[( oo )]

The Battle Of Kawanakajima 2008

2008-04-13T22:48:00.004+09:00

As I stated last year around this same time, my determination carried me to this past weekend's spectacular reenactment of the Battle of Kawanakajima. However, this time around, the big difference was the ground on which I was standing. I decided to trade in my civilian clothes for Japanese Samurai battle armor and gather 9 more people to join me in doing the same.

Our day started early at 630am in order to make a 1.5 hour train ride down to Yamanashi. Once we arrived, we wasted little time in getting oriented with our costumes and schedule throughout the day. This is an annual event that a lot of people came out for, so it was pretty exciting to be at the center of attention for the day.

One great surprise came when a couple of people saw our flag and came over to introduce themselves, they were actual descendants of the people we were representing in the reenactment. Not to mention, I noticed some people after the show who were extremely appreciative/grateful for the efforts exerted by all of the participants that day. I felt like I had taken part in something very important to at least a few people, so that was a rewarding feeling.

Last year, there were around 800 people who took part in this event, and it seemed as if that number was about the same this year. The best part of the show came when everyone got to charge at each other and fight amid a large mass of people. I "killed" a good number of the "enemy", but I think I met my demise on the second charge, haha.

Emergency Operation!

2008-04-07T20:21:00.005+09:00

So, I realized that my watch had stopped working a few days ago, and I got concerned. I mean, usually he's full of energy and he doesn't miss a beat, but trouble inexplicably arose! Knowing that I didn't have the time(pun intended), I rushed him to the nearest watch store I could find. As I ran into the room, I told the first watch doctor behind the counter that I needed "HELP!". In no time at all, I had a team of experts on the job, ready to perform an emergency operation! I knew this was going to be a test of my nerves, and it showed, as I incessantly paced back and forth in the waiting room. All I could do is think of the times we had been together; the good, the bad, and the crazy. He was my best bud, my compatriot in battle. I could always count on him to let me know when it was time to make a mad dash for that train or any other urgent matter. "How could I ever replace such a valuable friend?", I frighteningly wondered. Finally, the watch doctor shouted my number, "JuuIchi Ban...blah blah blah!". It was time for the moment of truth. Would I be reminded of this horrible day each time I looked down at the farmer's tan left by my deceased friend, or would this watch clinic perform the miracle I was so direly hoping for? Well my friends, Christmas came early for yours truly and the operation was a complete success! My little buddy was given a new ticker, and he was up and running like the cool springtime San Diego wind. I gleefully laughed with joy and gave the staff a hardy thumbs up of approval. God bless the watch doctors!

*OK people, on a serious note* This watch store gave me the most bizarre feeling of being at a medical clinic, I mean, they were even named the "Watch Clinic"! haha. I thought this place was truly hilarious, and the staff totally looked like doctors. I guess Japanese people really love cosplay! haha, funny stuff ^_^.

Narcolepsy In Japan Vol. 2

2008-03-16T19:13:00.007+09:00

As sure as the sun rises in the East, people in Japan will continue to fall asleep or pass out in the most amazing places! Too much alcohol and too much overtime, the devil be thy name!!! haha. Here are some new and funny pics that were either taken from other sites or personally snapped for the ongoing collection.

Snow Monkeys/Matsumoto Castle

2008-03-02T22:35:00.011+09:00

On my last attempt at an excursion from the city, I met an untimely snowstorm that closed down all the roads and forced our tour bus back to the depths of Tokyo. Fortunately, we had just the opposite this time.

A warm and sunny day welcomed our group to the first part of the trip, which involved hotspring-bathing monkeys in the snow. They were really tame and fun to watch, you just have to make sure that youre not carrying any food, and you dont have anything that the monkeys could reach out and steal from you. Theyre not shy at all around people and will walk right next to you with no hesitation. I always made sure not to look them in their eyes or smile at them, since they could get easily agitated by a stare or show of teeth. There were a lot of those little furballs playing around, so the last thing I needed was to get attacked by a gang of them, and no doubt have it recorded by some other nearby tourist, who later puts it up on youtube. Yeah, no gracias!

After I had my fun with my outgoing little photo subjects, I headed over to Matsumoto Castle with the rest of the group.

