Page 16 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Chinese Hackberry (May 22, 2010)



Dear Stephanie

I shot the photo of this Chinese Hackberry that stands by the　front yard entrance this morning. The other day I met an old woman. " It has stood here quite a while. " said the woman looking up at the Chinese Hackberry. I said hello to her on her walk. It was the first time for me to have seen her though she told me she often passed by my house. " I have become the oldest in the village." She looked lonesome. Then a shade of short stature that straightened up was leisurely going away toward the coming dusk. I wondered how old the mossy Chinese Hackberry was looking up at it.

Love
Terry

Page 15 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Rhododendrons in the drizzle (May 19, 2010)


Dear Stephanie

Look at these rhododendrons. Aren't they beautiful? It was drizzling. The sky was gray. But they were really proud of their beauty. They were shinning. Don't you think so? I was attracted by them immediately when I got out of the entrance this morning. Actually they are really fine in the sunshine, but they are more beautiful in the drizzle just like you. You are always bright and shinning. You are my sunshine, and also your mother's one. Remember that. I love you.

Terry

Page 14 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Light and Shade (May 12, 2010)


Dear Stephanie

How are you? How is your mother? Did she go to the doctor this month? What did the doctor say? Tell me about that.
By the way this is the entrance of my house. Today I tried to take an interesting photo to show " light and shade" using the backlight. I shot from the inside of the house. I heard that people had a custom to keep the dark inside the house in the countryside. When the sliding door of the entrance is closed, you need light. The vivid color of the outside comes out in the space kept open wide. The rhododendrons look brightly red among the fresh green of May. The rhododendrons and azaleas in the yard are in full bloom now. I wish I could show you them...sometime.

Love
Terry

Page 13 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Miyama-Rhododendron (Apr. 25, 2010)



Dear Stephanie

It was 6:43 pm. The sun was sinking. The bright colors of the sunset through the bamboo forest I own were backlight from this angle, but you can see the Miyama- Rhododendrons shine beautiful. Miyama means "in the depths of a mountain". It is prohibited to bring them back out of mountains. It is illegal but the previous owner of my house worked at mountains, so he did. Anyway they are very beautiful. He enables me to enjoy them. I have to thank him. It is dark now. You cannot see the rhododendrons in the bamboo forest any more. I am going to bed. Good night.

Love
Terry

Page 12 of My Book " Photo Lettter "

Rice Paddy Shelves (Apr. 25, 2010)


Dear Stephanie

Have you ever seen " rice paddy shelves " like these? Long ago there was not much arable land in the places among the hills. People had a hard time bringing slopes of the hills under cultivation struggling against many difficulties. So we call such reclaimed land among the hills rice paddy shelves. These spread down 1.6miles. They were plowed and filled with water waiting for transplantation of rice seedlings around Jun. Rice is delicious here in Sugeo. Because underground water of Mt. Aso, an active volcano springs out and the difference of the temperature between day and night is large. I think the rice paddy shelves are a nice sightseeing spot to town dwellers. I really want to show you. I love you.

Terry

Page 11 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Carp Streamers Swimming across the Brook(Apr. 5. 2010)


Dear Stephanie

In Japan May 5th is ' Children's Day '. But it was once called ' Boys' Festival '. Families used to set up carp streamers to celebrate their boy’s growth. Boys were cherished better than girls before the World WarⅡ. We usually put up a streamer's pole on Children's Day, but these days a birth rate is decreasing, so we seldom do. These carp streamers were contributed by people who saved used ones. They are vigorously swimming in the blue sky of May like children. Every year they are hung there to have people pleased. I am sure you will like the photo. I hope your mother will be able to enjoy it.

Love
Terry

Page 10 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Mountains of Takamori in the wet evening (Mar. 8, 2010)


Dear Stephanie

I was on my way home from the Kumamoto Air Port after seeing off my friend. I was driving through the town of Takamori in the evening. It was drizzling. The mountains were seen ahead in the rainy clouds. Everything ran lightly. It looked just like a black-and-white painting. I pulled over the car and stood out in the drizzle with my camera at the ready. The nice photo was taken. That made me satisfied. Then I drove home over the mountain pass of Takamori. So I am sending the photo to you with my love, and also big hug and kiss!

Love
Terry

Page 9 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Digital Photo Art
Wintry Thicket (Feb. 17, 2010)


Dear Stephanie

I went for a walk this afternoon. The weather was fine. I went into the wintry thicket. Most of the trees dropped all the leaves and became bare. Just Japanese cedars seen from between the trees were green. The dead leaves were rustling under the shoes. I artistically processed the photo like this. You can see the rice paddy harvested yellow down there. It was nice and warm and then calm and bright just like spring in the thicket even though it is in the middle of winter. I believe I succeeded in expressing the feeling of this in the photo. Don't you think so? I hope you like it. Say hello to your mother.

