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Photography is a type of art, but not all photographs can qualify as artists. In the age of digital photography everyone thinks that photography is easy. Internet is flooded with terrible images on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and so on. Human brain registers anything that our eyes can see in repeating patterns as normal and acceptable standards, which is why modern society is all about quantity not quality. We live too fast and are too jaded to notice art around us. We are trained to react at the cost of losing the ability to pause and feel. But how is this related to photography?  Professional photographer is someone who performs a craft. It is a job and that is it. Most are, or should be, proficient in knowledge on how to use their gear and how to capture technically correct images. An artist is someone who can take it to a whole new level. Photographer will follow the rules, and artist will break them with finesse. Photographer knows what he or she should do in given situation, and artist senses the mood and reacts. Photographer will apply generic photo post processing techniques and follow a workflow that is a second nature, and artist will adapt and treat every single photo individually, explore the energy, mood, moment, and let the imagination show the way. Professional photographer is dedicated and will most likely accept any work that brings money, artist is passionate about his or her work and cares about images far more than people who pay for them. True artist will tell you to get lost if whatever is on the menu feels insulting to the artistic quality of their work. You will be refused point blank, regardless of the money involved. Professional photographer is more of a businessman, whereas artist is a child who plays with wonders of lights and shadows. Photographer will plan, artist will react to circumstances intuitively. Photographer will follow a commonly accepted and socially approved style that should be profitable and popular, an artist will discover and pursue their own, regardless of how many people appreciate or understand it. Photographer will compose a photo using elements they can see, artist will create an image using elements others cannot see. Photographer will ask you to pose the way they know it should look good (or acceptable) an artist will insist on exploring and experimenting and pose you according to the moment, your personality and the light. Photographer will capture images with their gear, an artist will do the same with the soul.  Professional photographer will work with subjects, whereas an artist will get emotionally involved, try to connect with another human being, enter your personal space and encourage you to co-create. You are the part of the image, definitely not a subject. Working with professional photographer is a bit like ordering a pizza, where you pay and hope that you get what the picture in the menu looked like. Artist will take you for a journey to a realm that no one else can see or even imagine.
Buy prints with my photography and calligraphy art - http://ponte-ryuurui.pixels.com/index.html?tab=galleries Photography workshops in Tokyo: http://www.ryuurui.com/photography-workshops.html Hire a photographer in Tokyo: http://www.ryuurui.com/hire-a-photographer-in-tokyo.html Photo blog: http://www.japan-in-photography.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ponteryuurui Twitter: https://twitter.com/PonteRyuurui Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PonteRyuurui/postsFor more tutorials and how to videos check out my photoshop and photography tips and tricks YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEOVGZ2rpLhR7gSPvaexxxQ I am a multi-genre artist and consequently I have a few websites and few portfolio's. It was all too scattered so I decided to put all of my best work together in one folio, in separate categories. It took me a few days to update my entire portfolio on Smugmug. I went through all of my photos and picked those that I personally think represent what I do as an artist. New portfolio holds all types of photography: portraiture photography, architecture photography and cityscapes, street photography, photoshop manipulations and digital art, black and white photography, nature photography and landscapes, boudoir and body art photography, and Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art. All photos are in their original size at 300dpi. Some of the files are as large as 160MB, so if you are viewing them in original size it may take some times to load them up. All of the images are quality edits which is exactly why I uploaded full size files. Enjoy!  Portrait photography service, Tokyo - website
http://www.portrait-photography-tokyo.com/ Photography workshops in Tokyo: http://www.ryuurui.com/photography-workshops.html Hire a photographer in Tokyo: http://www.ryuurui.com/hire-a-photographer-in-tokyo.html Photo blog: http://www.japan-in-photography.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ponteryuurui Twitter: https://twitter.com/PonteRyuurui Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PonteRyuurui/posts For more tutorials and how to videos check out my photoshop and photography tips and tricks YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEOVGZ2rpLhR7gSPvaexxxQ If you are asking yourself this question then you are still in a shell of social bonds and "I do not think this is a good idea" zone. How the hell will you know if it is a good idea if you do not try it and see if you like it. What's more, who cares if others do not like it. Is it your art or what? Stay true to your artistic sensibility and style, but if you do not go outside your comfort zone EVERY DAY then how on Earth do you expect to improve or evolve as an artist? You master the rules to break them, you create in a way others don't not because you should but because your soul tells you to. If someone moans about that you shouldn't or whatever, just leave them alone and move on. In most cases they are stuck in a mud of their own miasma of toxic farts. Treat them like you do with anyone that steals your ideas - sprinkle them graciously with a tepid piss from a second step on your luxuriant porch. Wanna steal my ideas? Go for it. i am so absorbed creating that by the time you get it I will be light years ahead. This, however, is not an excuse for being ignorant.  