icon next to them have been artificially shrunk to better fit your screen; click the icon to restore them, in place, to their regular size.
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mike Bennett
on a bike ride in Kyoto
The final post on my old Yahoo! manager's visit to Kyoto (part 1, part 2). On his last full day in Kyoto we visited the Arashiyama area on the far western edge of the city, and rented small battery-assisted bicycles. We didn't really need the battery assist, but it was nice. 🙂
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Rental Bike in Arashiyama
the seats were just a bit too short for us
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Memorial
for a WWII one-man kamikaze submarine squadron
The sign above (showing a crude illustration of the kamikaze one-way one-man submarine) used to be accompanied by a large marble monument with an engraved photograph, and if I recall, one of the actual subs. An odd thing to find by the side of the street. Now the sub is in Hiroshima, and only the sign remains.
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/1000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Typical Sidewalk
away from the main drag
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/1600 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Arashiyama's Famous “Togetsukyo” Bridge
in the background
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/125 sec, f/2.5, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Typical Lane
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 3600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Seizing the Moment
when no one was in the view
The lady in the photo above came behind me to take a picture, and seeing that the lane was clear, I stepped behind her to give her a clean shot. Then I took mine, but someone had just started to step in from the opposite side, but I banished them with Lightroom's spot-healing tool. 🙂
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 3600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Manufacturing the Moment
making it look like no one's there
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 4500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Amazed at the Bamboo
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Enjoying the Day
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/160 sec, f/1.4, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
On The Move Again
many of these shots are at speed, holding the camera in one hand
Nikon D700 + 50mm f/1.2 — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Crops and Farmhouse
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Visitors
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Roof in Giouji
There are a bazillion temples in the area, but we forewent most of them to visit the small and unassuming Giouji Temple, which I first posted about four years ago in “An Introduction to Kyoto's Giouji Temple”. To see many more posts from this area, look at the “nearby photos” link under any of these photos, or visit the “Related Posts” section at the end of the introductory post.
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Moss in Giouji
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/400 sec, f/1.2, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Side Attraction
Likely a bug of some sort
The sun was about to set over the mountains, and so with it still streaming in, I played around with putting it at the edge of the frame, for some “artsy” effects, some of which might be nice as a desktop background.
Some of the moss feels more like a very tiny bamboo forest from above...
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hairy Moss Detail
It was impressive in the harsh sunlight...
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Boat in a Tempest
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Looking Up
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Afternoon Constitutional
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Isolated Temple
across the river (here), as seen from an observation platform partway up the mountain
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/1250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Upstream from Arashiyama
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/1000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heading Back
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bumpy Curve
rocky steps were difficult with the small bike
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/400 sec, f/2.8, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Back at the River
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/8000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Back at the Bridge
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/8000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Checking Out the Wild Life
A bird had just plucked a fish from a small waterfall, similar to this.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/8000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Just a Nice Pic
icon next to them have been artificially shrunk to better fit your screen; click the icon to restore them, in place, to their regular size.
This is a long post explaining — venting — why I have not released a Lightroom plugin for 500px.com. This post will not be interesting if you don't care about 500px.com.
I've worked with a lot of companies during my life developing plugins for Adobe Lightroom. I've got 32 different plugins at the moment. With some companies like Flickr and Google and Facebook, my interaction is as an anonymous faceless third-party developer, but with most I have an ongoing personal interaction... for example, I work with Alex at Zenfolio, and with Dave and Andy at SmugMug. There's a long list.
For the most part, I feel a strong partnership with the companies that I have a personal relationship with, and that really helps when technical or logistic issues cause friction in the development/support process, as one might expect happens from time to time over the years. The relationship is built on respect, which helps it withstand minor bumps along the way.
On the flip side, an active lack of respect drives me away from a company. For example, I spent many hours helping DeviantArt develop their third-party API, but walked away from them and from an essentially-completed plugin when it became clear to me that the folks there were a bunch of dirtbags. But this type of thing doesn't happen often because most people are not dirtbags, and frankly, it doesn't take much intelligence to realize that it's a good thing if you can get someone like me to develop, for free, something that helps your customers. Most business folks I deal with care about their customers.
I tend to keep it to myself when things do go bumpy, but the demand for a Lightroom plugin for 500px is so high that I feel compelled to speak out to explain why a plugin for their service will not be coming from me any time soon.....
