Tyler Ensrude Twenty-nine Project

The original copy of Twenty-nine is here...

2009-06-06T21:24:00.004+09:00

Here is the original, and currently the one and only, copy of Twenty-nine. I'm pretty happy with it. Hopefully I can get you all a copy someday when I find a reasonable way to print it in bulk.

Thanks for following the progress of this project (if there is anyone out there!) I'll be leaving this blog as it is for now, but starting back up at www.tylerensrude.blogspot.com. It's connected to this blog through my profile actually. I'll probably be working more with color and focusing more on digital photography again. Check it out, link it, RSS it... and keep in touch. Thanks again.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 54

2009-04-25T22:24:00.006+09:00

The final cake shot from my birthday evening. Almost the same shot as a year ago (minus one candle and some different cake).
Twas a good year. A year goes by quickly when you look at every week and the simple things we see everyday are what I've found to be the most important and moving. Couldn't ask for much more than that. On to next year! Keep checking back and buy a book of "twenty-nine" when it comes out! (name of book and photos on this blog my be subject to change or not included).

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 53

2009-04-19T22:54:00.003+09:00

The Cherry Blossoms

So I couldn't resist the week before my birthday. I had to take some shots of the cherry blossoms and I decided to use color. I think that will be a hint of what's to come. I love the 70s look I get on my old camera.

Next week I'll have the final shot or two I took on my birthday, which was pretty uneventful by the way (mainly because it fell on a Tuesday and it was the only day last week that it rained!). This will end the "twenty-nine" project I had set out to complete. More on that next week sometime. So once again...the posts are a week ahead so this actually is week 52.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 52

2009-04-12T19:20:00.006+09:00

The Sun and the Shadows

It was so bright that I couldn't really see what I was taking. And, in return, no one could see me. I liked the long shadows and the frozen motion from the fast shutter. Especially the smoker I walked by and the back of the women's head in the crosswalk.

(Although this looks to be the final post of "twenty-nine" I went back and noticed that I mislabeled week 39 as week 40. So I'm actually a week ahead. I'll also post some pics of April 14th as the final set, so it will come out to be 54 weeks. Next week will be color film.)

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 51

2009-04-05T22:11:00.005+09:00

The Platform

A common subject matter again for many photographers. I've always wondered what I would do If I ever saw someone go over the edge. I'm often suprised at how far over the yellow line people dare to go.

This is one of my favorite platform shots from Bruce Davidson's Subway, which I believe I've seen available at Bondi Books.

This guy had his toes over the edge, but I just missed it.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 50

2009-03-29T22:42:00.005+09:00

The Importance of Timing

You can take 24 shots of a rock or a tree or whatever and call it art and that's fine (art). I do that occasionally. It's good for your perspective I think and some people are extremely good at it.

Or you can look at the world as it's passing you by and try to stop it in mid stride. I love timing and decisive moments in photography, but they are so hard to get. Ikko Narahara is one of my favorites from Japan. You can't beat his timing. I tried to do something with timing this week, but it's hard to do discretely and still come up with something worth showing...

I may have already shown this book, but it's worth showing twice. I may have even written about timing, but that's how dang important it is!

I believe this was an old woman...

A woman having lunch with her dog and snapping a quick phone pic....

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 49

2009-03-22T15:12:00.008+09:00

The Ume Blossoms

Most photographers (and everyone else for that matter) tend to focus on the ever popular cherry blossoms around Japan this time of year. Here are some shots of the underrated plum blossoms around the park which are equally beautiful and bloom a lot earlier than the cherry trees. These particular trees seemed very old, but were holding on with a few blossoms popping out here and there.

The cherry trees should start any day now. Also, here is a great book on snow and the cherry blossoms from Risaku Suzuki called Yuki Sakura.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 48

2009-03-14T22:31:00.006+09:00

The Bag of Tricks

Something about the plastic bags these volunteers were holding attracted me to these shots after I scanned them. They almost seem to be moving or pulling the subject along like a dog on a leash. Also, I've always wondered why they use those tiny cooking tongs to pick up trash here. Can't be good for the back.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 47

2009-03-08T15:35:00.007+09:00

The Need For Space

Highway built directly over the famous Nihon Bashi and
a man rushing somewhere.

Not the most pleasant walk, but very Gothic looking dragons
and light posts along the bridge.

Homeless box cart stuffed beyond the rim with cardboard and
other pieces of collected junk.

