New York Arabic Orchestra benefit concert for Japan

I was commissioned to do a video shoot about 3 hours before the event.
I arrived at the site five minutes before the start time. I was able to shoot
about 45 minutes of video before camcorder battery died.

The show was still going on, so I decided to shoot still photos. I was in
a pew in second column on left side of church. I could not move from
the position without disturbing the patrons watching the concert.

So instead of using a stand, I quickly used the video tripod as a stand.

Strobe setting for second curtain flash to capture motion of musicians.
Used an bounce flash technique I learned from Niel Van Niekerk.

Strobe was bounced of a white area of stone wall on camera left.
Furthermore, the strobe was gelled to match the hot lights on the subjects.

Ambient light was measured using a light meter and off camera strobe

was used as fill light. Shutter speed was very low, under 1/15 second,
but compensated by camera's image stabilization.

Flash triggering was done using camera's built-in wireless triggering
instead of radio triggers.

Light level was so low, camera could not auto focus. All shots
were take with manual focus. Luckily, the viewfinder has focus
confirmation indicator.

Camera was set to auto white balance and corrected in post processing
using Olympus Viewer2 software. In addition fine tuning of exposure,
contrast, picture mode and lens correction was also done in Viewer2.


Equipment used at shoot:

• Olympus FL-36R strobe 
• Mounted on stand with adapter.
• Gel strobe using Cinch Strap
• Polaris Meter to measure ambient light 
• Lens: 40-150mm zoom

New York Arabic Orchestra raised over $1600 in donations to help victims of the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Japan relief. 

• Bassam Saba - a leading figure of Arabic music
• April Centrone - Percussionist
• Nobuko Miyazaki - shinobue player
• Sonny Ochiai Ensemble, Classical Okinawan music
• New York Taiko Aikokai

The benefit concert was held at The Park Avenue Christian Church.

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New York Day of Rembrance 2011

In recognition pf the approaching 10th anniversary since 9/11, Japanese American United church continues the important work of healing and reflecting over the internmentm while simultaneously considering how we as a community can stand next to another in a similar time of peril.


Program Title
9066 / 9-11: Japanese American and Muslim and Arab American Communities

In Crisis,In Solidarity,In Justice,In Compassion

Program Content

• Moment of silence for Japan
• JANM Video: 9066 to 9/11
• Janan Delgado, Park51
• Enemy Alien trailer
• Musical Performance
• Remembrances: Frank Emi and the resisters
• Candle-light ceremony

Shot was done using available light in the church. The lighting was a mix of fluorescent and tungsten. There was a projector screen in the background and it was used as a reference color to white balance all the photographs using Olympus Viewer2 software. 

• Olympus 40-150mm Zuiko Digital Telephoto Zoom Lens

Performance: Composer/flutist Nobuko Miyazaki performing an original piece reflecting shared experiences of Japanese Americans and Arab and Muslim Americans, featuring poetry by Janice Mirikitani and Suhei Hammad. With April Centrone (percussion), John Vergara ( oud - Arabic lute), Olivia Oguma and Nora Armani.


The New York Day of Remembrance Committee is a non-profit, as-hoc committee of volunteers whose primary mission is to organize an annual "Day of Remembrance" commemorating the experiences of the over 120,000 Japanese Americans unjustly incarcerated during World War II.


The New York Day of Remembrance Committee members

• Michael Ishii
• Tsuya Hohri Yee
• Mariko Masaoka-Drew
• Donna Tsufura
• Alix Mariko Webb
• Stan Honda
• Naomi Iwasaki

More information on William Hohri, Frank Emi and the resisters.


Event held at Japanese American United Church.


Please participate in JustOneCrane project of Save the Children Japan. There cranes symbolize our hope that Japan will be able to start healing on this long journey to recovery, and the donations will go to support the younger generation of Japan who will become an integral part of the process.

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Saturn Series Poetry Reading

Featuring poet Tina Chan and singers Stanley Wu and Andrea Parodi.
Show produced by Su Polo. Hosted at Nightingale Lounge in NYC.

