Small Wings – Glider Over Tochigi

Ok, so finally, let’s take a break from all the doom and gloom you guys are hearing and let’s go back to an old fashioned Tokyobling post! Like, they used to be before this earthquake business ruined the fun.

In January I was asked to volunteer on a photo shoot in Tochigi, there was to be a gorgeous model and some photography of machines involved. Nobody told me I would be flying until I stood on the landing field signing a paper that I wouldn’t hold them liable for any death due to high speed collision with ground (i.e. don’t get mad if we crash). Needless to say I was thrilled to get up in the wide blue yonder! I was busy shooting video most of the ride but I got a few shots of Tochigi prefecture under my winges, up at about 3000ft. And suddenly I remembered my old childhood dream of becoming a pilot. Well, one can dream. Still, it was a great way to spend an afternoon. If you are not broke and want to try something new, I recommend glider flying!

Mount Fuji From Above

Took this photo of the most iconic of Japanese symbols, Mount Fuji, or Fujisan, as it is called in Japanese. From above, it looks quite different, doesn’t it? Presently at 3776m, the present shape of the volcano/mountain is a result of the volcano’s last big eruption in 1707, and there are some scientists who believe that the next big eruption will change the shape more fundamentally. I would like to live to see that, if it happens that is! I still haven’t climbed the mountain on foot, I think I’m putting it off to save some things for later. I always found it funny that Mount Fuji is partly in a prefecture called Yamanashi, whose names means “Mountain Pear” but has the same pronunciation as the word for “No Mountains”. I guess I’m showing my inclination to enjoy oyaji-gyagu (old man’s joke…).

I shot this through an airplane window with a polarizing filter and later applied a thick slab of photoshop to get it to look like this.