I started getting a lot of requests for a plugin for 500px.com this spring, and after enough requests I finally sent 500px a note asking about an API with which I could write a plugin. I got no response.
I still got a lot of requests, so a month or so later I sent another note. I got no response, but eventually saw messages on Twitter saying that a Lightroom plugin would be coming by summer. Ah, well, if they're working on it themselves, or perhaps with another developer, they don't need me, which explains the lack of a reply.
But I continued to see 500px's tweets promising a plugin, but no plugin, so I continued to get requests from their customers.
Their occasional tweets had made it clear that a plugin was forthcoming soon, so I was surprised on July 11th to get a note from Evgeny at 500px asking how we can work together to make a 500px plugin a reality. Cool. Point me at an API and I'll make it....
Evgeny Tchebotarev wrote:
|> How can we work together with you to make it happen?
Let me know how to use the API (and respond to questions faster than a month ;-), and I'll build a plugin. All the better if the API is still in development so that I can suggest improvements that better mesh with a Lightroom workflow.
This started a long, slow, painful series of emails with folks at 500px that has been the very definition of frustration.... mind-blowing hair-ripping-out does-anyone-there-talk-to-each-other-or-have-a-clue? frustration.
Notice how I jokingly refer to the response time in the first sentence of my first reply? (I've highlighted it and other things in the emails as presented here, but the actual messages were all plain text.)
That apparently wasn't enough of a hint because a few days later I felt compelled to spell it out for them:
Hi Guys,
I'd like to build the plugin (many Lightroom users have been asking me for
one, and I want to support Lightroom), but only if 500px is willing to make
it a sufficient priority that we can have a fluid back-and-forth dialog.
Having to wait half a week for a reply each time would just be a waste of
everyone's time.
I understand folks in your position must be busy and are continuously being pulled from every direction, so I'd understand if you don't choose to make a Lr plugin a priority yet. I'm just asking that it be enough of a priority before you decide to give me the go-ahead.
If your API and its documentation is reasonably flushed out, I could have a rough plugin going in a day, but history has shown that for a new API there will likely be many back-and-forths before we get to that stage, and the end result will be a better API for all your developers.
Jeffrey
——————————————————————————————
Jeffrey Friedl Kyoto, Japan https://regex.info/blog/
I don't really think I could have been more clear: do what you think is best for your business, but if you want to involve me, don't do so until you can treat me with respect.
I eventually got a note from their developer, Arseniy, asking for my input on how to design an API. I'm a good person to ask about this kind of thing, considering the deep experience I have in working with the API for Flickr, Zenfolio, SmugMug, Expono, PicasaWeb, Facebook, ExposureManager, DeviantArt, Photobucket, Twitter, Kodak, and LifePics. So, I took the time to write a detailed reply, and promptly heard nothing back from them.
More than a month later, they released an API. As one might expect from an initial release, it was poorly documented, buggy, and underpowered — exactly the kind of things they would have avoided had they worked with a plugin developer in tandem with the development of their API. But hey, it's their business. I just wish they wouldn't have wasted my time if they weren't interested in a plugin from me. I sent a note to Evgeny and Arseniy lamenting on the opportunity lost, and wishing them the best with their API.
The response from Evgeny was bizarre, indicating that he thought I'd been working with Arseniy the whole time. The ensuing messages made it clear that folks at 500px were not in touch with what other folks at their small firm were doing, and that no one seemed particularly competent in their respective fields, least of all the developer. Responses from him took days, didn't address the issues raised in the messages, and were exactly the kind of response I'd write if I didn't care and just wanted to get the message out of my inbox.
I made some further attempts to pry some clue from them, and at some point got so frustrated that I actually aired this frustration in public on the limited exposure I have on Google+. It's really rare for me to complain in public, about anything, so this indicates just how frustrating it was.
Alas, after many tries it became clear that it was not going to be possible to get a timely, competent interaction going, and I finally had to cut the cord, venting to them directly and explicitly with:
...
You guys really need to get a grip on what you want and your priorities. YOU asked for MY HELP, and then leave me hanging, then put up missing/incomplete documents, and take a very long time to reply for clarification.
It would be much more professional to say “sorry, we don't have time for you, go away” if that's how you felt. If that's how you feel now, please tell me and I'll walk away. But if you want a Lightroom plugin from me, then answer every question quickly and correctly as if you give a shit, to finally get the project (and people's bitching about a lack of a plugin) off of your todo list.