Love
Terry

Page 8 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Maki Shrine (Feb. 5, 2010)


Dear Stephanie

Today I went to get a therapeutic system relying on manipulation of bones and muscles. It seems like chiropractic. It is about 50 minute's ride from Sugeo. My left shoulder, legs and back hurt me. I screamed on the bed. He did not care about it at all. But after that I felt really comfortable. He is good. I visited "Maki Shrine" where is not far from there. It was just being rebuilt. What you see in front of you is a guardian dog. A shrine usually has a pair of them. Many people visit this shrine on New Year's Day. I prayed for your mother's early recovery and your health. I have been always thinking of you. You say sometimes you lose track of time and days get away from you taking care of your mother in bed. I wish I could help you.

Love
Terry

Page 7 of My Book "Photo Letter "

Brush Art "Woman"(Feb. 3, 2010)


Dear Stephanie

Thank you for your letter. I can see that your mother is so stubborn and makes you nervous and irritating. You must have been very pre-occupied handling things at your mom. You have to be alert to take care of her. By the way I just finished my brush art "Woman". As you know, I try to challenge things nobody does. Brush art is one of them. I artistically write the letters of the alphabet with a Japanese brush. This is a new field of art. How do you like this work? First of all I wrote "Woman" on the thin Japanese paper, and then I put it on red styrene paper. You can see that "Woman" has blood through the thin paper. She is now alive. This is the only one in the world drown as a nude in Japanese brush, which I am sure nobody has ever seen like this. Take care.

Love
Terry

Page 6 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Morning of Bamboo Forest(Jan.30,2010)


Dear Stephanie

I got up earlier this morning. It was a beautiful morning. There was no snow on the ground and the blue sky was shining. I went out carrying a camera as usual and walked into the bamboo forest. I felt the air cold and fresh. The ground was covered with dead leaves of bamboo. It was really soft and gentle. The sun was shooting from among the green bamboo leaves. Just bamboo forests and Japanese cedar groves are green at this time. I got a nice shot. Do you feel the atmosphere 'Morning of Bamboo Forest' looking at this photo? How do you like it? I hope you will be able to enjoy it.

Love
Terry

Page 5 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Temple Gate (Jan. 14, 2010)


Dear Stephanie

This is another photo of the temple gate. I am also sending it to you. I love this temple gate. It has just a few simple reliefs on the beam but the structure is strong and firm like an old Japanese samurai. The wooden structure makes you yearn and feel at ease. Don't you think so? There is a belfry upstairs. You will find the main temple when you go up the stone steps in front of you. Wooden culture in Japan has a long tradition and history. We have nice wooden culture here in Sugeo, but nobody is aware of it. Because people get used to seeing it too much. Anyway I love the temple gate. Of course I love you, I love you, I love you, Stephanie.

Terry

Page 4 of My Book "Photo letter"

Temple Gate after the Snow (Jan. 14, 2010)


Dear Stephanie

We also had a snowstorm yesterday, but it was fine today. I exactly felt the air fresh and the sunshine made me happy. So I decided to enjoy myself taking photos. I put on rubber boots and got out. It seemed that the countryside was covered with shining silver blanket everywhere. There is a little temple of Kohgenji in our district of Sugeo. It has a nice and beautiful wooden gate. It is beautiful, isn't it? The snow of the tiled roofs started melting. No one walked through the gate. There was no footprint on a white blanket. I took the photo of the temple gate. I am enclosing it with this letter. I am sure you will be pleased to see it.

Love
Terry

Page 3 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Snowstorm (Jan.13,2010)


Dear Stephanie

We had a snowstorm. I had never experienced such a snowstorm, so I was excited very much. I ran out of the house with a camera and took a lot of photos running around in the yard. This is one of them. The chestnut trees that I love is really bare. They just stood there to endure being blown by the snowstorm. The bamboo forest kept roaring with their hair tossing about like a crazy woman. You cannot see snow so that you live in California, can you? Why don't you come here to see snowstorm? It is fun, you know. I dreamed of you last night ,too. I will send you hug and kiss.


