded quality than they would have been otherwise.  The aircraft was also moving very fast, so if I missed a shot, the opportunity was gone within a few seconds.  The tour was a good refresher in being aware of keeping my shutter speed fast enough to compensate for the movement of the helicopter. I was using my 5DMKII with a 24-105mm f.4L lens for its focal range and Image Stabilizer. Here’s a sampling of some of the practice shots I took today:

Finally, here’s a shot of Kaʻaʻawa Valley, though there is some glare from the helicopter’s plexiglass. This is the valley, a part of Kualoa Ranch, where several productions, including George of the Jungle, Jurassic Park, and parts of LOST have been shot!

Hopefully the next time I’m flying, I can do it doors-free for optimal image quality!  If any of you ever have a chance, take a helicopter tour and practice some aerial photography! I highly recommend bringing a polarizer and swift reflexes for balancing ISO with aperture (for as much depth-of-field as possible) and shutter-speed (for compensating for hand-holding in a moving helicopter).

Finally, check out my 365 Photo Blog for one more shot from today!