Photo Shoot Among the Fall Colors at Shouzan in Kyoto
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Final Touches photo shoot, gardens of the Shouzan Resort, Kyoto -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm — 1/2000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Final Touches
photo shoot, gardens of the Shouzan Resort, Kyoto

I visited the gardens at the Shouzan Resort in north-west Kyoto the other day, and was blown away by the beauty of the fall colors. Unlike all the other places I've blogged about recently, it's not a temple or shrine... just a very well done private garden at a large restaurant/wedding/getaway complex (they use the word “resort”, but that feels too extravagant a word for the non-garden parts, and not extravagant enough for the garden at this time of year).

As has been the case for the last few weeks, I don't have the energy for a proper writeup yet, but these photos of a photo shoot we came across may give you a sense of the place.

Photo Shoot -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 800 — map & image datanearby photos
Photo Shoot
Model #1 -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/4, ISO 360 — map & image datanearby photos
Model #1

The shoot was for the catalog of a local kimono company, and the parts I saw involved two models doing shoots at several locations around the gardens.

Adding a Robe -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/4, ISO 800 — map & image datanearby photos
Adding a Robe
Production -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 — map & image datanearby photos
Production
“Action!” or something like that -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1/800 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
“Action!”
or something like that

I chatted with the photographer a bit during a down moment, and having noticed that he wasn't using a polarizing filter, suggested that in this particular setting it would make a huge difference for the better. (When shooting foliage, the effects of a polarizing filter can be downright jaw-dropping amazing.)

Surprisingly, he had no idea what I was talking about, even when I had him look through my camera, it appears that he didn't even know of the concept until I spelled it out and he could finally see the effect for himself. He had to agree that it was pretty amazing, but nevertheless declined my offer to loan him one. (Probably a smart idea not to try a new horse midstream, so to speak.)

The weather was dynamic, with bright sunshine punctuated with periods of heavy cloud. Either situation could make for wonderful shots, especially since they had reflectors and shades and such to wrangle the light, but I found the rapid changes a bit disconcerting. It made the white balance change with each passing minute; my WhiBal got a workout.

Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/4, ISO 1400 — map & image datanearby photos

I actually don't care for this kind of ultra-dolled-up kimono, seen with brides and maiko/gekio/geisha. Just doesn't do a thing for me, though I do very much like seeing a “normal”, more refined day-to-day kimono, such as this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and probably a hundred others I've posted but can't recall at the moment. And of course, it's hard to resist the cuteness of kids in kimono (here, here, and here).

But for me, it's hard to resist the hubbub of a photo shoot, so when our paths crossed in the gardens, I'd watch and take some shots myself. (I didn't need their permission, but asked for it as a courtesy, and received it with a smile.)

Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/4, ISO 560 — map & image datanearby photos
This Model is Now Done for the Day ( do you like the effect of how the two photos above combine to form one image? ) -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/4, ISO 720 — map & image datanearby photos
This Model is Now Done for the Day
( do you like the effect of how the two photos above combine to form one image? )

At this point they went one way, and I went the other, but eventually we crossed paths again at the far end of the gardens, and they had a new model and were just wrapping up at that particular location...

Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 500 — map & image datanearby photos

(Is it just me, or do others find those poodle-tail evergreen trees in the background to be really unattractive?)

Nice Smile and uncommonly, at least some of the visible hair is actually her own natural hair -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 400 — map & image datanearby photos
Nice Smile
and uncommonly, at least some of the visible hair is actually her own natural hair

All done with this kimono; now to wait for the next one...

Ready to Wait -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
vertical 2-shot pano: D700 + Voigt 125mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 280 — map & image datanearby photos
Ready to Wait
Waiting -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1250 — map & image datanearby photos
Waiting
Heading to the Next Location -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 800 — map & image datanearby photos
Heading to the Next Location
Let's Try This Spot -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 280 — map & image datanearby photos
Let's Try This Spot
“Those Gloves Look Great On You” ( it was brisk and threatening rain, so she wore gloves while waiting, but I have no idea what was actually said ) -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
“Those Gloves Look Great On You”
( it was brisk and threatening rain, so she wore gloves while waiting, but I have no idea what was actually said )
Just So -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/4, ISO 360 — map & image datanearby photos
Just So
Setting Up for a New Angle -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1/2000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Setting Up for a New Angle
Props -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Props
Sans Gloves, Ready To Shoot -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm — 1/500 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Sans Gloves, Ready To Shoot
“Hold It Just Like That” -- Shouzan Gardens (しょうざん) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 640 — map & image datanearby photos
“Hold It Just Like That”

My visit to this place was prompted by a suggestion by Stéphane Barbery, who has been batting a hundred with his recent suggestions of the Koutou-in Temple, the Kongourinji Temple, and the Yoshiminedera Temple. Thanks Stéphane! Where next?


All 2 comments so far, oldest first...

Yeah – that’s definitely the money shot. Can’t go wrong. Autumn colours. Beautiful woman. Classic Japanese look. And yes – the combo of the two photos works very well.

— comment by AdelaideBen on November 29th, 2010 at 6:24am JST (13 years, 4 months ago) comment permalink

Seems like a pretty low-cost shoot, they didn’t have strobes or anything. Just that reflector.

— comment by asdasd on December 2nd, 2010 at 9:12am JST (13 years, 4 months ago) comment permalink
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