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New York City vs Tokyo?

We all know which city is better.

I don’t know why but, every time I travel away from my home of New York City the first thing I intrinsically do is compare my destination to my metropolis playground. And then I took a trip to tokyo…

Traveling to Tokyo was different. It became the first city that I did not antagonize. Every block was a new part of the adventure. I have not gotten the feeling so sensory overload in a city since I was a kid. My 5 senses were amazed as I traveled around.

Let’s talk convenience stores: The 1 stop shop store in japan is called Konbini. The selection inside goes crazy! You can find everything from hot food and packed lunches, to experimental ice cream options, and an-endless selections of beverages. Konbini are your go to spots wether its 3 AM PM. A classic NY bodega is nothing to sleep on either. The smell of fresh chop cheese sandwiches made on top of the hot plate draw you in. You can cop anything from white tee’s to starburst at the checkout area. And come on, who doesn’t love a good bodega cat?

Next up the outside energy is just different. People in New York City and Tokyo both seem to always have a place to go. But that does not mean that they are not outside! People tend to clique up and show out with their friends. In Tokyo, you can go to Harajuku and catch some amazing street fits. Conversely, Walking the street of SoHo, you’ll find everyone trying to get on the next upload of watching New York.

Another thing that comes to mind is music played while partying.. The diversity in the music spun in NY nightlife not only caters to its local American crowd but also sources music from across the world. Now don’t sleep on Tokyo club music either, there is plenty of niche club that open up and have the most dedicated DJ’s spin some of their best crate dug songs.

Now to be honest I really can’t compare both these cities and say one is better than the other. There are way too many factors to consider and experiences that I haven’t been able to try that could enrich my opinion. I hope that one day you get to visit both cities and experience their magic for yourself.

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What is the best film camera to buy in 2022?

Is it a Contax? Is it a Leica? What film camera should you invest in?

Now you have seen a few Tik-Toks of cool party photos, a few streetwear look-books, and street photography Instagrams shot on a 35mm camera and now your rabbit hole search has made you want to elevate beyond a disposable camera. Now, where should you be looking?

There are a few things to consider when searching for a film camera

What is your budget?

What do you primarily want to shoot?

Will it be worth it to invest more money into it now?

Let’s start off by talking about your budget. Film cameras can cost you up into the $10,000+ range and all the way down to free 99. If you are just getting started I suggest you start off by looking into how you can get a film camera for free. Ask around your family, friends, and community and see if anyone is still holding on to a film camera. They might have given it to your cousin who just moved to bushwhack in hopes of becoming the next big thing. If you are unsuccessful with that then I recommend checking online resources such as eBay and community marketplaces.

Depending on what you want to shoot, the type of film camera body style you choose will be important. The main 3 body types are SLR (single lens reflex), range finders, and compact cameras with other specialty types also added to the mix. The easiest way to get into just shooting and easing your way into the intricacies of photography is to go for a compact camera. They slip into your pocket/bag, some have zoom lenses built-in, and are probably the cheapest cameras to find on the marketplace. Now the rangefinders are typically sought after by street/ documentary photographers and are not the easiest to use. Slr style bodies range in shape and size. Do your research and figure out which camera will suit what you want to ultimately shoot.

Now should you invest thousands into grailed cameras such as Leica, Contax, and Hasselblad?

It’s really up to you but I don’t think so. All of these cameras are old and will eventually break. If you just want something to bring around with you all the time you don’t really need to invest a stack to get the results you want. It would suck to spend all of that and have it brick on you mid-shoot right? (Okay I’m projecting)

The best camera you can buy is really whatever is just accessible to you. Don’t get caught up with gear and just have fun creating. You’ll know when it’s time to upgrade/ build your collection as you get deeper into the hobby. For right now just get your hands on a camera and shoot!

#landlinestudios #landlinezip #filmphotography #photographyculture #americanculture #japaneseculture #contaxt2 #leica #35mm #shootfilm

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How I (almost) became fluent in Japanese

Should you be able to watch a few videos and become instantly fluent in a language?

In my senior year of high school, I wanted to learn Japanese. Prior, I had consumed a variety of Japanese content such as Anime, Japanese music, movies, and youtube vlogs. It was time to break free from the subtitles and become fluent in the language. I first found a set of youtube videos from the Japan Society of New York called “Waku - Waku Japanese”. In the video lecture, the host had gone over basic skills such as counting, phrases to navigate the country, how to be polite, and more cultural notes that first-time speakers should learn. While these lessons were helpful from a cultural point of view, I was still not able to learn how to read and speak fluently.