Love
Terry

Page 2 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Temple Roof with the Snow Remained (Jan. 5, 2010)

Dear Stephanie

We celebrated and enjoyed a New Year's Day. It did not snow at that day but did heavily Jan. 3. I had something to do at Kumamoto city where has a prefectural government on Jan. 5. The snow still lay a little bit in many places. I saw a little temple on my way home. I pulled over the car and got out with a camera. The temple roof was sheeted with copper. It must have been white when it snowed. But the snow stuck just a little to the blue roof that verdigris formed. Actually there were several electric wires above the photo. I trimmed them away. I hated to see them in the photo. You will see them wherever you go in Japan except big cities.
It is cold here. I guess it is same there ,too. Don't catch cold.

Love
Terry

Page 1 of My Book "Photo Letter"

Digital Photo Art
Chestnut trees in the Snow (Dec. 20, 2009)

Dear Stephanie

This photo is extremely processed and arranged. I named this kind of work "Digital Photo Art". How do you like it? Don't you think I succeeded in this work as Digital Photo Art? I am sure you will enjoy it.
It heavily snowed. The snow lay on the bamboo forest, chestnut trees and Japanese cedar grove you can see behind the chestnut trees. I lived in Tokyo over 40 years, you know. I had never had such an experience to walk in the deep snow, so I was really excited. You know, it was a great fun to run around in the yard carrying a camera. I took a lot of photos of snow. I will send you more. Say hello to your mother.

Love
Terry

I am planning to publish another photo album.

I had an idea to publish a photo album last year. I sent a manuscript to several publishers in the States but no one accepted my offer. One of the editors mailed me to say,"The photos are inferior." I knew that. I told them in my sale's letter that I was not a professional photographer, I just enjoyed myself taking photos around here Sugeo and I would like to show those photos of our countryside different from theirs.
Anyway I am planning to publish another photo album because I believe that I have improved the skill of photography. I expect the book to be available in a cheap paperback A4 edition. I have to find a publisher that will be interested in my work and want to buy the manuscript. Would you tell me if you know such a nice publisher? I am going to show you one by one every time I finish a page of the photo album.

The title is "Photo Letter From the countryside of Sugeo Where We Moved from Tokyo, Japan".

Book Cover

Cover Photo
Chestnut Branches Remaining Snow (Dec. 21, 2009)

Dear Stephanie

We moved here Sugeo April 1, 2009, you know. It was in the middle of Spring. And we first had the chestnut trees covered with silver frost Dec. 7. Then it was Dec. 16 that it snowed for the first time. Everything was blanketed with snow.
I have bamboo forest in the front yard. It spreads into the next door's lot. There are two chestnut trees in his lot. They are big and old. I love those chestnuts. The bamboo forest and chestnut trees were also all in white. Christmas is just around the corner. We must have a white Christmas this year.
I wish you a nice and merry Christmas!

Love
Terry

Photos I took before spring has come

Clouds in the Evening of Sugeo
It is time when I feel spring on not only buds of trees and flowers but also clouds' color.


Wintry Trees (Digital Photo Art)
This is the photo I took when I walked into the thicket. I processed and arranged it like an oil painting.


Wintry Trees on a Cloudy Day
I always look at these trees when I take a walk. I guess maybe they are ginkgo trees, but I am not sure because I have spent the country life shortly though I can see if they have leaves.


Ginkgo Trees in Winter
First Japan cedar woods are often seen in Sugeo and next is, I think, chestnut groves and then bamboo forests. Ginkgo groves are seen last. I heard there were a lot of ginkgo groves, too when the production of ginkgo nuts was popular here.


Tree in a Wintry Field
I am sure you will feel winter in this photo.


White Little Shed beyond the Green Grass (Digital Photo Art)
I imagined a children's story processing the photo. I am sure I have succeeded.


Basket Woven from Vines by An Old Man in Sugeo
There lives an old man in the neighborhood. He has a skill to weave baskets from wild vines 'Tudura'. But he told me sadly that there was no successor in that district any more.


Camellias in Drizzle
It was drizzling on that day. I found camellias among the trees that grew naturally on the side of the path on my way home. Striped camellias are rare to see. They lined up properly.

I decided to submit my photos to an Internet art gallery.

I submitted my brush art "Woman" to an art exhibition of Internet art gallery in the States last year, and my brush work was not accepted. The other day their news letter was delivered to me. It said, " Our Spring Art Exhibition(2D-3D-Photo/Digital) will be held online this April. Grand opening is April 1 and entry dead line is March 1 ".
I was looking for a photo exhibition. I wanted a professional photographer to see my photos and digital photo art. I thought that was a good chance. So I decided to enter for the exhibition. Now I will show you four photos submitted.