True artists deep inside are delicate people. So, you need to learn how to protect your creative core without it being indoctrinated by standards set by those who have no fucking clue what art really is. Artists perceive world on a different frequency and in a whole different range of colors. Yes, you will feel alone and misunderstood, and that is good, it will make you stronger and more sensitive too. Need a wall around your oasis? Build it. Need a shell? Grow the damn thing. Do whatever you have to to guard that core. Forget about opinions and what have you. Do your thing, but keep learning and researching, it is essential to constantly work on improving oneself. Stay open to what life brings with it, but be alert. Look up to those who are better, help those who struggle, and kill on sight anyone that tries to mess with your better half. Creative mind is like another world, you won't survive outside of it . You will die of boredom. We live in visions and that's out power, a power to switch all the surrounding bullshit off. Do not break that switch. Portrait photography service, Tokyo - website
http://www.portrait-photography-tokyo.com/ Photography workshops in Tokyo: http://www.ryuurui.com/photography-workshops.html Hire a photographer in Tokyo: http://www.ryuurui.com/hire-a-photographer-in-tokyo.html Photo blog: http://www.japan-in-photography.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ponteryuurui Twitter: https://twitter.com/PonteRyuurui Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PonteRyuurui/posts For more tutorials and how to videos check out my photoshop and photography tips and tricks YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEOVGZ2rpLhR7gSPvaexxxQ Quick guide to an in-depth video tutorial series on portrait retouching techniques in photoshop3/29/2016 This is a short speed art video summarizing the entire process of portrait editing in photoshop. I created it to help with navigation through 5.5h long video tutorial series that are have split into parts 1 to 5. Quick guide video is only 8min long and includes captions that denote most of the actions I have performed during editing. The full length tutorial has a slow pace and a lot of explanatory talk, so it should be very comprehensive, given you have enough patience and determination to listen to me for nearly 6h. I covered steps even before any editing begins, and that is how do I pick a photo for editing. I am comparing a few images and discussing various issues and problem areas. I then talk briefly about achieving a perfect skin tone / white balance in portrait photography, perform rough editing in Adobe Camera RAW, and then I jump into photoshop. Inside photoshop I first assess issues in the photo, minor composition problems and visual distractions, and then I go ahead and start skin editing on a macro scale. Next I split textures and tones (frequency separation) and show you how to edit a portrait without damaging the skin or lowering the image quality. The tutorial will lead you through skin, lips, eyes, hair, skin retouch, matching skin tones, removing skin discolorations, hand drawing eyebrows, halos, blurred shadows, texture grafting, smoothing skin shadow transitions, dodging and burning or macro and micro scale, toning, black and white conversion, some photoshop plugins and how to use them creatively and more. The most important thing is, that this is a free photoshop tutorial series that should allow you to master some of the most advanced photo editing techniques. It is impossible to share it all, even in a few hours long video, but nonetheless you can see a full on in-depth portrait photo retouch in photoshop. Private photoshop workshops via skype - http://www.ryuurui.com/photo-retouching-lessons.html
My portrait photography service, Tokyo - website http://www.portrait-photography-tokyo.com/ Photography workshops in Tokyo: http://www.ryuurui.com/photography-workshops.html Hire a photographer in Tokyo: http://www.ryuurui.com/hire-a-photographer-in-tokyo.html Photo blog: http://www.japan-in-photography.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ponteryuurui Twitter: https://twitter.com/PonteRyuurui Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PonteRyuurui/posts For more tutorials and how to videos check out my photoshop and photography tips and tricks YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEOVGZ2rpLhR7gSPvaexxxQ  The main purpose of this book is not to teach Japanese kanji, but help you to understand and appreciate the vast complexity and philosophical and cultural depth of Chinese writing system. I talk in details about the etymology of 50 chosen characters, at a speed of one character per chapter. There are over 400 illustration inside the book, and all of them are not only actual historical characters taken from ink rubbings of outstanding Chinese and Japanese calligraphy masterpieces, ranging from 1600BCE to 19th century CE., but each of those illustrations has a detailed description regarding who wrote it and when, with other interesting historical facts or trivia, either about the classic or the author.