I actually didnt go inside because there wasnt really much to be seen, or so I was told by the people coming out. For me, the real sights were around the perimeter of the castle, where the beauty and simplicity of the foreground combined with a bright elliptical display of the sun through the clouds was irresistible! I spent all my time shooting around the castle at different locations and I think I walked away with some pretty magnificent shots.

An Intriguing Day With Strangers Part 1

2008-02-10T21:07:00.000+09:00

Every week, Im always trying to stay on top of the event scene here, and resources like foreigner mags and newspapers in English are indispensable resources. This week, I was lucky enough to take notice of 2 really thought-provoking exhibitions that peered into the lives of complete strangers. Both dealt with the darker reality of life that most people probably dont see, and most people dont likely want to think about. However, since both involved art media to convey this information, I thought it might give me some ideas to pursue in the future with photograpy, video and so on.

My first visit took me to the SYD(Support Your Dreams) Hall in the city of Sendagaya. This organization travels to the Philippines in August annually to reach out to communities of locals that reside in garbage dump slums. Families, which span many generations, have been living in conditions such as these for many decades, as I was lead to understand. The photographs at this exhibition were taken over several years of work with this community, while building an international relationship between both groups involved. Today's event was an example of those years of labor and accomplishment. I was able to sit and talk with 2 members of the SYD foundation, Chieko and Haruka, who were involved with this specific project and graciously gave me more insight. The following is a summary of what was discussed.

The most shocking bit of information came when Chieko told me that these people were there by choice and not through any involuntary causes. As a financially struggling community, this garbage dump provided a means of income which these locals utilized daily by collecting clothes, plastic bottles, or whatever they could to sell for money. On average, they could bring home roughly $2 a day for their efforts, and this is how they basically survived from day to day. The government in the Philippines has stated they would close down these facilities in order to remove this situation, but the community has decided that it would just relocate to another dump, even if it meant routinely walking for 2 hours each day to the next site. After speaking with Chieko, I had a chance to meet with Haruka, a volunteer with SYD, who has traveled there multiple times and also spent one night with a family inside this garbage dump.

I was especially interested in hearing from someone who had gone a step further and experienced what it was like to live this life. So, I politely introduced myself and proceeded to ask her about the experience. Haruka mentioned that the family she stayed with was composed of 9 people: a mother and child, her six sisters, and one brother. They all lived in a space that was approximately 7'x12'. Unbelievable. A touching part of her experience came when the family offered Haruka the 1 mattress they had. As she explained this to me, she recalled feeling extremely guilty about taking the bed, but eventually accepted so as to not offend anyone. Even though these people had so little, they still remained kind to complete strangers. That is a very admirable quality, and in my opinion, is unfortunately decreasing with each successive generation in first world nations. Though Haruka may have felt guilty by the special treatment she received that night, the cheerful energy that radiated from the children in the slum gave her a reason to smile. Although this positivity was comforting, it also delivered a sense of confusion to her and many other volunteers.

The Japanese that traveled to this specific area of the Philippines didnt expect to see smiling people, so they were dumbfounded when the children of these garbage slums told them that they were actually happy. For the children, they had everything that was important to them in their lives: family, friends, and a passion for life. The volunteers reside in a country that is economically sound and can provide for its people, yet they themselves didnt feel so cheerful about their own lives. So, this became a very important underlying part of the exhibition for the SYD organization: the children's smiles. They hoped that everyone who visited the gallery this day would be able to see that through this hardship and rough exterior, there was a zest for life, a feeling of warmth, and it was expressed in the simplest of ways. Through a basic, but powerful gesture. A smile.

I am moved by the effort this organization makes in order to reach out to people who are seemingly forgotten about in society, and I think they are doing something that holds a lot of positive substance that will hopefully carry over to others. Unfortunately, it seems like a never-ending cycle for this poor community which lacks economic support, opportunity, and education; however, the kids seem to really look forward to each August when the volunteers make their way back to the community. Best wishes to all of you.

An Intriguing Day With Strangers Part 2

2008-02-10T13:08:00.000+09:00

Later that day, I hopped on a train and made my way over to the city of Shiodome. Another exhibition that caught my attention was being held in the Shiodome Italia area, a really great place that is surrounded by beautiful European architecture. Multiple exhibits that dealt with digital art were taking place, but my main focus was very low-tech, yet profound. This project used something as simple as a notebook, but touched individuals worldwide and was given the name "Colors".

