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Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 116 mm — ¹/3200 sec, f/5.3, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Class Trip to Shogunzuka
将軍塚 Kyoto, Japan

I often make the short drive up to the Shogunzuka overlook to catch the sunset or just enjoy the nice view, but it's usually to the public overlook, and only a few times to the actual Shogunzuka gardens next door (500 yen to enter... about $6). I should go more, because it's quite pretty in its own right, and the views are wonderful. Last time I went was about two years ago when my friend Ram was in town. I went today, and though it was quite pretty, you could definitely tell it was two weeks deeper into spring than that previous trip, with more green and less blossoms.

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 50 mm — ¹/640 sec, f/11, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Temple Gardens
from the observation platform

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500 mm — ¹/2500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Looking the Other Way
throught he perpetual haze of Kyoto
( the center of the photo is about here )

The “Temple Gardens” photo is a bit misleading, in that there's plenty of color under the canopy. I haven't looked too much at my photos from the day yet, but here are a few...

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 210 mm — ¹/2500 sec, f/6, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Gazebo

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 240 mm — ¹/3200 sec, f/6, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Starting to Look a Bit Ragged

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 170 mm — ¹/3200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
A Tad Lonely

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/640 sec, f/8, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Shows Potential

Let's try it at f/2.5...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/8000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos

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Well, it's still not in the same class as “Half Bloom” or “Almost Lost”, but I guess I'm just a sucker for the Voigtländer 125's macro bokeh.

Back to the views, there was indeed a lot of spring green, and a class that had apparently hiked up was eating their bento on one of the observation decks...

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 50 mm — ¹/1250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 78 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos

From the deck the kids were on, I could see the big shrine gate near my house, though it looks like a toy in this shot...

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 340 mm — ¹/2500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Main Gate of the Heian Shrine
height of a 7-story building

This is a nicer shot than a similar one I took in 2008. And for something completely different, compare it to this view from 2006.

I love how the distance compresses things.... it's hard to believe by looking at the photo above, but that area is more “city” than not. For example, in the photo above, to the immediate right of the orange gate, there's a reddish taxi. I was standing at that exact spot when I took this picture, and in looking at my photo proximity search for that spot, you'll see a mix of city and nature. That's one thing I like so much about where I live.

Anyway, I headed back to my car at the public overlook area, and came across a different set of kids on a class hike, having their lunch in the same spot from which we watched a helicopter take off a few years ago...

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500 mm — ¹/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lunch on the Grass

This was Anthony's class, here on a field trip. Knowing he'd be here, I came up to catch a glimpse of him in his own world that's separated from ours at home. But as soon as I got close, kids started yelling “Your dad's here!”, so, so much for sneaking a peek.

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 380 mm — ¹/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Coming Over To See Daddy
somehow looking a bit more mature than his eight years
( it could be that he looks different because he's still chewing on the lunch I interrupted)

How he looks in this picture makes me think he's taken the next step past last year's Tipping Point. They grow up so fast.

He was actually happy to have me there, I was glad to hear, and asked that I stick around for no apparent reason other than he liked the idea that I was around. Sweet. I wonder how long that will last.

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500 mm — ¹/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lunch with Friends
trading snacks

Fumie had made a killer bento for lunch, but for a snack after, they were allowed to bring 200 yen worth of candy (about $2.50, which is really quite a lot, I thought). A lot of trading goes on.

However, it was cut short by rain. I could see the rain approaching on radar on my iPhone, and then look out and see a wave of rain approaching in the distance. After letting the teacher know, I walked over to Anthony and pointed at it and asked whether he knew what it was. He didn't, so I told him it was rain, and that he might want to start getting his stuff in order. He didn't really believe me, but the rain hit about two minutes later...

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 50 mm — ¹/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
Yikes!

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 95 mm — ¹/640 sec, f/5, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500 mm — ¹/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bummer

They were more prepared for the rain than I, so I went home. It turns out that it let up after a few minutes, and so they continued on their plan to hike down the mountain to Kiyomizu Temple, and then make their way home.