Cherry Blossom

This is me looking back toward my friend Sarah. There is a beautiful cherry blossom tree besides me. The color, smell, even the height of the tree is perfect. We have cherry blossom in this season but only in particular area 'Kyoung-ju' so it is still amazing for me to see cherry blossom and I was also very surprised by the fact that Cherry blossom is everywhere in Japan.

Now it is the best season for 'Hanami'. Perfect pink cherry blossom, delicious food and happy faces. I was invited to Hanami party for the first time. I was assigned to bring my own foods so that people can share their foods together. We have many people from different countries so there were a lot of different types of foods that I've never cook in my life. I didn't know 'apple pie' could be so delicious and easy to cook until then! It was very nice to get to know each other and take a nice deep nap :)

We walked around the park which was located in Osaka. It was really big and had very traditional Japanese feature. It has a palce for Japanese green tea and there was also a temple. We didn't get to see inside of the temple but I could feel the strength and energy from the temple. Quiet but strong...I wished I could get in.

We also took some interesting photos. Unlike the idea of Japanese girls that I've always thought, They are not that shy or less active. They are very much expressive, active and very outgoing! They are not afraid of getting involve in new environment or having conversation with people who they barely know and speak different languages. They even speak up their voices when there is something they want to share their opinions. Sometimes I feel our Koreans can get more embarrass or shy than Japanese.
It was a interesting day for me to learn more about Japanese people and also cherry blossom.

This is the picture I took in the park that day. I thought it was beautiful shot. I had a wonderful day and I will never forget what I learned from this specialy get-together.

Comparison between Annie Leibovitz and James Natchwey

This is Annie leibovitz holding camera in her hands. The most renowned American phtographer. Also one of the most well-paid(most expensive)photographer in the world. The history of 20th century's photo cannot be written or explained without Annie leibovitz. She worked for Rolling Stone and that was very sucessful. Famous actors, actresses, most of the celebrities of the centry and even the queen and president Obama are her clients. When she takes photos, mostly She uses her own unique style which was up-close and personal. She has a brilliant gift to capture THE moments, inside feelings and hidden thoughts or meanings from one's face or body gestrues.

This is one of the most famous photo she had taken in her entire career. Joah Lennon gave her a lot of inspirations which led her career grows secessfully. This was only posed for her.

This is another photo of two lovers. As you have noticed, two people are famous celebrities who share the moment of love and expressed their feelings with restraint.

Most of her works are fixed and posed. People in her photos are admired by average people. They are the topics, idea, inspiration in the photo. Many of them are airbrushed and They look fabulous and gorgeous in any pose. I think Annie leibovitz tries to capture 'happy' moments of life such as love between lovers or family and friendship.

She also has done advertisements for fashion. Very Elegant and seem sophisticated. she creates the most natural moments by caculating every single things perfectly.

"If your pictures aren;t good enough, you're not close enough."
This is James natchwey. He is well-known war photographer. He takes the most dangerous, depressing and sometimes ugly moments of wars unlike above photographer 'Annie leibovitz'. Most of his pictures are not artificially fixed and posed. They are real moments of war which have the sense of sadness, liveliness. He shows reality in real way.

Everything seems so real and realistic. At the same time it seems too brutal to see the pictures for a while. While I was serching for his works, I can see the distinctive difference between two photographers.

Even though they target people, they use different types of people; famous ones and average people who are in extremely dangerous situation. She uses colors but he uses black and white. Her photos represent something that people always have fantasized about. His photos represent cruel reality which people do not want that to be happened even in their dream.

They take people in very different way but they definitely give people a powerful and strong emotional resonance.