The main purpose of "Colors" was to empower people from all walks of life by giving them a chance to speak, a chance to be heard, and let people from around the world share in their thoughts, stories, and facets of life through the use of a basic notebook. These notebooks were mailed to countries all over the world and ultimately made their way into the hands of the intended. Prisoners, teenagers, homeless people, students, AIDS victims, artists, cross dressers, the list goes on. Literally, thousands of notebooks were sent out as a clean slate, and each week the organizers continually receive the fruits of each individual's labor in amazing creativity and expression. Pages upon pages are decorated with daily materials, writings, sketches and so on that summarize that particular person's character or what they feel important to share at that moment. It was a very captivating presentation where about 100 of the notebooks they had received were hung from the ceiling and gave readers an environment to walk through and learn about strangers who were half way around the globe, in a different time, in a different culture. Hours could easily be spent sifting through the pages, without a doubt.

I really liked this idea; I just wish they would develop it further and present it in a way where more people could experience it and still feel the same authenticity. Although it's common sense to realize that people are people no matter where you go, people still like to make divisions among themselves with all the labels they involuntarily carry around. I have experienced that several times while in my own country and while abroad. However, through this project, a concrete realization of similarity through tangible representations of emotion and thinking can be felt, due partly to the fact that the exterior self is transformed into the uniformity of a rectangular piece of stationery. There is no reason to discriminate, we're just offered a chance to explore and learn. This gives me some ideas...

Super Tuesday! Get Out and Vote!

2008-02-05T02:45:00.001+09:00

Obama is the man with our masterplan!

For all the non whites who have ever felt like they were alienated from their own country, now is the time to show your support for change. Even if he doesnt live up to his hype, at least he will provide a glowing symbol of accomplishment, intellect, high moral values, and leadership to all the groups who have struggled for their independence and equality in America.

Furthermore, when the face of America becomes a few shades darker with its leadership, then it has to change the way people of color are seen through domestic and international mass media. Generally speaking, white America has enjoyed a lot of admiration through their charismatic and ideal imagery through movies, tv, magazines etc. So, it's appropriate for the other side of the coin to get flipped and the stigma of having dark skin fades with more positive and ubiquitous examples.

I think that kind of motivation and inspiration will go a long ways with future generations as they read about it in history books. America is the melting pot after all, right? Time to show it in our leadership and make the playing field more even.

The Great Robot Exhibition 2008

2008-01-14T23:30:00.000+09:00

Japan's got an aging population, and its been reported that by the year 2025, one out of every three people will be elderly. The solution? Robot love baby...Companies are hard at work developing robots that will be able to alleviate the burden of a geriatric society. From robots that can remotely activate home appliances to robots that will be able to carry the old folks from their beds to their 2 wheeled cruisers. Seems like an expensive answer with many limitations compared to just having a more lax immigration policy that could help offset the imbalance of old to young. Its all fun and robots until they eventually develop into Terminators and exterminate us!!

Tokyo Auto Salon 2008

2008-01-13T23:03:00.000+09:00

Inevitably, I found my way back at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba last weekend. If youre looking for a good exhibition sometime during the year, eventually, theyll be showcasing something that is bound to spark your interest. So, I thought Id hit up a custom car show, its been awhile since Id been to one of these... There were a lot of sweet rides to be seen at this show, and some of the owners mustve taken a page out of the custom car scene in Cali, because there were some serious audio/video installations going on. Seeing beautifully designed cars with stunning rims and mind-blowing interiors made me miss having a car to soup up, but when I think of the cost and constant fear of getting my equipment jacked, Im still glad that I dont have to worry about that now. Too many nice rides to simply choose a favorite...

Winter Break in Shanghai/Hong Kong

2007-12-31T21:33:00.000+09:00

Another Christmas overseas, and another chance to go some place new. The first stop on my list was the rapidly growing city of Shanghai. I was interested in going here because I imagined it would be something similar to that of Hong Kong, boy was I wrong, haha. It was pretty dirty and there were far too many thieves, scam artists, and beggars wanting to rid you of the nicer things in life. There were a few sights to see but in general the city had meager portions of eye candy to offer. Even the nightlife was pretty dead. I guess a lot of the party people were out of town during Christmas there, and it didnt seem like the locals cared too much about the regular New Years. Im sure things must be different for the Chinese New Years, guess Ill never know...on a positive note, I did get to ride the Maglev train! Fastest commercial train in the world that could reach a speed of 300km/h, thats the way to cover distance folks!

