A Few Blossoms From Kyoto’s Chishaku-in Temple
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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/1250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
First Photo of the Day

Today I visited eastern Kyoto's Chishaku-in Temple (智積院) with Paul Barr and Nicolas Joannin. I'd driven by its large temple grounds hundreds of times, but had never stopped in, and perhaps couldn't have picked a better day. It was the first short-sleeve day of the year, and the open grounds were dotted with all kinds of blossoming trees...

pink blossoms at Kyoto's Chishaku-in Temple (智積院)
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/1250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Still Awaiting Buds

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/3200 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Slightly Odd
somehow the in-focus blossoms appear to be in the background at first glance

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/800 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Nicolas
making a funny face with his camera

To be continued...


All 2 comments so far, oldest first...

“Still awaiting buds” reminds me of the practice of pollarding as carried out here in England. Some trees are coppiced to provide thin pliable branches for basketwork and various other country crafts. When livestock is kept they would nibble the new shoots of coppiced woods. Pollarding , which is effectively coppicing out of reach of farm animals, results in exactly the shape of trees that you have photographed. Is pollarding a traditional method of cultivation used in Japan, and for the same reasons?

— comment by John Youngs on April 12th, 2012 at 4:04am JST (12 years ago) comment permalink

Re: the Nicolas photo… that’s a rather odd way to hold a camera. The left hand should be under the lens to provide maximum stability. You should point him to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDsx3-FWfwk

I don’t agree that it’s “wrong” not to hold the camera a specific way. I always hold my heavy lenses that way, but for light ones I don’t think it necessarily matters in every situation. —Jeffrey

— comment by David Volokh on April 15th, 2012 at 12:55am JST (12 years ago) comment permalink
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