Alibaba.com Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Alibaba.com is the name of the most famous Chinese search engine, that you can use for example to locate a camera dealer in China. On the Japanese side this could well translate to Akihabara, a name very often seen in technology oriented forums and synonym of electronic mecca. Actually it is a district of Tokyo organized around a train station where a large number of electronics retailers have concentrated to build the so called "Akihabara electric town".

As you can see on the photo, this activity had a certain impact on the general architectural style (or lack of) to encountered in this district, nothing is bright enough to stand out from the multitude and attract the potential buyer, who is often a foreigner. This does not mean Akihabara shopping is a bargain, as elsewhere in the world best prices are offered by internet stores and prices in Akihabara roughly equal European ones, what makes the difference there is that you can often find models that are not yet available in the rest of the world and stuff is available. If you're desperately waiting for your D200, 30D or 5D, there are piles of them waiting to be picked up in Akihabara. The only item possibly missing is the Nikkor 18-200 VR Zoom lens that is currently so difficult to get.

Looking at this shop collection along the street, you can also note the "Duty free" signs to attract foreigners, this does not mean much as VAT in Japan is a mere 5%, if you intend to buy several important items, it works better to choose a big retailer, buy the first item and get their customer card, which will get you a 15% value discount on your next item.

barrufeto_77, mdetay, ChrisJ, jrj, startacked, syd1946, fayeulle, Wirraway, nwoehnl, lukas, singuanti, bibiweb, capthaddock, MarekP, Aspirin has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

barrufeto_77 (25619) 2006-05-09 4:04

Hi Jean.

The most I like of your picture is the great number of different colours and definition.

The man is also a good point.

Regards, Oscar

ChrisJ (69618) 2006-05-09 4:40

Bonsoir Jean Yves

Fantastic color, lighting, pov, & sharpness. I like the diagonal axis, & repetition of the highrise buildings. Grand travail!

athos99 (6894) 2006-05-09 4:50

Salut Jean-Yves
ça devait être tentant de voire toutes ses boutiques avec tous ce matériel photo.
Une photo intéressante, car je ne connais pas du tout ce pays et je vois que la pub sur les immeubles n'est pas discrète.

mdetay (4265) 2006-05-09 4:52

Salut terreur du pixel,
Belle prise de vue de l'enfer de l'achat. C'est rassurant de voir que le ciel aussi est occupé de prédateurs d'une autre nature (plus naturelle). Dis moi pendant que tu es au coeur du coeur, on dit que Nikon fabrique du matériel de premier choix pour son marché local, un second choix pour le marché de Hong Kong, USA, Europe, et un troisième choix pour les pays en voie de développement. est-ce vrai ou n'est ce qu'une rumeur ?
Bien amicalement.
Michel

jrj (34779) 2006-05-09 4:55

Absolute interesting and well made compo of this area with the very colourful setting. Good work jy and a good choice of pov for this presentation

syd1946 (17825) 2006-05-09 5:42

Hi Jean,
Excellent full of vivid and different colors.
And the composition you made is perfect.The
perspective is great and the wallking man is
a nice bonus for the scene.Splendid work!

All the best

Thomas

fayeulle (26541) 2006-05-09 5:45

Salut Jean-Yves
Bravo pour cette photo très dynamique et colorée. Je pense que Canon et Nikon organisent la rareté avec certains produits. Reste à savoir si l'acheteur à la possibilité de lutter contre ce genre de dérive.
Cordialement
JP

vincent24 (9038) 2006-05-09 6:38

Salut JY,
Le quartier est en sommes le paradis du photographe(ou l'enfer si on a pas le compte en banque bien approvisionné)
5%de tva seulement ça fait deja une belle remise!
Les couleurs sont super flashy s'y vont pas avec le dos de la cueilliere pour attirer le regard!
Je remarque la presence d'un de ses taxi a la Starsky et Hutch..
Tu n'as ramené que le 24mm?
bonne journée,
vincent

Wirraway (1985) 2006-05-09 7:01

Well seen composition here Jean, color and the wide angle lens bring the image good atmosphere, great informative note, excellent.

Regards Ian
Nth Queensland

nwoehnl (118) 2006-05-09 7:16

Salut JY. A comprehensive presentation of this typical main road in Akihabara, with a good disposition of light and many details. The informative notes are also a strong asset of this publication. That said, if I may be a bit critical on this photo, it falls flat for me compositionally speaking - pointing a wide-angle lens at a scenery does not always yield the highest artistic value, and apart from the maze of colorful buildings and a slightly darkish person crossing the street I am missing something extra that captures my interest as a viewer, or makes me go "wow, great". The photo is technically competently handled and everything, but as we both know that is not difficult to accomplish with the equipment that we are carrying. Hope you don't mind.

georgemoeciu (1148) 2006-05-09 10:33

good photo a little more contrast
regards
george

faubry (32197) 2006-05-09 13:37

hello JY, de très belles couleurs ici sur les différents niveaux des immeubles, bien pensée cette photo,
alors du choix en matériel photographique à ce que je vois!
à bientôt
francine

lukas (2027) 2006-05-09 15:01

Bonjour Jean Yves
Belles couleurs, vue spectaculaire!
Merci pour la note et le partage.
Mes félicitations! J'ai admiré votre collection fantastique!
Regards.
Luc

hdl (6735) 2006-05-09 15:37

Salut Jean-Yves. C'est assez impressionant, tous ces constructions modernes et tout ces couleurs. Bon pdv et couleurs bien saturés. Mais qu'est-ce que ce type fait au milieu de la rue? Merci pour la note très explicative et intéressante (on sait jamais...). A+

singuanti (15240) 2006-05-09 22:05

Hi Jean-Yves. You sure have good clarity in this one. The colorful buildings are nice additions but my favorite would have to be the road and person. Nice catch Jean-Yves.

bibiweb (8) 2006-05-10 0:39

Salut Jean-Yves,
Pas facile d'écrire des commentaires ce matin avec quelqu'un qui me harcèle sur le forum sans arrêt! ;o)
Le moins que l'on puisse dire c'est qu'ils ont des magasins flashy là bas. C'est donc là le paradis des photographes au portefeuille bien garni. Mais comment as tu fait pour ne pas craquer pour plein de matos?
Ce que je trouve marrant sur cette image c'est toutes les voitures en face et l'autre côté de la route qui est déserte avec ce type qui traverse tout seul.
@+
Bibi

capthaddock (28640) 2006-05-10 12:50

Hello JY- great shopping advice, and colourful if aesthetically challenged building façades. And the jaywalking man is interesting, I thought the japanese would be too strictly rule abiding not to use a proper crosswalk, maybe he's a chinese tourist. But in that case there would be a group of at least 25 people pushing and shoving around him.

zeca (20026) 2006-05-11 0:04

Maybe a commom view to the people from Asia, but very nice to see for us far from there. It´s TE, presenting Tokio streets in it's best colours and details! TFS!
Zeca

MarekP (4744) 2006-05-14 3:27

Bonjour Jean-Yves,
Well, not many dogs or dragons are here. This is not Japan of temples, cherry trees and red gates. But it is useful to know that this is Japan as well.

Thanks,
Marek

sergio1 (12150) 2006-07-02 17:28

Hi Jenan
Magnific urban shot. I love this pictures. The compo and pov are very nice. And great perspective. I like the details to the multiple signs.
Thanks for share
Sergio