Decide between these two options based on what is best for your company, then let me know how you would like to proceed.
That was three weeks ago. I got no direct reply, but a few days ago I got another bizarre message, this time from Oleg, the CTO (and apparently a co-founder), referring to some “Diana” that I've never heard of...
... and the message goes on to bottom-quote my prior “it would be much more professional...” note. I just don't see how an understanding of the situation could result in such a generic, blasé message 2½ weeks late.
I replied to Oleg:
Hi Oleg,
My past history with folks at @500px.com is such that I won't take any
steps to proceed until I get a clear answer on the question I posed in the
message you quoted:
It would be much more professional to say “sorry, we don't have time for you, go away” if that's how you felt. If that's how you feel now, please tell me and I'll walk away. But if you want a Lightroom plugin from me, then answer every question quickly and correctly as if you give a shit, to finally get the project (and people's bitching about a lack of a plugin) off of your toto list.
Decide between these two options based on what is best for your company, then let me now how you would like to proceed.
I don't care one way or the other, but I won't spend my energy on a project for you if you don't care about it. 500px pretty much burnt the bridge with me, but I'll give you one more chance to act like you care.
Let me know,
Jeffrey
It's not exactly true that I don't care one way or the other; a lot of Lightroom users have been clamoring for a plugin, and I want to support Lightroom, so given my druthers I'd prefer to fill that need, but not at the expense of my sanity and self respect, especially considering the troubles plugin development can bring.
For the umpteenth time, someone at 500px.com had the opportunity to be clear, to be respectful, and to look out for the best interests of their company. The reply from Oleg, several days later (today), took the cake:
Jeffrey,
From the conversation history you sent me it looks like you were under the impression that we commissioned the 500px Lightroom plugin to you. I can assure you that there has not been any such arrangement.
We provide API access “as is”, and the first rollout had some bugs that were fixed over the course of the last month or so. It is purely the developers' initiative to write any apps using 500px API, and we do our best to support the developers who decide to work with the API.
If you feel that the level of support in inadequate, I am sorry about this, we are doing our best to improve it. Although, if the problems with the API prevent you from going forward and you feel you want to abandon the project, this is entirely your decision and I am fine with it.
Best regards,
Oleg.
Arrrgh! I can assure you that there was no arrangement, too, Oleg, because I have never accepted commissions for plugin work (though I'm approached for it often).
I sent Oleg a short note, and in what is perhaps a first, I got a reply from someone at 500px the same day:
Jeffrey,
I am sorry about the confusion, I was not aware that Evgeny reached out to you and asked you to develop a plugin. We currently do not have the capacity to support Lightroom plugin development properly, I hope you understand.
All the best,
Oleg.
And so there we are. The CTO of 500px simply doesn't care about a Lightroom plugin. This is the same guy that promised his users a plugin by the summer three months ago. Well, he's still got time: the autumnal equinox isn't for a few more days.
Abandoning Lightroom users may well be a smart business decision —I'm not privy to their demographics and business plans — but it's something that, if true, their Lightroom-using customers should be aware of.
More likely though, he just wanted to get rid of me, and was embarrassed by his first message. Their API, if it were to actually work as they document, would indeed allow for a basic upload plugin that would satisfy the initial needs of most users. As far as I know, they have fixed the bugs I wrestled with, but I won't bother finding out until I know they can be both respectful and clueful. This is my hobby, and if they don't want to lift a finger to work with me for their own benefit, I certainly won't.
Until then, perhaps another developer with a lower threshold of self respect will provide a Lightroom plugin. I've heard of at least one other developer working on a 500px plugin (here). I wish him, and all Lightroom users, the best of luck.
icon next to them have been artificially shrunk to better fit your screen; click the icon to restore them, in place, to their regular size.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/160 sec, f/1.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mike Bennett
with my new old broken 50mm f/1.2
As I wrote last week, my former manager at Yahoo!, Mike Bennett, visited town. After seeing his girlfriend and her family off in Tokyo, he returned to Kyoto for a couple of days of touristy stuff with me.
I took the opportunity to try out a slightly-broken Nikkor 50m f/1.2 that I'd picked up on Yahoo! Auctions (which is the eBay of Japan). Even after I add the cost to repair the heavy aperture ring and slight rattle of unknown origin, it'll have been cheaper than buying a new one, but truth be told I bought it because I'd confused it for another f/1.2 Nikon lens (the Noct-Nikkor 58mm) that normally runs for about 15× what I paid. Silly me.
