Rich Wood Views Inside Kyoto’s Zuishin Temple
Pretty Inside and Out Zuishin Temple (随心院) Kyoto, Japan -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/160 sec, f/2.5, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Pretty Inside and Out
Zuishin Temple (随心院)
Kyoto, Japan

One of the famous spots in Kyoto for plum blossoms is the Zuishin Temple (随心院) in Yamashina ward, and its blossoms appeared on my blog eight years(!) ago in Plum Blossoms and Photographers. The style of both my blog presentation and photography has changed quite a bit in the intervening years.

Anyway, I made a visit this past March during plum-blossom season, but having already enjoyed the plum at the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine and at the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park, I decided this time to actually venture inside the temple building for the first time. I was joined by Damien Douxchamps.

Above the Entrance Hall I'm a sucker for the woodwork -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/100 sec, f/2.2, ISO 2500 — map & image datanearby photos
Above the Entrance Hall
I'm a sucker for the woodwork
Taxi Storage -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/60 sec, f/2.2, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Taxi Storage

The theme for my view of this temple seems to be wood, and the two wooden litter (palanquin) hanging from the ceiling in this hallway we came to right away were no exception.

Looks Cramped -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/25 sec, f/2.2, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Looks Cramped

A two-person palanquin is probably not meant to transport the likes of sumo wrestlers or tall foreign photographers, I'm guessing.

It was quite dark in the hallway, lit as it was by a single bulb at each end, but I still tried to capture the delicate painting on the door...

Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/50 sec, f/2.2, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Patterns and Shapes in the wood caught my eye over and over at this place -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1400 — map & image datanearby photos
Patterns and Shapes
in the wood caught my eye over and over at this place
More Delicate Paintings -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/160 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
More Delicate Paintings
Hippy Door it's goovy, man -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/2.5, ISO 2000 — map & image datanearby photos
Hippy Door
it's goovy, man
Damien in Action -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/100 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Damien in Action
More Wood, More Patterns -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/200 sec, f/2.2, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
More Wood, More Patterns
Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/400 sec, f/2.2, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos

I prepared these photos for a blog post long ago, and for some reason prepared this B&W version of a similar scene to the previous photo. Maybe I did it for the wood patterns feeling, but now I'm not sure whether I should post it or just delete it. I guess I'll post it:

Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1250 — map & image datanearby photos
Rich Colors -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1000 — map & image datanearby photos
Rich Colors
Back to This Hallway -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1100 — map & image datanearby photos
Back to This Hallway
desktop background image of rich wood construction at the Zuishin Temple (随心院), Kyoto Japan -- Long Room -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/100 sec, f/2.5, ISO 720 — map & image datanearby photos
Long Room
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions
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The lead photo for this post was taken from about the same place as the photo above, but looking more toward the right to get the open door to the outside.

Outside is a weather-worn veranda that wraps around much of the building.

Veranda Patterns -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Veranda Patterns

From where that photo was taken, looking up, you see a small side garden and doors that enter the building. The nearest door looks mostly black...

Bland View -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Bland View

... but when you get close, it offers a lot of colorful detail:

Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/1600 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos

Getting up close and personal with the sun-drenched bottom of one of the planks, with my favorite macro lens, yields more for the pretty wood patterns theme:

desktop background image of a richly-patterned exterior wood door with exposed wood grain, at the Zuishin Temple (随心院) in Kyoto Japan -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 450 — map & image datanearby photos
Desktop-Background Versions
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desktop background image of a richly-patterned exterior wood door with exposed wood grain, at the Zuishin Temple (随心院) in Kyoto Japan -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 450 — map & image datanearby photos
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions
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Back over to the main part of the temple building, more wood awaits...

Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/1000 sec, f/1.6, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos

Being mid March, the mossy ground was in pretty un-photogenic shape, so we'll stick with the wood theme and leave moss to other places.

Wide Veranda -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Wide Veranda
desktop background image of rich wood construction at the Zuishin Temple (随心院), Kyoto Japan -- Relaxing -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/2500 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Relaxing
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A shot like the one above conflicts me... should I set the white balance for the shaded wood, or for the sunlit greenery outside. If I choose the former, the wood looks rich and full as it does in real life, but the outside becomes bland and washed out. If I adjust for the outside so that it looks natural, the wood takes on an odd color.

Above, I choose to set it for the shade.

Wider View -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Wider View
Wood Detail -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 720 — map & image datanearby photos
Wood Detail
Damien Photographing the Wood Detail -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/160 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Damien Photographing the Wood Detail

Above, he's likely taking this shot.

Storm Shutters opening up and out, hanging on hooks -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 160 — map & image datanearby photos
Storm Shutters
opening up and out, hanging on hooks
Me of squished-nose fame photo by Damien Douxchamps -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Damien Douxchamps
Nikon D3X @ 116mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 400 — map & image datanearby photos
Me
of squished-nose fame
photo by Damien Douxchamps
Covered Passageway -- Zuishin Temple (随心院) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2014 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/100 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1000 — map & image datanearby photos
Covered Passageway

More wood and patterns await the followup post. To be continued...


All 4 comments so far, oldest first...

Thanks for posting this great photo series. I particularly liked the dots of light (sunshine coming through the wall and onto the floor) seen in the B&W image.

— comment by Tom in SF on July 20th, 2014 at 11:35pm JST (9 years, 8 months ago) comment permalink

The two weathered wood macros are impressive! I wonder if I have a shot of them from that day…

I don’t think so… you were elsewhere, and just popped over and saw me doin’ my thing, and quickly left me to it. —Jeffrey

— comment by Damien on July 21st, 2014 at 3:05am JST (9 years, 8 months ago) comment permalink

Always a pleasure to see your shots.

For that first shot how did you take a photo spanning indoors and outdoors without blowing out your image?

Did you use a graduated neutral density filter or was that just a good exposure?

I’m just that good a photographer.

Hahahahaha, seriously though, because I shoot raw, a reasonably-balanced exposure can often be amenable to a single-shot HDR-esque processing in Lightroom, and that’s what happened here. —Jeffrey

— comment by Alvin on July 21st, 2014 at 6:31am JST (9 years, 8 months ago) comment permalink

“A shot like the one above conflicts me..” did you try “Jpg Illuminator” (jpg-illuminator.de)? It is new to me and I just began to study it, but as far as I understand with this tool you can have the best of both alternatives by later adjustment. The handbook is German, though… it features good examples and screenshots, so that you may find out how to use it even if you don’t understand the words. I guess their first example “Weissabgleich.jpg” (i.e. white balance) fits in here (see subdir Beispiele).

— comment by wp on October 27th, 2014 at 1:59am JST (9 years, 5 months ago) comment permalink
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