Comments on: Fistfuls of Blossoms in Urban Kyoto

By: Andrew Shieh, Sunnyvale

Andrew Shieh, Sunnyvale — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:35:32 +0000

The first photo is terrific. Don’t apologize for focus! For photos that are that good, focus is irrelevant.

By: Richard Ranft

Richard Ranft — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:13:50 +0000

I’ve always found that my most incredible photos were completely unplanned and that if they came out “right” it was completely accidental. To me, that’s what makes them incredible….

Just a point of curiosity – my daughters are half-Korean and we live in the States. I moved here from Seoul when my oldest was very young because I noticed other mixed heritage children were having social problems that I thought were inordinately severe. Discriminatory behavior is not curbed by the adults and in some cases is apparently encouraged. Your boy seems to be having a good time, but has he ever reported this sort of problem to you? It’s bad enough here in the U.S. without the problems that are apparently caused by having such a homogenous population base.

No problems that I know of. Maybe Kyoto is enlightened, or maybe it’s just a more modern era. We often don’t get a second glance. Of course, the real test will be once the kids start to reach the age of cruelty (from young adolescent to about 99). People can be horrible. We’ll see. —Jeffrey

By: Earnest Barr

Earnest Barr — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 06:27:17 +0000

Photo #6 is my absolute favorite and I particularly like the pizza shop shots. Very well done.

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 23:15:02 +0000

I thought I should finally mention to you how much I appreciate your online exif tool. I use it regularly. I should have said thank-you for making it available long ago.

Take care.
Doug

By: Marcina, USA

Marcina, USA — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:38:36 +0000

My favorite of these shots was “Kid at Heart”. It’s not a photo I’d set as wallpaper, but I like EVERYTHING about the story and the sentiment it portrays.

By: Lin, Southern California

Lin, Southern California — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 03:29:54 +0000

Was just wondering, what eventually happens to all those petals that fall on the streets and sidewalks? Does someone come and sweep them away at some point? I can’t imagine decaying petals on Japan’s immaculate streets.

Immaculate streets? In Japan? Your imagination is working just fine! —Jeffrey

By: Zak

Zak — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 03:29:19 +0000

The song they requested (and the song I played later at the gallery) is Kojo no tsuki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kojo_no_tsuki

A very, very popular Japanese song they all learn in elementary school, and which is appropriate for the season.

By: Ludger

Ludger — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 23:20:33 +0000

Pizza in Japan, very funny! I'm a German who lives in Italy, here is Pizza everywhere. But in my neares neighborhood there are also 3 or 4 Sushi Bars, only the cooks they all are Japanese. And the Pizzaioli (who are baking the Pizza) all are Italians. Japan seems to be more international... Pizza is big in Japan... they've taken it to quite their own level. See here and here for opposite ends of the spectrum. —Jeffrey

By: Drew

Drew — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:18:50 +0000

These shots are all so great! I miss the cherry blossoms over there! I also need to get me an 85mm, love the results! Oh and thanks for the exif button for the toolbar, that’s a genius tool.

Thanks for the kind words, but I had a hard time keeping things in focus today. Most of these shots are out of focus… but I include them because I don’t have a photo blog (I have a “Jeffrey blog” that includes photos of whatever story I’m wanting to tell). I’ve been planning on getting the Zeiss 100 f/2 that should be out Any Day Now, after having borrowed the previous generation from Zak, but thought that perhaps I should get the Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 instead, to replace my Nikon 85mm f/1.4 (to get the better manual-focus interface), but in discussing this with Zak, he suggested that the 100mm is the prince of Zeiss’ line, and that the 85mm’s IQ is not as good as Nikon’s. Sigh. Must look into it. —Jeffrey