The Ramen Corner near Nihonbashi. Standing only. Also,
my reflection strangely looking like that man's legs.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 46

2009-03-01T12:44:00.008+09:00

The Portraits

I recently picked up a copy of Deja Vu Volume 8 featuring the complete works of Gocho Shigeo.
His disability took his life at the age of 36, but he left some very interesting books and photos.
His height kept his perspective at nearly eye level or lower with the most of his subjects...children.

These first shots where just a couple young kids with cameras taking photos of the pond. The other shot is a portrait of a woman in an ad. I liked how the street sign looked like part of the woman's microphone and that she seems to be looking right at me. Also, several other signboards in the evening from the train platform...

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 45

2009-02-22T11:57:00.004+09:00

The Fan

I've been taking live photos for years here in Tokyo. I usually focus on the band (of course) and try to get in as close as possible, while keeping the shots in focus amongst the either thrashing or half sleeping crowd. Usually depends on the type of band whether or not people dance or chill. This band called SF ,who kind of reminded me of Promise Ring or The Sea and Cake, has a great little emo/dance/pop thing going on and this guy felt the same. It was great to see an enthused fan letting go and not caring that everyone else was just sitting there. Could have been his Premium Malts he was downing, but you can almost feel the music pulsing through him in this little set of images...

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 44

2009-02-15T20:35:00.005+09:00

The Streets

As if their aren't enough shots of this city already...

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 43

2009-02-07T22:55:00.006+09:00

The Barge Under the Eitai Bridge

I was torn this week on what to post. I got a few strong images of the Eitai Bridge itself and I've always liked it. But as I was walking over it, I notice this approaching barge. I took a quick set of shots as it went under me. I was really really really happy with the horizontal shot. Couldn't have asked for a better timed and framed shot.... (unedited with no cropping!) Makes me wonder why I didn't shoot all horizontally!?

Reminds me of the Universe Kuwait (Tip of the hat to Nate)

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 42

2009-02-01T11:00:00.003+09:00

The Shots I Can't Remember

These we're the last few images of a night of drinks with friends. I barely remember the train ride home. It's interesting how when I saw the images, my memory of the moments instantly came back and I could recall taking the photos. But before that, nothing. I was apparently a bit bolder with the camera, taking shots in the toilet and on the train. So quite a surprising if not revealing set this week.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 41

2009-01-25T20:54:00.009+09:00

Typologies and The Traffic Cones

I read another book by the Bechers a few weeks ago and was inspired to try a typology of my own in Tokyo last week. The Bechers were very particular about lighting, the weather, time of day, film and camera placement before even taking the photo. I, on the other hand, went for spontaneity.

I decided to go on a walk and the first repetition I started seeing on the street were the traffic cones. They were on nearly every street I turned down and came in so many varieties and colors. I tried to maintain some balance and correlation with the framing and camera settings, but other than that, I just kept walking, finding more types of cones and shooting. I'll definitely go back and do color someday, but you can almost tell what color they are even though they are black and white. An ignored urban eyesore or tiny cityscape peaks of potential street art that goes unnoticed?

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 40

2009-01-18T21:40:00.004+09:00

The Tree near the Train

This tree caught my eye this week. Thought it looked like something out of a Tim Burton movie.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 38

2009-01-10T00:15:00.005+09:00

The Dazai Osamu Overpass over the Chuo Line

This train line overpass between Mitaka and Musashi-Sakai was apparently used by Dazai Osamu in his time living in Mitaka. He supposedly drowned in the Tamagawa Canal which flows past Mitaka and Kichijoji, but is now nothing more than a shallow creek. I followed the map of the other famous sites he frequented in the area.

The steps and bridge were built in 1929 and have remained the same since. The above picture of Dazai was taken in 1947.

Due to the holidays, the week 37 post was delayed. So two posts this week for the second week of January. Happy New Year!
All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 37

2009-01-09T23:52:00.005+09:00

The Candid Starbucks Shots

Just before Christmas I secured my camera on the table at Starbucks and randomly took shots of passersby.

Although most of these shots look eerily candid, the majority of Philip-Lorca diCorcia shots were meticulously staged and the lighting thoroughly planned.

I wish I had the time and patience to do the same...unfortunately these were not staged, but somewhat interesting.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 36

2008-12-30T12:53:00.005+09:00

The Imperial Palace Walk

I recently took my first walk around the Imperial Palace. The hike is about 5 kilometers and takes about an hour and a half. It's surrounded by a moat and is a great way to see the heart of Tokyo. Although my pictures of the areas around the moat are quite gloomy and no where near as good, I was reminded of a book by Koji Morooka called Remembrance of Tokyo.

