Steve is an artist, musician, comedian, collector of objects and general eccentric I've crossed paths with for about a decade now. He used to live across the street from my condo here in Japan, but has since moved to a neighboring town, so we don't hang much lately. Last Friday, we decided to meet in downtown Nagoya for a "hisashiburi" (first time in awhile) hang, and I brought along my camera. I've been wanting to do more "day in the life" type portrait sessions, and I figured Steve was a good person to start with. We'd planned to meet at the Aichi Arts Center in Sakae, which is a bustling area in downtown Nagoya, Japan. I arrived early and was waiting atop the suspended pool over Oasis 21, across the lawn from the Arts center, when I got the message he'd arrived. I saw him walking towards the Arts center and snapped a wide, establishing shot to take in the scene. The lady in the foreground was playing a harp.
The Aichi Arts Center is a beautiful open space, with great acoustics so, once inside, Steve immediately started making auditory clicks and whoops to listen to the reverberations. Then, he decided to add some rhythm by tapping on the great, white columns inside the main room, to see what sounds he could produce.
Worried a security guard might come, I steered him towards a bench to get a couple portraits. As with professional models I've worked with in the past, Steve required little instruction beyond telling him where to go. Unlike professional models I've worked with in the past, Steve's poses were a bit less orthodox.
After awhile, it was time to escape security and go find a convenience store for another beer. Drinks in hand, we were walking the streets of Sakae when we spied the HORSE MEAT sign, glowing in beautiful red neon. That called for more photos. Steve was drinking a Level 9 "beer-like" beverage with 9% alcohol. He had already had a couple and was approaching level 9, at which point taste is irrelevant.
Next stop was the Nagoya City Art Museum in Fushimi. Steve slipped in through a basement door to check out the installations. I stayed outside and watched him enter the portal to another world.
In the park area next to the art museum we rested next to a fountain. I'd brought along my tripod, so decided to put it to use by getting a slow shutter speed portrait of Steve in front of the fountain. I told him not to move, but...
Finally, as we were wrapping up the evening and contemplating the whereabouts of the nearest subway station, we saw a billboard that said Buffalo, which is Steve's hometown in New York. So, of course we had to get in a couple shots from a bus parking lot, before another security guard shuffled us along. We explained to the guard that Steve is from Buffalo, and he said, "In Texas?" We said, "No, in New York," and he laughed. "Oh, New York!"
And, there you have it, an evening with Steve. Looking for more "day in the life" type portrait ideas if you, or someone you know is interested. To get a glimpse into how Steve's mind works, check out his Instagram feed: https://www.instagram.com/stivtpek/