Why I've Avoided Fan Meetups Until Now + Q&A with Ryotaro | Patreon Vlog

Two questions for you, Chris! May I adapt one of your night photos in watercolor (with credit to you of course), and may I draw your picture? Which photo of yourself is your favorite?

Vanessa Walsh

Q&A for Risottoro. My wife wants to know what part of Australia he lived in and what does his Aussie accent sound like? Note ... we will rate his accent! :D

Question for the Q&A - I'll be heading to Japan hopefully next summer with my best friend, who actually just got back from his solo Japan trip. I'm nervous about not having a car; would it be worth it to apply for an international drivers license? Or is Japan's transit system enough on its own, and should I take my time to enjoy its intricacies?

Good jumper

Just watched the last Patreon Live. Pls disregard question, I'm fucked.

Hey Chris, I have a question for the next vlog (or whatever if it fits with any of your other content). So I fucked up and bought flights to Japan without doing my research properly - I'm travelling during golden week. :| Is it as bad as the internet is telling me? Do you have trouble getting around and doing stuff during golden week or do you just shut yourself inside for the whole week? If you have any tips please let me know! Cheers, Kiki

It says on the Instagram account that he's using his iPhone XS and editing in Snapseed.

Eels

The less attention that guy gets, the better.

Harry Bonyari

I finally managed to watch the video about improving smart phone pics and HOLY CRAP. I have a huge saltwater reef tank, but haven’t bothered much w Instagram until recently. I could NOT figure out how ppl got better pics than I did, when I asked, it was “la dee da, I just use my phone”. Now I think they’re all using Snapseed and smirking while they typed! Thx so much Chris, I actually considered getting a DSLR setup, but we pour so much money into the tank it actually has a (cheap) engraved plate on front proclaiming ‘The Money Pit’. I just couldn’t justify DSLR $ when I would much rather use it on the tank (and all the machinery underneath). This will seriously up my IG game!

On the subject of unwanted meet-ups, I was wondering whether you were going to make any comment on the Hiding in My Room video...

Completely understand your aversion to fan meet-ups after the horror of the previous Gladiator-style experiences! Reminds me of when I used to work at Google for a program called Local Guides and we did an event in 2013 in partnership with Hannah Hart. It was only around 75 people, and attendees entered a contest to enjoy tacos with Hannah at a restaurant in San Francisco. One of the first things she told me that floored me completely was that no one could advertise where she was or tag her in photos until after the event because in the past, people have swarmed her outside because they knew she was in a particular location. Has this ever happened to you? Sounded terrifying. It was the first moment that I realized that being a YouTube star = true celebrity status with all the fan madness that comes along with it.

Shannon Sweetser

Love this Patreon vlog! Strongly agree evry1 should have *hobby*. I hv large saltwater tank, I’m in medicine, I love watching the beauty and also not worrying too much if they die! (savage garden)

Hey Chris, Regarding meetups - sent you a DM here in patreon :) For the next QA, here's one - What gear are you using to take those fantastic night shots? How are you editing them if at all? I love the blade runner style shots you're getting. Planning on doing some photography on our upcoming trip - actually picking up some gear from BIC Camera when we land in Japan in a couple of days :)

Would love to see more meet-ups (end of June, hint hint) and echoing a previous poster: if there is other presenters/hosts then I guess it would be less of an intimidating scramble to have a chat/photo with you etc. My question to you, having contacted you via other social channels to no avail, how would you feel about someone producing merch inspired by ‘Abroad in Japan’? I’ve come up with something for a t-shirt which I’d love to share with you (and I realise you probably think I’m insane) but I just thought it would be respectful to ask :)

Did you celebrate Pancake Day?

The Ryotaro Q&A was brief but hilarious! And I'd love to attend a meet-up; please time it to fit my travel schedule around Tokyo, Sendai etc. in August ;). Seriously though, I think meet-ups might be the most fun if it's not just you vs a large audience, but if the audience also have other interesting people to talk to - e.g. Natsuki, Ryotaro, Sharla etc., or indeed other members of the audience!

Nynke de Haas

I'm looking forward to those next few Cycle videos, especially the Hiroshima video. We've already put the pizza vending machine on our itinerary for our next visit! Maybe if we're lucky, our trip's timing will line up with another meetup! That would be something. :)

Argus9 (Jonathan)