Ok, next stop after that was Hong Kong! I had been there before and was looking to go back for some more excitement. Last time, I had met quite a few people so I made sure to revisit them again and celebrate the New Years on a battlefield! We had a nice little scrimmage of paintball wars on New Years Day. The sun was shining, the weather was cool, ahhh, the only thing we were missing were guns!! haha. In addition, I also caught a wonderful Cantonese Opera...some of you may yawn at the idea of traditional performance art, but I find it to be fascinating. You gotta try new things out every now and then, and I surely enjoyed the unique experience.

Autumn

2007-11-28T21:16:00.000+09:00

As the temperarture begins to drop, the leaves change color and we start our way into another season of new surroundings. I had visited a couple of new parks this year, one was mainly for sightseeing while the second offered a huge variety of activities. I got to ride on a double seated bicycle for the first time and burned some calories while touring around the magnificent park area of Showakinenkoen.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

2007-10-31T12:56:00.000+09:00

Happy Halloween!! I hope everyone has a lot of fun and stays out of trouble! Keeping in the spirit of Halloween, here is a funny horror movie that you can make on the jibjab.com website, have fun!

Kawasaki Halloween Parade

2007-10-31T11:32:00.000+09:00

There were a lot of very kewl costumes this year, check em out!

3 Days In Kyoto

2007-10-12T20:04:00.000+09:00

This was my second trip to the Kyoto area, but it was far more rewarding than my first experience. In the short amount of time that I had, I accomplished a lot and had a great time! The weather was perfect and I felt like a kid in a candy store with my camera and so much beautiful scenery. 3 Days wasnt much, but I made good use of it! I even decided to get some professional shots taken in a traditional kimono with a pretty Maiko and historic-looking backdrop ^_^.

Narcolepsy In Japan

2007-09-15T15:40:00.000+09:00

Im taking a break from any serious photography this month, but I thought Id post something about all the people in Japan who fall asleep everywhere. Too much work means not enough time to rest!! Most of these pics were taken from another site that had a collection of funny pics. Some of the people are passed out from too much alcohol and some are just too damn tired. Can you tell which ones are which? haha.

Signs Of The Times: Volume 8

2007-08-25T00:52:00.000+09:00

I never get tired of these.^_^

Climbing Mt. Fuji

2007-08-13T20:05:00.000+09:00

As a temporary resident in Japan, I felt more than compelled to make the hike up to the top of Mt. Fuji. I think anyone with the opportunity has to do it because the reward is well worth the effort. So, my trek began at 740pm in the evening, and lasted for about 7 hours throughout the night, until my arrival at the summit at 230am. A pack full of warm clothing, rain gear, cameras, water, food, oxygen, and a head lamp gave me all the essentials I needed for my long journey. I was definitely winded for much of the climb as I scaled the steep terrain with a group of friendly Aussies that I met along the way. There are 10 stations along the Mt. Fuji trail and most people start at one of the several 5th stations. We made really good time as we reached the 8th station in about 1.5 hours, however, we decided to walk with a tour group after that to kill some time. The summit has temperatures below zero, and the last thing you want to do is stand still in weather like that. So, we decided to take a few long breaks at rest stations and keep a slow and steady pace the rest of the way. Id have to say that the last 2 hours of the hike uphill were the worst due to the extreme cold, strong winds, and wetness in the air. At times I wondered if the trail would ever end since all I could see were ongoing winding paths with no seeming end. However, the finish finally came into view and our reward came about 2 hours later. The sunrise was truly amazing and captivated the attention of hundreds of hikers at the top. You are standing above the clouds and all of a sudden you see the colors of the sun shine through as it rises above the clouds, beautiful! After a couple of hours of picture taking and amazement, I decided to head down for my final descent. Four more hours of hiking and I was back on a bus to Tokyo. Dirty, exhausted, hungry, and thirsty. Nevertheless, satisfied that I had finally experienced what only 3 or 4% of the native population here ever experience, a truly memorable event. Climbing Mt. Fuji really was a rewarding experience and my pictures will only describe part of the fulfillment. However, there is a saying in Japan regarding the climb, "A wise man climbs Mt. Fuji once, and a fool climbs Mt. Fuji twice". That my friends, could not be more true...it was a very taxing adventure composed of 11 hours of total hiking on no sleep. So in final, my pictures will help remind me of the wonder, and my legs will help remind me of the torture! haha, enjoy!

