Sasageru (Japanese): to lift up, to give, to offer, to consecrate

I can't read a lick of Japanese, and despite having Japanese friends,
and family, I've never been to Japan myself. Ok, I was at Narita airport
a couple of times, but that barely counts. And no, I'm not Japanese.
Yet, some of my greatest inspirations in photography have come from those thick,
and expensive Japanese photography magazines (Asahi Camera, CAPA, Nippon Camera, Etc).
Believe it or not, I've never actually bought one. I can't justify buying
a magazine I can't read. I receive them once in a while as gifts from
friends, and always look them over in Japanese bookstores, and have
done so for years.

The photography is always wonderful, and inspiring. Not just the masterworks, but
the images of everyday life. Images that many Westerners would not glance twice at.
Those are the images that most appeal to me, and I have a profound respect for the
quality, and diversity of the images published in these magazines. In many ways,"FLICKR"
has become like this, and I believe, a big reason why it has become such a phenomenon.

This is my humble tribute to the great Japanese magazines, and the photographers who
make them great.

Special Note:: I would like to dedicate this gallery to a truly gifted artist, and a true
friend. A man who shares his unique visions of the world with all of us, through great images
and words. A man who can rock 'n roll with so much soul, and a heart of gold.
A class act, so serene, but never mean. He can do more with his Canon Prima
than I could do with my Canon "L" prime.

He's a man who was hip before his time. From OZ to Kobe, and back again, I dedicate this to my great friend...James L. Clarke.