Comments on: Cherry Blossoms in the Rain at the Heian Shrine, Part 2 http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194 Not a photo blog. A personal blog with photos. Wed, 23 May 2012 12:55:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: nils http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35110 nils Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:58:17 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35110 is there a synonym for “scum” with a pleasant nuance? How about "Yuba?" It's delicious Kyoto scum. is there a synonym for “scum” with a pleasant nuance?
How about “Yuba?” It’s delicious Kyoto scum.

]]> By: Anna Myerscough http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35107 Anna Myerscough Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:10:26 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35107 Hello, I visit your website more or less regularly for the photos and "slice of life in Japan" stories -- very enjoyable, the lot. I had visited Japan as a child a couple of times and hope to go back again soon, and have been taking notes of places to go from your blog and others'. I like your eye for aesthetics and have downloaded several wallpapers, thank you! Anna M. in Michigan Hello, I visit your website more or less regularly for the photos and “slice of life in Japan” stories — very enjoyable, the lot. I had visited Japan as a child a couple of times and hope to go back again soon, and have been taking notes of places to go from your blog and others’.

I like your eye for aesthetics and have downloaded several wallpapers, thank you!

Anna M. in Michigan

]]> By: Jon http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35106 Jon Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:29:23 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35106 "Artsy Fartsy"... signature Friedl style :) You certainly don't try to be pretentious about "High Art" with your photos / writing about your photos. However I think you might be undervaluing your talent labeling it this way! It's clear you do have ability to create art, just "art" not "artsy fartsy stuff" but it seems like you are also quick to dismiss it as if it were arts and crafts rather than "Art" with a capital A... am I making sense? Probably not. You have always come across as a very technical person which I guess makes sense given a programmer background. :) I guess I'm just saying you aren't one to go into flowery words when it comes to the visual / emotional meaning of the photos- preferring instead to say "here it is, and I tried some silly stuff" <div class='jfriedl'><p>I don't think it's <i>silly</i> (although I do try a lot of silly stuff, and even post some of the results), but I want to draw a distinction between something that is "my style" (which is whatever I do naturally, without thinking about it too much), and something that I'm trying or utilizing in a specific situation.</p><p>I post a lot of crappy photos on my blog because they participate in whatever story I'm telling that day, but sometimes I just want to post a pretty picture because I think it's pretty, but when I affect an artificial look as strongly as I did in some of those on this post, I want to leave the reader plenty of room to feel "geez, that's crap" if they want. Calling them "Artsy Fartsy" validates the viewer's feelings whether they feel it's Artsy or Fartsy, so in sense I'm saying "yeah, it's a <i>look</i>, and I like it here, but I don't fault you for not liking it". </p><p>Along opposite lines, I don't label pictures of my kid that way, implying to the reader what I, the writer, actually feel: <i>you'd better agree that this is the most cute and adorable child, ever, <b>or else!</b></i> :-) —</p><p>(By the way, Jon, you've got the new house, new theater, new game console.... new family member in the cards for you two?)</p><p>— Jeffrey</p></span> “Artsy Fartsy”… signature Friedl style :) You certainly don’t try to be pretentious about “High Art” with your photos / writing about your photos. However I think you might be undervaluing your talent labeling it this way! It’s clear you do have ability to create art, just “art” not “artsy fartsy stuff” but it seems like you are also quick to dismiss it as if it were arts and crafts rather than “Art” with a capital A… am I making sense? Probably not. You have always come across as a very technical person which I guess makes sense given a programmer background. :) I guess I’m just saying you aren’t one to go into flowery words when it comes to the visual / emotional meaning of the photos- preferring instead to say “here it is, and I tried some silly stuff”

I don’t think it’s silly (although I do try a lot of silly stuff, and even post some of the results), but I want to draw a distinction between something that is “my style” (which is whatever I do naturally, without thinking about it too much), and something that I’m trying or utilizing in a specific situation.

I post a lot of crappy photos on my blog because they participate in whatever story I’m telling that day, but sometimes I just want to post a pretty picture because I think it’s pretty, but when I affect an artificial look as strongly as I did in some of those on this post, I want to leave the reader plenty of room to feel “geez, that’s crap” if they want. Calling them “Artsy Fartsy” validates the viewer’s feelings whether they feel it’s Artsy or Fartsy, so in sense I’m saying “yeah, it’s a look, and I like it here, but I don’t fault you for not liking it”.

Along opposite lines, I don’t label pictures of my kid that way, implying to the reader what I, the writer, actually feel: you’d better agree that this is the most cute and adorable child, ever, or else! :-) —

(By the way, Jon, you’ve got the new house, new theater, new game console…. new family member in the cards for you two?)

— Jeffrey

]]> By: ed http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35104 ed Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:12:54 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35104 Might I recommend a recently introduced lens I recently bought; the tiny Cosina Voigtländer SL II 20mm f/3.5. Little distortion and sharp into the corners, though it overexposes by EV +2/3 routinely. Goes for about ¥55,000. I, and others, have posted a host of images on: www.flickr.com/groups/cv20/ Given your subject matter, the 20mm would really add a significant tool to your kit. Might I recommend a recently introduced lens I recently bought; the tiny Cosina Voigtländer SL II 20mm f/3.5. Little distortion and sharp into the corners, though it overexposes by EV +2/3 routinely. Goes for about ¥55,000.
I, and others, have posted a host of images on: http://www.flickr.com/groups/cv20/
Given your subject matter, the 20mm would really add a significant tool to your kit.