A Tree in Spring
When I saw this tree last early spring, it was really bare and looked funny. The top of the trunk and the branches were cruelly cut down. I was quite interested in what it would be like. I met it again last Dec.15. It was well grown with green leaves just like in the middle of spring. The scenery was that wintry trees could be seen far in a desolate field.

Chestnuts in the Snow
It was snowing. I love snow. I ran out of the house carrying a camera with me. I did not mind that the camera was wet with snow. There are a bamboo forest and chestnut trees behind our house. The wind was blowing very strong. The bamboo forest was shaking itself quite hard with the hair tossing about. But the chestnuts just stood there in the snow waiting for spring.

A Scatter of the Morning sun
You can see this is blurred. I have a bad habit in taking photos. Sometimes a camera moves slightly. I try not to. Anyway this time also I finely moved a camera aiming at the morning sun out of the bamboo forest. But I was interested in the blurred photo. I boldly processed it in color and brightness. I believe that it has turned another.

Bamboo Forest and Snowy Branches of the Chestnut
I took the photo next morning after the snow. I had an idea to make it a picture like a Japanese traditional drawing, for instance, the one painted on the holding screen or sliding door in the Edo era. First of all I trimmed four sides of the photo and then colored it vividly. This is it.

I will offer my blog to the two ladies I love.

When I was young, I worked for an American military family in Fukuoka, Japan attending college at night. They were a nice couple. Mr. Haff was a naval officer. After his retirement they returned to California where their daughter had been waiting for them. She had once visited Japan to see her parents and then I went out with her in Tokyo. She was beautiful then. Of course , she still is. So I have kept in close touch with them. I went to the States three times to see them, but the last time was a trip to visit his grave. Mrs. Haff has been sick in bed since the fall before last being nursed by her daughter.
I am heartily eager for her early recovery. I am always thinking of them. I am sending my big hug and kiss to them from Japan.


" Temple of the next morning after the Snow "

We had the first snow in winter Dec. 16 here in Sugeo. Then it snowed several times. It was about 6 or 7 inches in depth when the snow lay deepest on the ground. The next morning after the snow I happened to pass by a temple covered with the rest of the snow.


Children's Story " Two Japane Cedars of Inari Shrine Hill"

An Inari shrine is the one where the god of the harvest is worshiped. And in Japan a fox is supposed to be a bearer of the god or to be the god. You can see red little gateways to an Inari shrine by two Japan cedars. When you look at the photo, maybe you can make a children's story for your kids. Why don't you do that?


" Maki Shrine "

There are great number of temples and shrines in Japan. Most of them must have been built with Japanese cypresses, which are beautiful like you see. This shrine is now under construction. It is brightening in the rising sun.


" Maki Shrine under Construction "

Digital Photo Art " Flowers of Light out of the Bamboo Forest "

This is my new art " Digital Photo Art ". I have a bad habit when I take a picture. A camera moves slightly once in a while. This photo is slightly blurred. But I thought of it as interesting. So I really worked and treated the slightly blurred photo. It looks like to be quite another photo now.


Digital Photo Art " Mountains of a Drawing in Indian Ink "

Have you ever seen a drawing in Indian ink? It is a traditional art in Japan and is also called a landscape painting in Eastern Asia. I tried to make a photo look like it by using my new art technique. I am sure that I succeeded in it.


Digital Photo Art " Mountains in Takamori of a Drawing in Indian Ink "

Digital Photo Art " Watercolor Painting "


Digital Photo Art " Green Evening "

Other Brush Works of My " Brush Art "

As I told you before, I am a brush artist, brush art designer and brush font designer. I am going to show you other brush works.

"WomanWoman"


"Love Ai"
"Ai" means "Love" in Japanese.


Collage: "Liebe"
"Liebe" means "Love" in Germany.


"LIVE"


My Brush Font Sample: L

Photos of my "Digital Photo Art" & Chestnuts in the Drizzle

It was drizzling on the morning of Jan. 1, but it was a fine misty rain. So I decided to use a camera in the drizzle. It was a challenge for me to take photos of the chestnut trees behind our house in the rain. I had never done that before. After the photography I extremely and boldly worked and treated those photos with Microsoft Office Picture Manager for my "Digital Photo Art". You will see four of them just underneath. And I also tried to draw out the feeling of a material about wet chestnuts or lichen.

Blue Etching of a Chestnut Tree


Chestnuts in a Monotone


Chestnut in Pastel Colors


Sepia Chestnut


Chestnuts in the Drizzle


Chestnut Trunk Covered with Lichen


Chestnut Trunk Covered with Lichen in the Drizzle


Chestnut Branches in the Drizzle