Products used at this shoot.

• Olympus FL-36R Strobe
• LumiQuest Gel Holder  
• Olympus 14-40mm Zuiko Digital Wide Angle Zoom Lens
• Olympus 40-150mm Zuiko Digital Telephoto Zoom Lens

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2011 Lunar New Year Event / Fashion Show

AsianInNY hosted “Lunar New Year Event / Fashion Show” in New York's famous Chinatown. 
Shots were taken at very low shutter speed with fill-flash mode and high ISO settings. 


Products used at this shoot.

• StroboFrame Quick Flip 350
• Olympus FL-36R Strobe
• Olympus FL-CB05 Off-camera flash cable
• LumiQuest Gel Holder  
• LumiQuest Pocket Bouncer
• Olympus 14-40mm Zuiko Digital Wide Angle Zoom Lens
• Olympus 40-150mm Zuiko Digital Telephoto Zoom Lens

The 2011 Lunar New Year Event / Fashion Show featured artists, designers,
models, performers and dignitaries.

• MC/rapper Young Kin
• David Shen Dance Group
• Jack K. Eng
• Air Tabigue
• Way Zen: Designer for JSong Collection
• Teresa Lee and PaperDoll band
• Pamela J Powel
• Janet Zheng: Designer for Janet Zheng Menswear

The event was hosted at Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) at 62 Mott Street in New York City in cooperation with

Greater Chinatown Community Association (GCCA).

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Knowledge is Power Initiative

Was camera man for video content at Knowledge is Power Initiative website.
Taping was done at DCTV.



Cast:

• Steve De Castro, host
• Lucas Ferrara
• Bruno Bianchi

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Rally in support of Cordoba House

As a national controversy is growing over the building of the proposed Cordoba House, New Yorkers will welcome Muslims to downtown Manhattan on Sunday August 22. 

The Coalition to Stop Islamophobia announced today that it will gather near the proposed site at the former Burlington Coat Factory location on Park Place Sunday to “counter racist messages and attacks against Muslims and Islam,” and to “welcome Cordoba House.” 

Opponents of Cordoba House say they will come to New York Sunday “to push back against those attempting to impose harsh Shariah Islam, stealth jihad or terror on our nation.” 



New Yorkers to Say “Welcome Cordoba House” at Sunday Gathering to Stop Islamophobia. Visible street presence to counter foes of so-called “Ground Zero Mosque”. Rally was held at Church & Warren Streets in Manhattan. The name Cordoba house was changed to Park51.

29th annual AAJA Convention in Hollywood, CA

I was invited as a guest photographer by my comrade in arms, Corky Lee, to 29th annual Asian American Journalist Association (AAJA) Convention in Hollywood. The 2010 convention, widely viewed as one of the best in AAJA’s history, honored for the first time in its 29 years, its Founders and Asian American Pioneers in journalism as a group. The event turned out to be the greatest gathering of pioneer Asian American journalists (AAJA) in history.

Anna-Belle Udo, Suzanne Kai 

Thirty-six of 107 individuals, more than half of all living Asian American pioneers in U.S. journalism (1925-1975), were honored by the Asian American Journalists Association at the unveiling of AAJA’s Honor Roll of Asian American Pioneers in Journalism.

I was honored to work with Suzanne Joe Kai, AAJA-LA board member, and Annabelle Udo-O’Malley, AAJA events and fundraising coordinator, and the 2010 AAJA National Convention Founders and Pioneers Opening Reception Committee members Leezel Tanglao.

AAJA HONOR ROLL names and categories can be seen here: Pioneers in U.S. Journalism, Change Agents, Pioneers in Asian Community Press, and Pioneers in Asian American media.

Suzanne Kai

I was honored to photograph many of the pioneers:

• Corky Lee
• Connie Chung
• Ben Fong-Torres
• Suzanne Joe Kai

Corky Lee, Anna-belle and Emil

Ben Fong-Torres and Connie Chung