]]> By: Karen from Florida http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35103 Karen from Florida Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:49:33 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35103 My favorites are # 1 and # 4. I personally like the use of negative clarity in these photos. I just can't get over the beauty of the cherry blossoms and the dainty red Japanese maple. You've captured the essence of the season well. My favorites are # 1 and # 4. I personally like the use of negative clarity in these photos. I just can’t get over the beauty of the cherry blossoms and the dainty red Japanese maple. You’ve captured the essence of the season well.

]]> By: ed http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35100 ed Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:13:27 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35100 Your cherry blossom photos brings back fond memories of my trip to Kyoto in March '07. I notice that you primarily use the 24-70 & 70-200 on the D700. Lots of chatter about the 70-200 not having sufficient field coverage for an FX camera. Do you shoot with any fixed focal length lenses? <span class='jfriedl'>I have a Nikkor 85/1.4 and a Sigma 30/1.4 (that latter being a DX lens). I generally prefer the zooms for their flexibility, 'cause I'm not that good of a photographer yet. I sometimes borrow a friend's 50/1.2, and shot "<a href='http://regex.info/blog/2008-09-15/935' class='quiet' rel="nofollow">Impossible Photography: No Light, No Tripod, No Hope. D700 and a 50mm f/1.2</a>" with it. The 70-200 is fine if you get the exposure correct, but if you want to lower the exposure in post, the vignetting will make itself apparent quickly. —Jeffrey</span> Your cherry blossom photos brings back fond memories of my trip to Kyoto in March ’07. I notice that you primarily use the 24-70 & 70-200 on the D700. Lots of chatter about the 70-200 not having sufficient field coverage for an FX camera. Do you shoot with any fixed focal length lenses?

I have a Nikkor 85/1.4 and a Sigma 30/1.4 (that latter being a DX lens). I generally prefer the zooms for their flexibility, ’cause I’m not that good of a photographer yet. I sometimes borrow a friend’s 50/1.2, and shot “Impossible Photography: No Light, No Tripod, No Hope. D700 and a 50mm f/1.2” with it. The 70-200 is fine if you get the exposure correct, but if you want to lower the exposure in post, the vignetting will make itself apparent quickly. —Jeffrey

]]> By: Jeffrey Friedl http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35098 Jeffrey Friedl Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:05:00 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35098 Okay, I asked Fumie about the papers. They're called <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikuji' rel="nofollow">omikuji</a>, and they're sort of like a fortune. You pay some donation (a few bucks) and get a paper with either a good prediction or bad prediction about your future. If it's good, you take it with you, but if it's bad, you tie it to the string (to leave your bad fortune behind, I guess). Okay, I asked Fumie about the papers. They’re called omikuji, and they’re sort of like a fortune. You pay some donation (a few bucks) and get a paper with either a good prediction or bad prediction about your future. If it’s good, you take it with you, but if it’s bad, you tie it to the string (to leave your bad fortune behind, I guess).

]]> By: Marcina, USA http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35096 Marcina, USA Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:17:38 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35096 I liked the first photo. But of all the photos in this post, though, the one you DIDN'T futz around with is the one I wanted to see with negative clarity applied. I downloaded “Cherry-Blossom Petal Pond Scum” and applied maximum negative clarity myself - and that REALY looked like an impressionist painting. A lot of artists at the time had a thing about umbrellas and rivers. Even raincoats on the people walking look at bit like 19th century dresses when you blur them a bit. I liked the first photo. But of all the photos in this post, though, the one you DIDN’T futz around with is the one I wanted to see with negative clarity applied. I downloaded “Cherry-Blossom Petal Pond Scum” and applied maximum negative clarity myself – and that REALY looked like an impressionist painting. A lot of artists at the time had a thing about umbrellas and rivers. Even raincoats on the people walking look at bit like 19th century dresses when you blur them a bit.

]]> By: Ron Evans http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35095 Ron Evans Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:04:33 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35095 Hi Jeffrey, Pink trees is nice. I'd love to see a screensaver size of that one. Also AF4 is great too. Something fascinating about visiting the temples/shrines is the remarkable similarity (from a ritualistic perspective) between Catholic churches and Japanese temples and shrines. They both have statues that people will pray in front of. They both have special water for cleansing. Candles / Incensce / Prayer Notes that you can leave. Little boxes for monetary offerings Places to kneel Tributes to donors. A sense of stillness in the midst of a rushing society I don't know much about history but I wonder if either group was influenced by the other. Hi Jeffrey,

Pink trees is nice. I’d love to see a screensaver size of that one. Also AF4 is great too.

Something fascinating about visiting the temples/shrines is the remarkable similarity (from a ritualistic perspective) between Catholic churches and Japanese temples and shrines.

They both have statues that people will pray in front of.
They both have special water for cleansing.
Candles / Incensce / Prayer Notes that you can leave.
Little boxes for monetary offerings
Places to kneel
Tributes to donors.
A sense of stillness in the midst of a rushing society

I don’t know much about history but I wonder if either group was influenced by the other.

]]> By: Brian http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35094 Brian Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:51:20 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2009-04-21/1194#comment-35094 #4 is a winner #4 is a winner

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