The true value of this book is that the key contents are based purely on Japanese or Chinese literature, and not translations into other languages. I bring you knowledge that is hidden behind the language barrier for most of the Western world. One of my main sources for this book were publications by one of the greatest modern scholars of the etymology of Chinese writing, Shirakawa Shizuka (白川静, 1910 - 2006), who sadly passed away in 2006. His books are hugely valued not only in Japan but also in China and Taiwan. Since his publications are quite encyclopedic, and are based on numerous abbreviations and connotations, even native speakers whose field is Japanese or Chinese language, find those books difficult to read. I invested a great amount of time and effort, and backed it up with my years of experience in the field of Chinese and Japanese calligraphy, to explore a lot of side topics and intriguing fact on the subject of origins of kanji, and included them in my book. Etymology of Japanese kanji - in-depth analysis of selected characters is a book aimed at anyone who is interested in Chinese or Japanese language, or history of ancient China and Japan, or any enthusiasts who appreciate the culture and philosophy or the Far East. The title of this book was the most difficult thing to decide on, since it is impossible to talk about Japanese kanji without discussing Chinese characters, which in some cases are the same thing, and in others are different. I decided on Japanese kanji in the title, mainly because I live in Japan and this is also where I study calligraphy. If you have any questions regarding the book, feel free to send them directly to me or leave a comment below. Here is my first 3D / photoshop manipulation art for the new project Tokyo 3017. I gave it a kinky title: "They have come!". I will be landing sci fi and alien ships all over the damn place. Ships will be rendered in 3D, and I expect them to become more detailed and crazy as the time goes. I will also be scouting Tokyo for perfect spots for landing or flying over my spaceships. 3D isn't easy and takes loads of time to learn and create art, but it is fun as hell and I am loving it! This image is based on my old photo that I took last year or so, it is a view from Shinjuku government building, they have two observation towers there. The view there is smashing so check it out when you are in Tokyo, I even shot this image of Mt. Fuji from there. The ships were made in Zbrush in 3D, well actually it is the same ship, just set in different perspectives. The only stock images I used were the helicopters. Lights, toning and compositing was done in photoshop. Together with the project I will be creating new videos, mostly on concept art, composition, compositing and photoshop manipulations, and possibly in the future on 3D art. You can see original images below. Anyone interested in private photoshop workshops via skype desktop sharing please contact me directly. My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art Check out my new portrait photography services in Tokyo website!    2D is too constrained, I am going 3D. After a long research and some trials with various software I have decided to begin my studies of Zbrush and Keyshot, two amazing programs for creating and rendering 3D art. Here is my first fully digital art and my first 3D model of a spaceship. Zbrush is a real jungle and the program is complicated and difficult like a school bus of frustrated women, but I am enjoying the creating process like a small kid a bar of chocolate that he was not supposed to eat. This also marks a beginning to a whole new project (and possibly some videos) whose current working title is "Tokyo 3017". That is right people, I will be landing my own spaceships all over Tokyo. The project will combine my photography art, photoshop manipulation and composite work, and 3D models. I may be throwing some cyborgs into the twist at some point. Hope you will enjoy it, and feel free to let me know what you think. My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art Check out my new portrait photography services in Tokyo website!  Private photoshop workshops via skype - photo editing, composite photography and photo manipulation11/1/2015 If you know how to take photos, now it is time to learn how to edit them properly. If you want to learn how to give your photos a unique look and fine polished magazine quality finish, then contact me and I will design workshops according to your level and needs. My focus is portrait and architecture, as well as composites and photoshop manipualtions. I teach via desktop sharing so you can see what I do on my screen in real time, stop me or ask questions at any moment. All levels of photoshop users are welcome. See this link for more details, Click here to view below image in non-compressed version in full HD  model: Lena
You can purchase all of my books now on several sites on the net, including amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. If you click below logos you will be redirected to the store. Each of the book has a preview, so you can look inside and see the contents (preview is limited to a few pages, but long enough to give you a good understanding of the contents of a given book). If you have any questions please let me know. I would like to thank all of you who purchased my recent publications, "Etymology of Japanese kanji - in-depth analysis of selected characters" in particular. If you enjoyed the read please leave a feedback on amazon or Barnes & noble pages, I really appreciate it.
