Mediumformat and the Night raiders

Had the pleasure to join up with my old time friend Motoyan (just google him) and his motley crew of outlawed cyclists last week. Always a treat to night-ride with these guys.

For the camera geek:

Shot with a Hasselblad 503CX, 80mm f2.8 CF, Ilford 120 Kodak Tri-X 400, Monopod and a small LED light….in a back street of Koenji - Tokyo, Japan.

I shot 2 rolls of 120 film this night (x24), just a sample of what I got. The top one got exposed slightly when I pulled out the film in all haste just a tad too early after what I took for a sufficient handcrank rewinding. Shooting with a relative "fast" fil that ISO 400 afterall is, the light was pretty low and gave me still rather borderline shutterspeeds for even a monopod and LED. So glad I brought these with me and I have slowly starting to get to grips with what I need and how to do it to get the desired result I seek. Not too keen on precise sharpness in this projects of 6x6 B/W portraits of the creatures of the Tokyo underground. Some grit, some nice and dark "mood" and "feel" is what I need and strive for as a main player. I feel stupid, bit like a fool heading out from my bunker with all this gear on a ride like this (or any rowdy deathmetal gig…same feel, same mood in a way). But after all is said and done, it's just plain simple happiness and pride as a film photographer to have captured what I wanted that rules the moment. Hope you good people like it as well…don't really care if you do or not though!

snafu

Back In Town

Haven't seen my friend Jun since I visited him in San Jose in 2009. He has since moved to San Diego, become a father and still doing his thing, really good seeing him again. Snapped by Mikele Iannello.

Still alive, still fast

For more of this and where it originates from, go HERE !

RxKxBx

This link is kind of -mwcp- related, go to www.rxkxbx.blogspot.com

KADENS - Bikemag from Sweden -

A 6 page article about the recent street cycle scene going on in Tokyo, based on ideas from the Road Kill Bikers (RxKxBx) as well as a Q&A from 5 bike shops and builders in Tokyo, shops I use for my private cycling life in the city. I very seldom write in Swedish so this proved to be a good experience, dusted off my old dictionary, back to the mother tongue. Was great to see that the editors gave me so much space for this article and used a nice composition of images. I always send more images than I know the magazines can use, to give them the freedom and choice to make something out of it all that suite the local market. What goes in Tokyo might not go in Stockholm.

Check it out, KADENS

RxKxBx -New Blog-

RxKxBx just made a brand new blog to keep up with things, bringing the philosophy out in the light and more available for the people involved. Check it out HERE.

No Rules

GEEK GARAGE

Be there Dec 20. Come over to the RxKxBx booth and say hello while you are there.




XXX DEPT XXX

"The Ghetto" bikes of today...

5 of The Ghetto / RxKxBx guys were around today so I got the chance to shoot their bikes...and as a bonus, CEO Ako's face peeped over the roof edge....(man, what are you doing up there...?)

Seems like MASI Coltello (The Knife) is the way to go. Black&Green is the symbol for PEACE/ECOLOGY & TERROR/DOOM!

Cool snap...

Got an mail from Giovanni in Italy and they are using one of my images for the 2008 Milano BFF poster....coool! Thats me on my Black Dahlia under the Tokyo Metropolitan Building.

Ride on...

CHARI-MA & SPEEED NIGHT Vol.12

Some images taken from DEPT's Staff Blog, didn't ask for clearance but thanx anyway. Lots of people showed up and The Ghetto has from now on made it self as "the" ashram for Tokyos future "Chari-Ma" happenings.



Even Paul Smith came to check it out!

















On October 11th we do the 1 year anniversary SPEEED NIGHT, then on Monday the 13th (National Holiday) we host the 2nd Chari-Ma i.e Bicycle Flea Market. Bring whatever you think will be cool to trade/sell/give away. On the flyer we have shops and frame/bike builders that will participate as well, but this is for everyone, you too!!. Come early to get space for your stuff cos it is limited...more people and stuff = less space (but more shit to spend money on...yeah!).

While you are at the beautiful restored "The Ghetto", make sure you check it out. Second floor is always open and the shops there are pretty cool. On the first floor you'll find "G-Ramp", the by now famous bone cracker steel sk8 ramp as well as Tiki Lounge & Hell's Kitchen. I know what you have heard about the folks in RxKxBx and The Ghetto, (who came up with the idea to spread the word that we are cold blooded butchers and limitless psychopaths....??) but hey, now is your chance to see that we are just small harmless little peas, tiny little ants, checking out this and that (...R.H.C.P), willing to spread good and fairness to this world....like fluffy white angles flapping their wings in a gentle breeze of good hope and peace.....like cute little....ah fuck it...

See you there

BORED

BORED WORK SHOP is one of a kind. This single gear specialist has the lowest (nil) poser factor amongst all the bike shops in Tokyo, way cool! Naito san is the true metal craftsman and takes care of the bikes of Tokyos hardcore street elite. This is part of a magazine article I am working on for an European publication. I'll keep you posted on this project later on.

SPEEED NIGHT Vol.11

Went to see Ikeda san from REW10WORKS in his workshop. Then a speeed ride through Tokyos amazing night streets. It's possible to keep a high speed on most streets since Saturday night has mainly taxis and they know by now not to fuck with us. Just another short stop with the G9 in Ueno park, have stopped shooting during the rides since it just takes the pleasure away from the actual riding and keeps the risk factor on an unnecessary high level. Sometimes it's just better to focus on one thing real tight and let the photographic memory stay in your mind instead of on a memory card. Like when you go to eat at really nice restaurant where you love the food, you don't want to spoil the moment by start shooting the food infront of you, do you? Well, I don't. I eat it, two completely different things to me. Why do you want to see the food you just enjoyed so much on your blog or on a print afterwards? Keep it inside and let the moment rule, the mental image will never be close to the image your camera captures anyways. If you can't live in the "now" and enjoy it, you have a problem that your camera can't help you with, you have to deal with your own shit, learn, and let the experiences from that show in your photography...but what do I know!!

Ride Hard




Thanx Ikeda san for showing us your workshop again. We love your work man!!! Check his work ---HERE---