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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Random Moss Lawn

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It's been about six years since I've been to the Ryoanji Temple (龍安寺) in north-west Kyoto, but I think of it fondly because Fumie and I went there twice in the early years after moving here (once in the summer of 2005, and again in the fall), and because I've used this picture from there on my namecard for years.

I stopped in again the other day with Paul Barr, but it was a miserable day. It was the first day of real winter cold, but I was still dressed for autumn, and misty rain (ice/snow?) was blowing in at times on strong gusty winds. It made for dynamic lighting, but I couldn't use the camera easily when it was raining, and at all times I was freezing due to lack of proper preparations.

Still, in between the gusts of precipitation I could grab a few shots, and when it rained I warmed up my hands in my coat, so I came back with a few shots.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Locals
Ryoanji Temple (龍安寺), Kyoto Japan

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Ryoanji is known for its rock garden, but I prefer its regular garden out front, which includes a small lake with a small island near one edge. There's a small bridge onto the island that can be seen in the shot above of some of the lake's ducks.

The lake offers plenty of the photogenic susuki grass that I'm partial to..

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/640 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nature in the City
with a subtle smoothness coming from Lightroom coming from Lightroom's “negative clarity”

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/640 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

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As I noted, the lighting was dynamic, as illustrated by these two shots in quick succession...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Shaded

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
Sunny

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Even away from the lake were picturesque tufts of the susuki grass....

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Flowing Grass

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Viewed From Below

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Reverse Angle

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Can't Decide
what color to be

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/4, ISO 4000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Wet Rock

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Moss Bench

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
Neverending Job

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Restraint and Ostentatiousness
pine and maple

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
Appreciating the View

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Those steps lead back from the inner temple and its rock garden, an area we didn't visit on this trip.

Rather, we continued on the path that eventually leads around the lake...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Out With Friends

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At this point in checking out my photos, I felt that I had enough for a post, so I haven't looked further yet. I also realized that almost all of them would make nice desktop background images, so I just went ahead and gave them all that treatment.

To be continued...