We all love traveling and taking photos. The trouble is that most of the shots that people go back home with are mere snapshots. They do capture memories and fun moments, which is what photography is partially about. However, there is a huge difference between snapshots and photographs, and between photographs and art. Every single photo that I publish or or pass to my clients is not only a unique capture, but it is also fine tuned in post processing. I edit every single photo individually, without applying any presets or bulk editing methods, which is what most photographers do in order to save time. My approach to photography is artistic, and very emotional. Everyplace, angle or perspective is different, every person is an individual, every moment is unique, and so should be photos that document those. If you like snapshots you can ask anyone, if you enjoy art then you call me. My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art Check out my new portrait photography services in Tokyo website!  How to start with photoshop #1 - photoshop interface (photoshop tutorial series for beginners)10/15/2015 This new series of photoshop tutorials for beginners will cover all aspects of photoshop from practical point of view. I already created a video on how to tweak various PC and photoshop settings to improve performance of photoshop and speed up photo editing workflow. Today I have released first video of the series that should help anyone who is new to photoshop. In this video I cover the entire interface, explain photoshop menus, show you how you can set up your own personalized working space and save it as a default, and explain how various panels and menus interact with one another. In upcoming video tutorials I will teach you all the tools and menu options in depth, based on practical examples so it is much easier to learn and understand. Photoshop tools and menus are not that difficult to learn, the whole trick is in knowing how to use all those tools together to achieve the result you want. I am sure you will have solid knowledge base at the end of the series. Any suggestions / ideas - please let me know. My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art Check out my new portrait photography services in Tokyo website!  Officially published as of today! Learn Japanese Hiragana is one of three books on the subject of Japanese language and etymology that I have been working on for some time now. Although Learn Japanese Hiragana and Learn Japanese Katakana are separate and stand alone books, so it is possible to buy them as stand alone volumes. The most significant thing that distinguishes my books from any other hiragana and katakana textbooks out there, is that all and every single syllabary or a character was handwritten the way it should be. There is a huge discrepancy between a handwritten Japanese and computer fonts, and this subject is hugely neglected. When I started to study Japanese language 14 years ago, I always wished I had a book with handwritten examples of kanji, hiragana or katakana. But there is more. Not only each book has handwritten examples of hiragana and katakana, but also the kanji from which each of kana syllabaries evolved. Further, since hiragana evolved from kanji in cursive-script form, I included three different handwritten calligraphy scripts for each kanji to show a clear evolution from the standard script through semi-cursive to cursive script. In case of katakana I did the same thing with kanji radicals that each katakana evolved from. I have provided a detailed explanation of the origins of sounds of modern katakana and added a phonetic guidance based on pronunciation found in the online Oxford dictionary of English language. You should be able to replicate the proper sound of each katakana syllabary wit ease. In addition, I discuss the history of evolution of hiragana and katakana on a background of the history of Japanese calligraphy. I have included hand written stroke order charts of each syllabogram, with arrows pointing towards the correct direction of writing. All handwritten examples are based on traditional or historical Japanese calligraphy. Last but not least, I have included space for exercises, where you can practice your writing modelling yourself on the examples I have provided. Learn Japanese Katakana and Learn Japanese Hiragana is now available on my store on lulu.com, but in few weeks it will be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. but if I receive enough requests I consider publishing it also in electronic form for Kindle, Nook, iBooks. Visit my page on Lulu bookstore to see preview of the book.   