We also spent this week roaming around Tokyo with our good friends Ben and Michelle who are currently residing in Seoul. We'll always remember Christmas 2008 in Tokyo. You can check out their weekly photos and musings of Seoul at Seoul Connection
We had a great time here Tokyo. Thanks for coming you guys!

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 35

2008-12-21T21:05:00.005+09:00

The Abandoned Bike Locks

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 34

2008-12-14T23:07:00.004+09:00

The Parking Spots

So I took these shots on a random weekday last week on a break...
Tonight as I'm looking through the negatives, I was reminded of yet another Ed Ruscha book called Thirty-Four Parking Lots. (Very rare and available at Bondi Books)

It contains aerial images of LA parking lots (actually taken by Art Alanis). I'm not so fond of the photos, but I like the theme and Ed's simple cover.

Japan's parking viewed from the air would be totally different. Probably invisible because most of them look like the images I got this week. Covered or in some kind of ramp or carousel form. A parking space is ridiculously expensive here. Downtown can cost you 30,000-60,000 yen a month and look how beautiful they are!

Oh...I also happened to notice this was Week 34. Thirty-Four Parking Lots? I'd like to say I planned it, but I'm not that organized.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 33

2008-12-07T19:53:00.001+09:00

The Mailboxes and Empty Entryways

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 32

2008-11-30T11:54:00.005+09:00

The Spider Leaves

This book shows the twisted power lines and overlapping cityscape's of Tokyo. Similar to a spider's web. Very good book by Osamu Kanemura.

In contrast to Tokyo's web of subways, power lines and millions of people, I noticed in the Tokyo parks how actual spider webs were becoming more visible as the autumn leaves fell and became entangled in them. The webs had probably been there all summer and I had never noticed until the leaves gave them away. Some of them were huge and right over the walkway through the park, stretching 12 or 15 feet.

It's difficult to see, but this is one of the bigger webs stretching across the walkway...

A smaller web with floating leaves...

I assume the trapped leaves act as miniature sails eventually ripping the web down. The remnants of a web, still hanging on by a thread with a large cluster of leaves...

A park light exposing a long, deteriorating web...

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 31

2008-11-24T13:44:00.003+09:00

The Posterographer

Moriyama often takes pictures of posters and ads. I tried a few myself. These are mainly campaign posters. I like how they put them right over graffiti only to have them "defaced". Moriyama's poster shots seem to have more of an erotic feel to them though. The shots I took were pretty unattractive.

I had to take a shot of this poor guy....

This guy seemed to be giving me the finger at first glance...

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 30

2008-11-16T19:15:00.007+09:00

The Bike Police

I really don't like these guys. They wander around, tapping the shoulders of people parking in front of croweded shopping malls, moving your bike you parked in front of the convenience store for 5 minutes. I guess it's their job, and I guess there are a lot of bikes blocking the sidewalks, but I still don't like 'em.

I thought I'd take some pics of one this week. This guy was pacing in front of the gate of a shirne. He kept coming into my frame at balanced sections of the gate. I was on the inside of the gate so I felt a bit like a prisoner taking advantage of a distracted security gaurd. Timing my shots, watching his every move.

I liked the idea of documenting a worker of a specific kind, so I chose this book by Junko Takahashi this week. An intersting and comical look at the typical Japanese receptionist.

Week 29

2008-11-09T17:06:00.005+09:00

Various Small Pieces of Trash...

Inspired by Ed Ruscha.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 28

2008-11-01T23:21:00.006+09:00

Amazing Thailand

The first and only shots in 29, on film, in color! We weren't in Japan so I figured I could break the rules a bit...We will definitely be back to Thailand someday for a second honeymoon.

Ok, so maybe these Thailand beach shots aren't that boring, but definitely typical for postcards shots. Goes to show anyone can shoot a postcardesque photo. And the dust I couldn't get off the scanned negatives...even more vintage!
Martin Parr's boring postcards are pretty boring, but strangely attractive. Available at Bondi Books.

