So after the frustration of Higashino on Sunday, and the pictures that I didn't particularly like, I had another opportunity on Monday. Kinoe Junior High and Elementary are having their sports day on the 11th, and Monday was a rehearsal. This wasn't just marching or jump rope though, this was the whole event, start to finish, except without spectators. They ran all the races, did all the games, kept score, and everything else. I was again asked to photograph, and with the familiar feeling of Undokai fatigue, I showed up with the camera.

Immediately, things started working. I don't know why. While I had to work and work for every decent picture at Higashino, Kinoe's photos came easily. Maybe it was the bright sun, the location, or the kids. I don't know. Maybe it was the field was smaller or because there were no spectators I felt freer to move around to take pictures. Either way, something just clicked, and I think these are better and feel easier than the Higashino photos. You be the judge.


I actually took a picture of the chairs in Higashino too. It was not very good.




Having happy smiling kids helps.

Photographing the same thing many times over helps too. When it was time to put on the hachimaki, I knew what to expect, and what kind of photos I wanted. I guess that's how wedding photographers work. After enough weddings, anyone could take good photos.


Even though I have been through all this before, I still like this picture.

There's a girl at Kinoe junior high, a second year who is one of the funniest and loudest people I have ever met. She doesn't particularly like English, but she likes me, and whenever she sees me she screams my name. That includes in the supermarket, in my car, or any other place. It's cute. She is one of many students who hates being photographed. She's pretty though, and I had a feeling there was a good picture to be had. I persisted, and in a moment of hachimaki adjusting, I grabbed this picture, which I think is one of my better ones. She told me to delete it immediately, and all her friends told her it was very cute.




Of course, the folding mirror.


This girl is the star girl athlete, and she looks every bit the part in this picture.




The gym teacher, MC of the Undokai.


Two points about this picture:
1. It is about 15-20 minutes after everyone put on the hachimaki, and I count three girls still adjusting theirs.
2. Most every school has a reproduction of Rodin's The Thinker in the schoolyard. Strange, right?

While we were getting ready, I noticed an old jungle gym, old, rusted, and well used. I took a couple pictures that are thematically out of place but I like them and this is my soapbox, so here they are.




Again, thank you new lens.

Now usually I am not the type to post silly misspellings of English here, but this is just too good.


I wonder what that means? As far as I can tell it keeps water and that's it.


Again, the transferring of the flag.


And the piano music with the exercises everyone does.

This was something different. It was a hot sunny day, and two kids started acting strange and woozy, and they were pulled into the tent. They were overheating, and were sat down with a thermometer until they cooled back down to normal temperatures.


This kid waited impatiently. The moment his temperature read normal, he leapt off the chair and ran back into the field.


This girl had more problems. She came in looking flushed and then started shivering and rubbing her arms as if she was really cold. She put on her tracksuit and waited maybe an hour, and the she too went running back to the action.


The principals, regal in their administrative tent.



And now, just some pictures that I don't think need much explaining.




That says white (shiro) on the left and red (aka) on the right.


Ok, fine, I'm obsessed with the headbands.


The view behind the stands.

Feats of Strength:









Relay:




This is the single most amazing running face I have ever seen. If I saw this behind me, I would let him pass.


Folk dance with kindergarteners.

The last game was awesome. Seven truck tires were placed on a line in the middle of the field. On either side, third and fourth graders lined up, probably ten or twelve per team. When the start pistol was fired, the only rule was that they had to pull the tires to their side. No instructions as to who should go where, or how best to pull, so what you get was a sort of free-for-all tire pulling melee.


The kids got their pulling gloves on.


And then it was hauling time. I love those two kids in the foreground.


Things got pretty serious.

And that's it for the Undokai practice. On the 11th, I have to go to the real deal and most likely photograph it again. We'll see how that goes. I realize this post is a little late, but while it's Thursday here, it's still Wednesday in some parts of the world. See you on Friday.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 at 11:15 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.