Officially published as of today! Learn Japanese Katakana is one of three books on the subject of Japanese language and etymology that I have been working on for some time now. Although Learn Japanese Katakana and Learn Japanese Hiragana are separate and stand alone books, so it is possible to buy them as stand alone volumes. The most significant thing that distinguishes my books from any other hiragana and katakana textbooks out there, is that all and every single syllabary or a character was handwritten the way it should be. There is a huge discrepancy between a handwritten Japanese and computer fonts, and this subject is hugely neglected. When I started to study Japanese language 14 years ago, I always wished I had a book with handwritten examples of kanji, hiragana or katakana. But there is more. Not only each book has handwritten examples of hiragana and katakana, but also the kanji from which each of kana syllabaries evolved. Further, since hiragana evolved from kanji in cursive-script form, I included three different handwritten calligraphy scripts for each kanji to show a clear evolution from the standard script through semi-cursive to cursive script. In case of katakana I did the same thing with kanji radicals that each katakana evolved from. I have provided a detailed explanation of the origins of sounds of modern katakana and added a phonetic guidance based on pronunciation found in the online Oxford dictionary of English language. You should be able to replicate the proper sound of each katakana syllabary wit ease. In addition, I discuss the history of evolution of hiragana and katakana on a background of the history of Japanese calligraphy. I have included hand written stroke order charts of each syllabogram, with arrows pointing towards the correct direction of writing. All handwritten examples are based on traditional or historical Japanese calligraphy. Last but not least, I have included space for exercises, where you can practice your writing modelling yourself on the examples I have provided. Learn Japanese Katakana and Learn Japanese Hiragana is now available on my store on lulu.com, but in few weeks it will be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. but if I receive enough requests I consider publishing it also in electronic form for Kindle, Nook, iBooks. Visit my page on Lulu bookstore to see preview of the book.   When I was younger I hated school with passion. Not because I do not like to learn, quite the contrary, simply school was too intellectually confined, lacking finesse, and rather dull. I teach photography art the same way as I would like to have learned when I was a kid. I teach not what I know but whatever is that interest you, bearing in mind your current level and skill. I also teach with the vision of post processing and image retouching, as I believe that post processing is equally, if not more important than taking photos, and I really mean that. The technical side of photography, like setting proper ISO, shutter speed and aperture is not that complicated, and sooner or later you will pick it up naturally with practice. Photography is an art, not a geek show. Leave the technicalities to those who cannot see a bigger picture. The most essential thing to master in photography is understanding the light (with the exception of portrait photography, in which case you also need to understand human psychology, to be able to evoke or comprehend their body language and reactions). You have to fall in love with light, learn how to adjust to it or control it. Light determines compositions, both during night and day. Photography does not exist without light, and good photography does not exist without understanding of how to capture it. I put a huge stress on composition, not in a technical sense, I rather emphasize the artistic feel of composition and how to sense balance in the image. I teach how to find a photograph in a mess of nothingness, a scene that is loud and convoluted, how to appreciate art in what you thought was mundane, how to see and compose with energy and aura of a scene, rather than place items on the crossing lines of rule of thirds, because the book or article told you to do so. In addition, I also teach post processing and advanced photoshop manipulation online via desktop sharing, so once you return home with your images that you took in Tokyo or any other place, we can continue the education through the internet. My experience and scope as an artist goes far beyond photography, which allows me to see a much bigger picture. I do not just teach photography, I teach art. Contact me for details here. Available photography workshops: portrait photography, street photography, architecture photography and night photography.