The Boys In The Bubbles

I couldn't stop laughing at these kids. The Patong shopping mall had these giant balls floating on water you could pay a couple of baht to run around inside for 5min or so. Weightless or helpless? They wanted out and were practically crying. They couldn't make it to the pool side to be let out, nor could you hear their screaming. At one point they just seemed to stop running like exhausted mice in a cage, give up and sprawl out in their transparent cells. Like a hopeless, dying nucleus. I pushed one toward the pool steps hoping it would drift to the dock. Definitely worth documenting for 29 I think. Go Obama.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude
at www.tylerensrude.com

Week 27

2008-10-25T21:45:00.003+09:00

Going Places

This week we went to Thailand. Photos from the trip next week.
Until then, here is Jake on the move.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 26

2008-10-17T19:25:00.000+09:00

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 25

2008-10-13T22:02:00.004+09:00

The Delivery

From overloaded carts....

to boxes left unattended in the streets for ages....

until the end of the day.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 24

2008-10-06T23:30:00.006+09:00

Behind Kichijoji after Midnight (深夜吉祥寺の裏で）

I thought this week's images were reminiscent of this Peter Hujar book called Night.
It's loaded with great back street night shots of places and people in New York. This week I happened to take some night shots around the back streets of Kichijoji as well. I'm always amazed at how old and poorly kept a lot of the area is. It's especially deteriorated behind the mega Yodobashi camera store ironically enough. An interesting contrast to say the least.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 23

2008-09-28T22:58:00.005+09:00

The sign holders

The city must have some rule that says you can't advertise on the street unless someone is holding the advertisement. I hope they get paid more than the prices I see on those signs....

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 22

2008-09-21T21:10:00.007+09:00

I've been reading a lot about Hilla and Bernd Becher lately. They use black and white and focus on old blast furnaces, grain elevators, water towers and the like. At first glance they can be quite boring, but their consistency and typology is pretty amazing.

Japan has many similar structures strewn throughout the country which I'd love to visit. On the top of the list, the ghost towns that used to be popular tourist sites. Old ryokans (Japanese traditional hotels), closed down souvenir shops or theme parks may be worth categorizing and photographing at some point. Maybe by city. Dams, lime works and coal mines have already been done. I found a few things last week that might be at least worth a short series around Tokyo.

For example, the bearded apartment. Tokyo's parks are fighting back! If you happen to see another apartment building infested like this one, please let me know. I think it would make a great series!

A friend told me at one point that supports like this aren't good for the tree in the long run. It becomes dependant on the supports and it eventually weakens the tree. We usually just bow in Japan. Just a reminder to all the tree huggers here.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 21

2008-09-14T20:56:00.005+09:00

This book is by Carl Chiarenza. It looks at the way words written about an image can change how we view that image. Or in the case of several shots I took this week, words we see in an image...

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 20

2008-09-07T21:05:00.006+09:00

The Coin Laundry

I want to take as many shots of and from this place before it is torn down. But it shows no signs of leaving anytime soon. Four washers, no dryers, a deteriorating interior and a nice counter to watch the Marunaka supermarket shoppers.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 19

2008-08-29T22:53:00.006+09:00

I thought about doing a "Chuo no shita" (Under the Center) theme one of these weeks. Maybe stop at some of the major stations and shoot the underbelly of one of the main arteries out of downtown Tokyo.

The Chuo Line stretches from Tokyo station for many miles through the west suburbs of Tokyo. These shots were taken around the historic red brick Tokyo Station. Brick is not usually used in Japan due to it's inability to withstand strong earthquakes.

Again the steel and concrete has managed to capture my attention, probably because it's everywhere. So here is a book reflecting another metropolis known for it's brick, steel and concrete. Followed by three shots under the Chuo.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 18

2008-08-24T13:38:00.009+09:00

I bought this book a few months ago. Great idea, but hard to look at due to it's fragile pages and volume. It's literally 1000 images by Philip-Lorca diCorcia. He's known for his portraits which appear to be posed, but are just street shots.

Kind of random images this week due to rain and lack of time. Also, new enlarger and darkroom is up and running. So printing some old stuff at home by hand.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 17

2008-08-17T12:02:00.007+09:00

I'm not a huge fan of architectural photography or Hiroshi Sugimoto, but he is who I think of when I photograph buildings or shapes around Tokyo. This book above is simply called "Architecture" and is not his most popular work. But this weeks images reminded me of this book.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 16

2008-08-17T09:53:00.014+09:00

"Sleeping by the Mississippi" by Alec Soth is another one of my favorites. He has a pattern throughout his work I think is very effective. Portrait, place and thing. They tell a mini story within a larger series of photos. Highly recommend this one.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 15

2008-08-16T23:44:00.011+09:00

I'm always reminded on these trips back home of what is real and what we produce and what we look like as Americans. I feel pretty Japanese here and I love going home to what seems like a distant reality. Not all blonde hair, blue eyes, tall or well built. Just normal people and same old places. So I thought I post this book by Martin Parr and John Gossage. Check it out. I'll post another one of my favorite American themed photo books by Alec Soth next week.

