My Amazing Mother of 84!

My 84-year-old mom is amazing. My father's death last year taught me that my parents are amazing. I'd never felt that way. I learned that I, as an individual, am made up of more of them than I had thought.

These two photos are among the very first few dozen I took during a trial run with a used Lumix DC-G9 camera I had just acquired in Japan. As my mother relaxed after dinner, she not only sensed my excitement about the camera I just got, but also she radiated a pure joy of our reunion after a year without my father. Even though I had no idea how this new camera would work, her pure emotion was palpable. Her joy and my joy to press the shutter of a new camera.

私の母はすごい。昨年の父の死は、両親共にすごかったのだと教えてくれた。私が思っていた以上に、私という個人はこの両親からできあがっていると学んだ。

この２枚は、一時帰国した日本で買ったばかりの、中古のLumix DC-G9カメラの試し撮りでの本当に最初の数十枚のうち。夕食後リラックスしている母からは、買ったばかりのカメラに対する私の興奮を感じているだけでなく、１年を経ての再会の喜びが純粋に感じられる。訳もわからずシャッターを押しているだけなのに、純粋な感情が伝わってくる。母の喜びと新しいカメラのシャッターを初めて押す私の喜びと。

My father's last material gift to me was this camera lens, my first semi-pro equipment (Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0.) I bought it at Kitamura Camera in Tokyo. Immediately, I hit the Shinjyuku street with the lens. Since then, the lens became my main and only lens to carry around. 

However, I became dissatisfied with my beloved Olympus E-M10II. It might’ve been one of the reasons why my street pictures started to be chosen as honorable mentions with several competitions. I became good enough to recognize the difference between entry and Semi-pro level camera equipment, at least.

A very nice Kitamura sales clerk highly appreciated my lens and recommended the latest upgrade going perfectly well with the lens. I seriously considered buying it, especially because of cheap yen. 

But, I ended up buying an excellent condition used model (￥80,000 )  from Kitamura website, instead of the new and the latest model (￥230,000). This Leica lens finally got a good partner.

父からの最後の物質的な贈り物は、このレンズだ。初めてのセミプロ級モデル（Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0）。新宿のきたむらで購入・装着して、すぐにストリート写真を撮り始めた。新しいレンズは、持ち歩くメインで唯一のレンズとなった。

やがて、長年愛用してきたOlympus EM10IIに対する不満が出てきた。いくつかのコンテストで選外佳作に立て続けに選ばれたことも、その理由かもしれない。入門とセミプロ級の違いが分かるほどには上達したというか。きたむらの店員さんは、とてもいいレンズだから、このレンズに合う機種ならと最新型を勧めてくれた。とてもいい店員さんで、心が動いたが、新品２３万円の代わりに型落ち超良品をきたむらのネットで８万円ほど購入。ライカのレンズはやっと相棒を手に入れた。

We went to an established Unagi(eel) restaurant to celebrate her 84 year old birthday on March 14. Last year, she was not in the mood to celebrate. This Year, she was looking at her own picture in the restaurant.

３月１４日の母の誕生日を老舗の鰻屋で祝った後、その写真を見る母。去年は誕生日を祝う感じではなかった。