My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art Check out my new portrait photography website! I was approached by Wendy Wu Tours in regards to writing a short article for their website about Japanese calligraphy and possibilities of studying it during your stay here in Tokyo. It would seem that more and more people are willing to discover the culture of Japan and are interested in all kinds of wonders, one of them being Japanese calligraphy. Links are below, so have a look and read, enjoy! Wendy Wu Tours are the UK’s leading China holiday specialist tour operator. Their blog gives an insight to China and the surrounding regions and is full of articles to help fuel your interest in this beautiful country, as well as tips and advice for your China tour. One of their most recent articles gives an insight into the historic art form of Chinese calligraphy and features comments from experts in the field. Wendy Wu Tours were kind enough to feature my work and free calligraphy tutorials in the piece alongside information on the history of the art and where you can learn more. You can read the article in full here.
Any type of photography that involves photographing people is based on some sort of a relationship between the model and the photographer. Naturally this applies to any type of art, like sculpture, or painting. Portrait photography for example is more difficult than people may think. Often times I have to be able to capture the real character and personality on my camera, after meeting them only a few minutes earlier. It is our job as photographers to be able to connect, to reach through all the social masks and safety doors, and get through to the core of a person. On top of this we have to be able to evoke real emotions, and be fast enough to photograph them before they fade away. Now, boudoir or nude photography brings this to a higher level. A model is trusting us with her intimacy, and it is crucial to respect it. I don't know about you but I love working with the same models over and over, as the more we work together the better the photos will be. Look at painters, they all had their favourite models, and for a good reason. It is a unique bond of mutual appreciation and trust, difficult to build, but easy to lose. Then there is body painting or in my case calligraphy body art. Ask a professional photographer if he would dare to touch a female model during a nude shoot. I highly doubt it. I have to spend hours (full body texts can take as long as 4h or more of continuous writing) touching the model head to toes during writing. This is one of the most intimate types of photography out there, and it could not be done without a really good understanding or trust. Respect and understand your models guys, listen to them and learn, and you will get great results. My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art Check out my new portrait photography website!  model: Asuka
Every month several outstanding works are chosen from among the thousands of calligraphy works flowing in from whole of Japan, and are being printed to share with the community of calligraphers in Japan. I am very honored to have my work chosen for this month edition of the All Japan Calligraphy and Literature Association magazine. It is a copy of a fragment of treatise on calligraphy by Sun Guoting, late 7th century, in cursive script, size 35x135 cm. IT is one of the most emotional and insightful classics regarding the beauty and depth art of Chinese calligraphy. The remark of the judges to the left says: Ryuurui / a delightful work where brazen and rich brush strokes are interwoven with a light and sparkling line. I scanned the entire page so you can also have a look at other calligraphers` works. My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art  Due to increasing amount of emails and inquiries regarding Japanese kanji tattoos written in calligraphic scripts, I decided to launch a new service page with all the details and prices. Tattoos are for a life, so when searching for a design we want something unique. Tattoos in Chinese characters are common, but I have rarely seen any decent ones, not to mention any good ones. If you are looking for a Japanese kanji tattoo design you should look for someone knowledgeable in the era of Chinese characters and Japanese or Chinese calligraphy. Tattooing computer fonts is a blasphemy, not to mention that such tattoos look really boring. IT may seem cool in the Western countries, but whenever you meet any native speaker of a language that utilizes Chinese characters, your tattoo will not be appreciated. Below photo - calligraphy in ancient Chinese small seal script, reading 龍精 - dragon spirit. Model: Eccaia My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art  Here are two out of four mandatory works that I have to write for my upcoming Master Instructor exams in Japanese and Chinese calligraphy. Those works are a must on top of 36 works that have to be sent throughout a year, each month one work. The exam is split into copying from Chinese classics and two works written in one's own calligraphy style, but in a way where characters show a clear connection to traditional and historical characters that one has to research and carefully select from various Chinese and Japanese classics. Below you can see two works that were chosen by my teacher as