The 10 days spent in the U.S. for our party were nice, but we barely had time to take pics of our event there let alone relax. We had a good time despite our busy schedule and I did manage to get a few keepers of Wisconsin though. Here is Mohoko on the sofa with Poochie, Takeaki taking pics and a couple strolling through Madison on a seemingly hot day. I even accidentally opened the camera before rewinding this roll. Lucky me.

I took the following week's images at the end of our week in Wisconsin after all was said and done. I tried a few different angles and ideas in attempt to capture what the week involved, but from an aftermath and somewhat exhausted perspective. You will see what I mean in the next few posts. Everyone else caught the festivities on their cameras anyway. Thanks for the great shots everyone.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 14

2008-08-09T06:25:00.006+09:00

I've gotten a little bit behind on the posts, but more to come of the trip to the US in week 15 and 16. Before we left for the US, Mihoko had a show in Shimokitazawa here in Tokyo. She rocked the bass to a packed venue. A great performance! That same week, I took a bike ride to the Tama River. This was the not so popular side. I liked the depth in the second image.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 13

2008-07-21T22:33:00.005+09:00

Just a recommendation this week. I met a photographer named Onaka Koji over the weekend. He actually came to check out the final night of 29 at Gallery Gamuso in Asagaya. He lives up the train line from me here in Tokyo. His work is really good and he runs a small gallery out of a very old apartment also in Asagaya. He's made a name of a name for himself over the last ten years in Japan and is definitely worth checking out.

Here are some 29 images this week somewhat reminiscent, if not inspired by Onaka-San...

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 12

2008-07-11T13:08:00.004+09:00

Ken Domon's book Chikuho no Kodomotachi (Children of Coalminers in English)came to mind last week after shooting this kid two Fridays ago.

This book has some really amazing images of kids playing in the streets in Chikuho, Fukuoka in the coal miner area where dangerous gases and poor living conditions were the norm.

The roll I just picked up for this week had way more shots of this kid than I remember taking. Don't really compare to the images of Ken Domon, but it was midnight and this kid was running in the streets! So here are a few more.

I liked our toaster and the arcade games too...

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 11

2008-07-05T10:46:00.005+09:00

I found this great book the other day by Martin Parr. It's called Small World and has great shots of tourists doing touristy things in touristy countries.

For example, he has a shot of three or four people holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Japanese mega tour groups posing by the Parthenon and flamboyant shirt wearing fat guys stuffing their faces in Paris. Funny stuff.

Last week I enjoyed a visit to the Kudan Kaikan in Kudanshita with my friends at Outdoor Japan (www.outdoorjapan.com).It's one of the largest roof top beer gardens I've ever seen. In the background you can see the Budokan stadium. When I finished that night, back in Kichijoji I ran into this kid without a shirt on around midnight. I think I used up a whole roll of film on him. He was hamming it up for the camera, but I got a few good ones despite my condition. Maybe I'll post more as when I get the other roll which had about 10 more shots of him on it. His dad was there.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 10

2008-06-27T14:48:00.006+09:00

I've been thinking about some of my heros of the last century who have made it to Japan or other foreign places to photograph life there as an outsider. Like Moriyama, William Klien, Michael Kenna or Robert Frank, they all seem to capture on film what most people would ingore in their own country and dismiss as the everyday or boring.

Robert Frank's The Americans was frowned upon in the U.S. for it's post-war outsider view of the U.S. at that time.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 9

2008-06-19T15:09:00.010+09:00

I love Japan and for so many years in Tokyo I've photographed the strange or the outstanding. I always tended to look for the unusual subjects, which, to a foreigner, there is an abundance of around Japan. Not since I've started this project have I seen such depth in the everyday places and lives of Tokyoites. Why couldn't I see stuff like this before? (stop questioning and just shoot!)

(Although the title of this book is Visions of Japan, it was shot entirely in Paris.)

Could I be turning more and more Japanese by the day, but remaining foreign as a photographer? I think that'd be a nice combo. Keeping one foreign eye wide open, and the other only sheepishly open , not wanting to cause or acknowledge problems. Falling back into the crowd, but being tall enough to shoot over everyone's heads. Ha. Maybe I'm not looking at Japan as that foreign anymore.

Or maybe it's just the drama and contrast of black and white? I don't know. But even these trees near our apartment seem to stand out to me more recently and that is exactly what I was hoping to see come out in my images 9 weeks ago.

