Published in 2011 Metropolis Japan Calendar

I became more serious about photography in August 2008.  I already had plans to leave Japan in February 2009.  In that six month period I had a goal of getting a photograph published in the "Photo of the Week" section of Metropolis, the #1 English magazine in Japan.  To my great surprise I reached that goal on October the 24th.  Though no money was involved, for a few minutes it felt like I had won the lottery.  

Then almost two years out of Japan, Metropolis contacted me for permission to have one of my photographs considered for their 2011 calendar.  I had originally submitted it in January 2009.  I said, "sure."  I was then told it was selected for the month of January and the copies they mailed to me across the sea arrived this afternoon.  I was also happy to find out I was sharing space with two other old Japan photographer friends, Vladimir and Alfie.  I was with Vladimir when I made the above photograph, and really only went out shooting that day because of his invitation.  So I guess I have him to thank most!  The photograph is in fact, one of my own top five all-time personal favorites, and a shot I am rather proud of.

Getting a photograph published in Metropolis I feel is still a sort of right of passage for a photographer in Japan, and perhaps Tokyo especially.  It results in a sort of Who's Who of photographers.  A small, but nice honor.

This got me to thinking this afternoon about where my photographer career would be if I had stayed in Japan.  Alfie is a true professional photographer with many connections and he was starting to appreciate my work.  Could I have gone on to be more of a photojournalist like he is?  Would I still have pursued lifestyle photography in Tokyo as well?  I can imagine wedding shots with Mt. Fuji as the background, or family portraits taken under the cherry blossom trees in full bloom.  Who knows . . .

Jason Collin Photography in print for November 2009

This month my photography work has been mentioned in print in Creative Loafing and used on a client's business website.  No matter how many times it happens, it's still a nice feeling to see your name in print and especially your images in public use.

My haikyo photography exhibition mentioned in Creative Loafing.

The image I was hired to make is of the building's facade. The model I believe is from a stock image.

Photo published in an AEON ESL textbook

A while back, a long while back, a representative from AEON sent me e-mail asking to use one of my photos in a yet to be published ESL textbook.  They had discovered my photo on flickr.  Of course no financial compensation for using the photo, but they did say I would get full credit.  So I said ok, go ahead and use it.  I requested a copy of the textbook once it was printed.  They said sure.

Well, since that time I had moved from Tokyo to Florida.  And in Florida I moved to a different address than I had originally given them.  In light of all that I was pleased to surprisingly received the finished ESL textbook in the mail!  My photo did not exactly get a full page spread, but it is one of only like five photos in the entire textbook and they gave not just a name credit, but my entire photography website URL (on the book's back page).  This is my second photograph to have published in print.  

This is the original photograph.