those that qualify for exam submission. There is a deadline for the exam, and if I am unable to meet the requirements , or in other words,, if my teacher does not think one or more of my works is strong enough for exam submission, I would not be allowed to send them to the national judging panel. So, you write as many works as it takes until they are good enough to be submitted, or else you have to wait another year to lift your skills. The work to your right is a copy of Chinese classic 乙瑛碑 from 2nd century C.E. in clerical script. To the left is a work in my own calligraphic style, in semi-cursive script (自然風月情無盡如在山林楽未央). During my last meeting with my teacher he picked 4 works, the other two were in standard script and cursive script, but he asked me to keep writing as he was not fully satisfied. My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art
... for a photoshoot ;-) So, book a session with me now before I am too old to hold the camera. Currently I am looking for portrait and folio shoots, urban portraiture and body art. Contact me for more details! Self portrait / photo by Jenny Ponte & Ponte Ryuuri. My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art  I am back from a two day marathon with ink and brushes. Oh it was FANTASTIC. We had over 30 Grand Masters coaching us in 4 Chinese calligraphy scripts. We studies clerical script, cursive script, semi-cursive script and standard script. It was amazing to listen to various points of view they had and just listen to them explaining or writing, correcting our works and so on. Writing on a floor from early morning till late evening is not easy, so I am dead tired, but it was well worth it. I have learned a ton and the event had definitely helped me a lot in preparation for my upcoming Master Instructor exams next month. My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art    If you always dreamed of having a really good portrait photo taken then you came to the right place. For me portraiture is not just a headshot, it is far more than that. I am not just a photographer, I am an artist. I seek the real personality, the character, the mood, the perfect lighting, this one unique moment when I can capture who you really are. On top of this I offer high end photo retouching, so you will not only be portrayed looking at your best, but also will receive a fashion magazine quality level of photo retouching. Each client wants something else, and I tune and adjust my photography style and setup as well as the editing process and strength to every person individually. I ofer service for both those who live i Tokyo and those who travel to Tokyo. Contact me to book your photoshoot! My Youtube channel with free photoshop tutorials Photography workshops in Tokyo - click for more details. Hire a photographer in Tokyo Buy original Chinese and Japanese calligraphy art  Well, the time has come to spring clean mt calligraphy works stash, and I say, I have not realised how much I have written for the past 13 years. I spent a few hours selecting works that have to go, and there is a huge pile of paper in my room now and it is destined for a dust bin. In the past, calligraphers burned their works in special shrines, but these days I am not sure if there are any left around my house. I often use old works as blotting paper, but I have a stack of it already so the trash can is goingbe fed with lots of expensive paper and hours and hours of studies. Irony of life: what once you thought was important and valuable becomes a pile of ash later on. Still, every cloud has a silver lining, so the good thing is that one can verify the improvement and advancement in skill.  I am often asked how is it humanly possible to do as much as I do. Well, I decided to finally reveal my secret, and document myself during work. As you can see from this genuine and not altered in any way whatsoever photograph, I am an alien species. Whenever my brain activity reaches certain level, my arms split into 4 and then 6, and dormant processors are being activated in my half synthetic body, one for each arm. Consequently, I can do 6x more work as any human being, because each arm can operate and "think" independently. So, do not try to chase after me or catch up, it is humanly impossible. Instead, simply enjoy my creations. Ryuurui out. Beep...disconnecting...end of transmission. 
Although I passed the exam for the Jun Shihan (準師範) on June, I have just officially received the certificate from my calligraphy teacher, Grand Master Kajita Esshuu, which was issued by the All Japan Calligraphy and Literature Association (全日本芸文化院). Jun Shihan is often translated into English as New Master and it is a huge honor to receive it. I am already preparing for my last exam next year, the Master Instructor, which will give me right to open a private Japanese calligraphy school anywhere in the world, including Japan, and teach the art of Japanese calligraphy under the umbrella of All Japan Calligraphy and Literature Association. Below, I am posting a scan of the certificate (left), and my teacher's handwritten memo on the envelope in which the certificate was included. I am posting his writing, as I thought it might be interesting for you guys to see how does a every-day handwriting of a great Japanese calligraphy Master looks like.
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