I hate to post two bicycle shots within two weeks, but this is typically how you see police in Japan...biking around and scratching their heads.
All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 8

2008-06-15T10:05:00.004+09:00

So now I'm caught up on my backed up weeks for "29" the online version. Feel free to scoll down and check out the last 8 weeks and check in next week sometime for week 9 and so on. Thanks and yoroshiku.

A new version of an old restuarant reopened near our place. They managed to caputre the old atmosphere of the place in a new, earthquake friendly building. A rare thing to see in Japan. But this place had quite the history which was clearly reconized and retained. And Yakitori (chicken on a stick) for only 80yen! Iseya 2008

Mike posing with a security gaurd with a nice haircut.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 7

2008-06-15T09:55:00.005+09:00

After a misunderstaning several years ago on a beach, I very rarely intrude with my camera on trains or in such situations as the following photo. But they were standing right in front of me and didn't seem to notice anything other than themselves anyway. I was glad I interviend. The girl eventually got on the train and went home.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 6

2008-06-15T09:47:00.003+09:00

This week had some scratches on the negs again. But I always seem to get a few that work and that are not noticeably damaged.

How many cans can you fit on a bike?

I took this shot going down a glass elevator.

A self portrait.

A colleague reading.
All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 5

2008-06-12T23:54:00.004+09:00

This is Mr. Kugimiya. He is 76 years old. He worked in the World Trade Centers in NY for a few years in the 70s, lived through the Tokyo bombings of WWII and claims to have a giant tortoise in his backyard he smuggled on the plane after a vactaion in Okinawa 25 years ago. I enjoy talking with him about post-war Tokyo.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 4

2008-06-12T16:26:00.004+09:00

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 3

2008-06-11T23:12:00.004+09:00

I used half a roll on this dancing lady. She was sit dancing at first, but couldn't contain herself and had to stand up. The song ended and I clapped. What did this kid expect on a Wednesday afternoon? An old lady and a foreign photographer passing by with a camera.

All photos are the property of Tyler Ensrude at
www.tylerensrude.com

Week 2

2008-06-11T15:48:00.003+09:00

I think this same week I heard about an escalator accident. They must have been searching for that lost Croc.

Week 1

2008-06-10T23:55:00.004+09:00

Being that I may forget to turn in my film, I set a deadline for every week end between Friday and Sunday to drop it off. So far I've been right-on.

This project is definitely keeping me shooting and I think that is the main thing I was hoping to get out of it first. 29 will at least be on film...

I walked by a lady dancing to herself in the park. No ipod. Slightly humming. She noticed me and laughed.

Week 0 (Shots from April 14th)

2008-06-10T16:27:00.005+09:00

All images are scanned from original prints of a set of 24 shots on a regular, weekly basis. This blog is for my record and for you to follow the progress as the year goes on.

I had a roll of B&W film which I turned in on the day of my birthday. They were shots from that day and the weekend before. This is when my plan for "29" was hatched, so to speak. So I will start from there. Week 0. The day I was born.

The week following my birthday I continued with my plan and dropped off another roll of film from that week(Week 1)on the weekend and picked up the images from my birthday. So now you get the idea. I've been repeting that ever since. It's now June 10th and I've decided to start posting.

I found my shots forced at first. I had been using my Nikon D70 digital for years and I felt more worried about wasting film, paying attention to the light and getting used to my camera again.

The results were ok. I noticed two holes on the crow negative and on the print when I got the prints back. I actually like it though, adds a little personality to it. But it made me feel like maybe I was one of the few still shooting B&W in Tokyo. Had they gotten sloppy with the developing process? Were the holes from my camera? Anyway, It's raw and I like it (more mistakes with future rolls as well). Here are a few selections from week 0.

Preview Exhibition Opening Party for "29"

2008-06-10T15:54:00.006+09:00

I will have a preview exhibition party for "29" on Friday the 13th of June at Gallery Gamuso in Asagaya, Tokyo (www.gamuso.com). If you can't make it to the party, It will be up for about a month, so swing by if you have time. No time? Not even in Tokyo? Then keep coming back here for more weekly posts of "29" over the year. I'll probably do weeks 1-7 all in one day (read the "about me" to learn more about "29") Now that I have a posting blog up and running.

5 of my favorite original prints thus far will be available to view (possibly for sale) at Gamuso. Mail me at tensrude@gmail.com if you are interested. More posts coming soon.
Tyler