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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 60 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ram Kulkarni
at the Shogunzuka Overlook, Kyoto Japan

My best friend from college, Ram Kulkarni, was in Japan for business, and so stopped by to visit in Kyoto this evening. I saw him previously about a year ago in Tokyo, and prior to that was likely about 11 years ago when he was Best Man at my wedding.

Last time he'd been working at a think tank as an advisor to a former prime minister in Finland, but now he has a much more demanding boss: he's started his own company in Bangalore, India.

I brought him up to the real Shogunzuka Overlook, which I actually entered for the first time. It has a very nice garden, and, of course, the overlooks with sweeping views of downtown Kyoto.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Decidedly Pink Blossoms
of some sort

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Cherry? Peach? Late Plum??
some petals are mixed pink and white

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/5, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Pink
and just a touch of green

It was mostly overcast, but the sun tried peaking out a bit...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 105 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/8, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hazy Dayz over Kyoto

Finally, just as the sun was approaching the horizon, the clouds cleared away and we got some very warm light...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Enjoying the Sunset
from the several-story high observation platform at Shogunzuka