Tanabata Festival 2007: Kanto Region

2007-07-08T20:17:00.000+09:00

In the Kanto region of Japan, the biggest Tanabata Festival occurs in the city of Hiratsuka. I really wanted to check this festival out due to the huge colorful decorations that cover the streets, they were amazing! During these 3 days, many families and couples come to the festival to enjoy the enormous streamers, food, and festive atmosphere. It was another great opportunity to experience the summertime in Japan. Moreover, each of the seasons here have distinct activities/features that really embody the spirit for that period during the year. Festivals are a big part of the summertime tradition here, so this weekend was a good way to celebrate. Aside from the decorations, I noticed some people writing wishes on pieces of paper and tying them onto strings. I understand that making wishes is a popular custom during this festival, and after the festival has finished, the writings are set afloat on a river or burned.

Tokyo Toy Show 2007

2007-07-01T20:00:00.000+09:00

Kids nowadays have some amazing toys to play with, theyre so kewl that even adults wont be able to resist their appeal! So, there were no doubt a lot of creative and fun ideas for toys floating around this year. Some of my favorites are as follows,

Numero Uno!! An air guitar toy that lets you make electric guitar sounds while playing along with the internal music within the toy. (Im gonna get the version that has Green Day's "American Idiot" so I can rock out on the trains/subways, and see the reactions that I get from the surrounding Japanese people! I can hear the "nani yatten no!?(what the hell are you doing!?)" or "eehhhhh, nani kore!?(what the hell is this!?)" now, haha)

Next, Id have to say that this traditional RPG card game mixed with interactive CG would be a close second. Not only does the system read your hand gestures for commands, but you can also pickup your onscreen characters with your own hand (using a game card as the platform for the CG character to stand on).

Third, they had some pretty unique remote controlled toys on exhibition. One company had an array of different RC vehicles (a fire truck, a construction vehicle, a tank etc.) which did a lot more than just drive around! For example, each RC vehicle had multiple moving parts or sound effects to simulate a pretty realistic functioning toy. I think the fire truck was the most appealing since it could rotate its ladder, extend it, and even spray a stream of water from the hose at the top. Kewl stuff! The most unique RC toy would have to be a version of a huge dragon fly that was definitely captivating to watch. I bet you could wreak havoc with this baby on some domestic animals, haha. I know Id have a good time scaring away the annoying and HUGE crows in my neighborhood!

Other notable things entailed automatic pellet guns, motorized contraptions for kids to ride around on, transformer themed Ipod accessories (Optimus Prime trailer speakers and a Sound Wave audio player), and some Star Wars concept design figurines (Chewbacca was extra fugly!)

Sydney Down Under

2007-06-25T01:27:00.000+09:00

I recently spent 2 weeks in Sydney and had a pretty sweet time. To be honest, it reminded me a lot of California, like a cross between San Diego and San Francisco. Aussies were generally very friendly and helpful people, so it wasnt very hard to relax and enjoy my time. Unfortunately, the weather was pretty bad for about half of my trip as it constantly rained from one day to the next. That definitely put a damper on my photo-taking opportunities...depressing isnt it :(. A couple of things I found astonishing about Sydney was that it seemed even more expensive than Tokyo! Im talking about $2 snack bars at convenience stores and $45 t-shirts with simple graphics by no name clothing companies...what a rip off!! Id also like to mention that Aussies are pretty damn laid back as a labor force, everything except bars, restaurants, and clubs close at around 5 or 6! haha. Get your butt back to work Australia! lol. However, thanks to their chill personas and their unique country I can still say that its a place worth living in for quite sometime :). You just gotta make some serious chedda baby! I hope to go back during their summertime one day and experience a different side of the land down under. But, until that day comes to fruition, Ill just have my photos, video, and memories of the good times...