When I went to university the following fall I had the opportunity to sign up for an introductory Japanese language class. The professor has said that by the end of the semester I should be able to write in Hiragana and Katana, read basic kanji and carry a conversation in Japanese. What I failed to realize is the time I needed to set aside for studying to achieve those results. I had hit a wall. How could I ever achieve my goals when I couldn’t even learn the basics? As I was failing the course I was told to visit my teacher assistant Moe’s office hours. Not only did Moe get me caught up, but she also introduced me to the community of TAs in the Japanese Library. After my tutoring, I would end up staying behind in the library chatting with the students and It was so dope hearing about their experiences, the international students' stories on adjusting to America, and everyone's hopes and dreams after college. I joined the Japanese club and met more people in the community, from the states and abroad who I end ended up becoming lifelong friends with. Finally, I found hope in learning the language.

Over the next few years, I had taken a few more courses, became integrated into the Japanese club, and even got to spend my first time traveling abroad in Tokyo. All throughout this time, the process of learning was not just me flipping through a textbook. I had been exposed to so much culture and learned from so many amazing people. There are things that you can't learn about in class like in-person formalities, slang that’s not only regional but based on the times, pop culture, and more.

Now what I'm trying to get at is, learning a language is not something that can happen overnight. It takes time, practice, and different levels of exposure. Even today, I am still not fluent and need to get back into the habit of studying, reading, and having conversations in Japanese.

Written by Jayquel Michael W. @jayquelmichael

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What is a mook?

The “mook”, “mookbook” or “e-mook” is what most Japanese publishers would call the perfect combination of a (m)agazine and a b(ook) typically produced for a luxury brand and packed together with a gift for its reader. You can find them in Japanese book stores like Kinokuniya or Tsutaya and convenience stores like 7-11, FamilyMart and Lawsons.

I first experienced a mook while walking into the basement level magazine section of Kinokuniya in Bryant Park. These chunky, plastic wrapped, ad heady books caught my eye amongst all the other reads in the aisle. Specifically it was the Bape mook that stood out the most. I was perplexed as to why they would give away a whole Bape bag typically priced at $200+ with the sale of just a $30 magazine. But maybe that was just it, The E-Mook could be a gateway for its reader to become one with the brands community at a lost cost of acquisition. While enjoying the sick freebie, the graphic catalog of that years Bape season left me in wanting to dig deeper into that section of magazine culture.

Despite the alluring gift that is packed with the mook, there is still a whole printed editorial product that it’s paired with that can’t be missed. The content in the magazines usually is related to fashion but range into the hobby or niche genres of magazine publication.

What truly makes the mook different from a magazine is that it is printed with a ISBN (International Standard Book Number) code which is different from the traditional system of magazine codes.

If you want to collect some cool brands product at a fraction of the cost or you want to impress your loved one with a great niche gift, check out your local Japanese book store’s magazine aisle and see what mooks that have to offer!

Written by Jayquel Michael W. @jayquelmichael

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A day to be thankful

I am thankful for my family, my Partner, my friends, and even you!

Today as many people in the western world, specifically in America celebrate Thanksgiving. A day that historically was created as a way to give thanks for the harvest of the past year. Painted as a perfect ceremonial dinner between the colonizers of America and the native tribes of people…yeah yeah y’all know that was wrong, that’s not what we are here to talk about. I am writing this to express my thanks not only for this year’s amazing progress but the progress of the people who came before me. Thank you to my ancestors who were resilient and survived after building America from their blood sweat and tears. Thank you to my ancestors who had their tribal lands stolen from them, and who had to shift their people and culture across an entire nation. Thank you to my family who put everything they had into coming to New York so that their future generations can succeed beyond the roadblocks that were set in front of them. Thank you to the educators and leaders in my community that let me know that it is possible to build your own path out of an environment that has been built to not let you win. Thank you to the friends who believe in my dreams and make sure that the torch stays lit. Thank you to the communities of people across the world that have let me become a part of their tribes. And yes thank you reader, for listening to my voice.

 Today is not the day to sit in envy for what you do not have. I hope that you can practice gratitude even for the lessons learned from your tribe, your tools, your place of rest, and not only the harvest. 

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays to you and yours! 
 
 Written by Jayquel Michael W. @jayquelmichael

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