On all my Hokkaido photo tour itineraries, I include minimalist landscape photography, but snow alone does not meet every necessary requirement, the light also has to be just right.  Along with minimalist photography, I encourage the participants to give thought to the Zen mindset.  Too often, I see photographers focusing on one or possibly, two themes.  As a visual arts teacher, I feel this is a catastrophic mistake. As the Zen master, D.T. Suzuki said, “I like Zen because everything is Zen.” My vision, is to explore and always experience life with a beginner’s mindset.  A beginner sees myriad possibilities in each theme, scene and pursuit, which is the mindset I bring to each visual arts project I participate in.  Many colleagues and fellow photographers feverishly hold onto their pride.  They feel that because they are experts, they know the best expression of a theme and therefore limit the potential of the photographic subject.  While teaching minimalism photography or any photographic theme, my goal is to discover the emotion, personality, and connection expressed in the scenery/visual frame for myself and broaden my workshop participant’s artistic flair and expressions so they can return home, to print, and hang those once in a lifetime shots, and always remember their photography workshop expedition in Japan with pleasantries.  I photograph at countless locations throughout Japan, and across Hokkaido way-way off the beaten path all year round, without having to worry about being elbow to elbow with an army of tourists, taking snapshots and milling about walking in front of our tripods as we are filming our scene.  The endless untouched Hokkaido landscapes are a product of my experience in the region.  I am a Hokkaido and Japan local, and I have scouted and photographed countless regions, and every photographer who travels with me will tell you, they did not encounter other Westerners for over 80% of their adventure with me, and that they have experienced authentic Japan.