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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 cropped — ¹/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tree in Section

In the mountains of Northern Kyoto, after the stop along the logging road that produced last week's “Deep In The Mountains Above Kyoto's Kumogahata Village”, we moved deeper in/up the mountains and eventually came upon our first “vista” with a distant view. It wasn't particularly magnificent by any stretch, but it was the first we'd seen so it was nice.

I knew instinctively that I'd not be able to capture the sense of depth and elevation, and I was correct...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/800 sec, f/2.8, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Blah

The “tree in section” in the center of the photo is way below us down a steep slope, but the photo really gives no sense of that. The next version, with the focus much closer, hints more at the true scenario, but is still lacking...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/2000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Somewhat Less Blah

While stopped at the “vista” point, I noticed some semblance of a trail leading up the mountain, and we took it for a distance...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 5000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Trailish

In the distance, top center of the photo above, you can see a moss-covered rock. How big is the rock? Here's a closer look...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/4, ISO 1800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Looks Sort Of Big
but check out those form-fitting roots...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 4500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Funky Form-Fitting Roots

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Built to Spec

The form-fitting roots are interesting, but I find the lack of scale irritating, and I have to resort to an out-of-focus Paul for some scale...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/160 sec, f/1.4, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Finally Some Scale
it was a big rock

I wish I knew how to capture the essence of scale (bigness, tallness, deepness, far-awayness, etc.) better. It's quite a challenge. (And hence we have the horrible pun of this post's title. :-))

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tree (and Ferns) Growing On Bare Rock

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Towering Boulders, Towering Trees

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Not Everything Is Towering

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/160 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Another View of the Funky Roots

Continued here...