One Week In Hong Kong

2007-05-02T22:55:00.000+09:00

This year during Golden Week, my adventurous spirit found its way on a quick 3-4 hour flight from Tokyo to Hong Kong. My short stay turned out to be a fantastic trip due to the fact I met so many friendly and outgoing people while I was walking around. That really is one of the great things about traveling, you meet people from everywhere and make friends/acquaintances from all over the world. During the day, I mostly went sightseeing around various places that stretched from inner city bustle to scenic country hiking. During the night, I had a great time in the Wan Chai and Lan Kwai Fong nightlife districts drinking and partying. I think I averaged about 3-4 hours of sleep every night, which I could start to feel half ways through my trip, Im no spring chicken anymore! Also, it was just good to get out of a xenophobic atmosphere for a bit, and be able to walk amongst emotionally expressive people that didnt look at you like you were an alien from another planet^_^(I come in peace). The social vibe in HK was much more open as locals were friendly/helpful/communicative, and it was easy to just relax and have fun with whatever came my way. Id like to say thanks to Susan, Tina, Pong, Zette, Gabriel, Tim, Jerry, Andrea, Keen, Aiden, and Grace for making my trip 10 times better with your presence and useful tips, very kewl people. Hong Kong is a place I wouldnt mind being in for a few years of my life in the future. I enjoy living in Asia and experiencing its rich culture, but I miss the western social vibe as well, and HK offers a good blend of both. Ill keep Hong Kong in mind for the future.

The Battle Of Kawanakajima

2007-04-15T23:33:00.000+09:00

On Sunday, a battle reenactment for the very famous and historical Battle of Kawanakajima took place out in the town of Isawa, Yamanashi. Over 800 people participated in the reenactment, which was openly available to anyone who signed up, and there were a lot of great costumes to be seen. The actual fighting was pretty comical as many people just ran around swinging their fake swords. However, a few choreographed fights were performed by people with a little training, and that made the event more credible. Some of the more notable parts of the event were the soldiers on galloping horses, the guns with very loud firework bangs, and of course the main fight scene where both sides clashed into each other at full force. It was reminiscent of something from the movie "Braveheart", and I wished I could have been in the mix! Next year, Ill definitely take part, but one of the stipulations requires a group of 10 people to sign up at a time. So, who's with me dammit!!??

Cherry Blossoms At Chidorigafuchi

2007-04-01T22:11:00.000+09:00

I was here last year for a Hanami (Japanese for "Cherry Blossom Viewing") because it is hands down the best place in Tokyo to be for it. I guess word has really spread around to more people because there was a much bigger crowd than last spring. Nonetheless, me and my girlfriend had a great time cruising around the water and admiring the beautiful scenery around us. Speaking of scenery, we decided to eat some of our festival candy from the Kanamara Matsuri since we had just been there earlier, and I think we became part of the spectacle as well, haha. We got a lot of stares from Japanese people for our vagina and penis lollipops ^_^.

The Kanamara Matsuri/Kawasaki Daishi 2007

2007-04-01T18:55:00.000+09:00

I had heard about this crazy festival last year, and missed my opportunity to go, but lightning wouldnt strike twice for me this time! The Kanamara Matsuri has to be one of the funniest/most bizarre festivals in all of Japan. A lot of foreigners in Japan come out for this festival, I wonder why, haha. They love to be crazy here, and this festival seems like a place where inhibitions are definitely left at home. Among the crowd were a lot of transvestites and people walking around with penis candy, lol. The only thing that I thought was going too far, was the presence of kids, this festival should be just for adults! I actually saw a little girl sucking on a penis lollipop while her Dad was walking with her, Im assuming he bought it for her, way to go Dad (aka pedophile), sheesh. This festival takes place in Kawasaki around a very famous shrine called Kawasaki Daishi, so we relaxed and did some extra sightseeing before the most perverted parade in Japan started. Also, it would be nice to see a parade featuring women's genitalia in the future ^_^, let's be equal opportunity Japan!

Japan In HDR

2007-03-27T00:31:00.000+09:00

So, I finally stumbled upon the current photography phenomenon which is HDR. It's a quite fascinating idea that really allows for more dramatic pictures supported by wide tonal ranges. I figured I'd make another gallery that will be solely dedicated to images in HDR and will also be updated on a periodic basis. I really like the surreal/gothic/dream-like characteristics you get out of this technique, it's going to provide a whole new way of looking at the surrounding city. If you're an avid photographer, then I highly recommend trying HDR photography out. As there are some key points regarding HDR, be sure to do your research on it before you begin.