I'd used an f/1.2 lens only twice that I recall, once as seen in “Artsy-Fartsy in Kyoto, at f/1.2” about 3½ years ago, and again six months later in “Impossible Photography: No Light, No Tripod, No Hope. D700 and a 50mm f/1.2”. Today's use would be much less challenging than the latter example, though the rattle of unknown origin brought wisps of unexpected tilt/shift to my imagination.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/125 sec, f/1.2, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mexican Pizza
at the most delicious Reina de Reina in eastern Kyoto
We made our way to Nishimura Stone Lanterns to check out their back garden, and found them busy working on a variety of projects.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/400 sec, f/1.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Getting On Top of His Work
Apprentice at Nishimura Stone Lanterns
Above is one of the apprentices sitting on what will be the main “roof” of a huge stone lantern. It's partially burred in the ground to stabilize it during this work.
The 5th-generation Daizo Nishimura was in the main workshop, working to restore a 650-year-old lantern that had been damaged in the March-11th earthquake. He was also taking the opportunity to redo some repairs that had been carried out in the Edo period (during the 1600s-1800s). Unfortunately, no photos of that were allowed.
Mike and I headed out to the back gardens (click on any of the “nearby photos” links under the images to see plenty more from these amazing gardens) where he was suitably impressed. Still, this was the first time I'd come during the summer; it's really much nicer in the fall with a carpet of colorful leaves.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/400 sec, f/1.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Smooth
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/160 sec, f/1.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
A Bit Too Much Isolation
I'd like to see a bit more lanternness in the background
A wide aperture can really isolate the subject from the foreground and background, but in the test above, I think f/1.2 was a bit too wide.
In the shot below, the background of sunlight filtering through the forest trees is exceedingly “busy”, but somehow I think it really works... I really like this next shot of Mike...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/125 sec, f/1.2, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
This Seems Better
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/160 sec, f/1.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
My Favorite Stone Bowl
The bowl above is the same one seen in “Paul Barr + Stonecarver's Garden + Lightroom”.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/200 sec, f/1.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Surrounded
in the side garden
Next door is the Nitenji Temple, which also serves as a shrine (and hence all the orange). I thought I'd posted about this place before, but it seems I've only posted some pretty outtakes. It's on a steep hillside, so is visually interesting...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/200 sec, f/1.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Entering the Nitenji Temple
and the Hachidairyuuoo Shrine
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/125 sec, f/1.2, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Special Delivery
max weight 120 kg
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — 1/125 sec, f/1.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Top of the Steps
The elevator-cart thing is not meant for people... just packages, groceries, etc., for the family that lives at the top.
icon next to them have been artificially shrunk to better fit your screen; click the icon to restore them, in place, to their regular size.
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/11, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Uphill Battle
heading to fill a vending machine
Here are a few more photos from my visit last week to the most excellent Fushimi Inari Shrine in south-eastern Kyoto.
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/5000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Random Shrine Roof
I'm a sucker for traditional roofs (I prefer these kind to temple roofs)
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Rich Light
a small splash of sun goes a long way
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 2000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Pieces Parts
roof of a gate awaits installation
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
Deep Hole Hand Dug
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Cross Beam
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Price List
I was surprised to see this price list posted randomly along the path. It lists initial “offering” fees for permission to put up a gate. The amounts range from about US$5,000 for a small gate with 18cm (7") diameter uprights, to about $17,000 for one-foot-diameter uprights. Of course, these are “starting at...” fees, and “the fee may differ according to location”, and one suspects that there are annual fees as well. And, of course, one assumes that this does not cover the cost of the gate itself.
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
Brilliant Marketing
( horrid photo )
It was fairly hot, and ridiculously humid, and by the time we got about half way we were absolutely swimming in our own sweat, so this inviting display of soda half submerged in cool water was too tempting to pass up. They also had water dripping into the display, making it sound like a small mountain stream. I succumbed.
Later, on the way back down via a different route, Lauren noticed some bamboo gates on a side path...
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bamboo Gates
Near where I took the bamboo-gates photo, the canopy of a towering tree caught my eye...
Back down to the main complex and the construction that I mentioned in my first post about the visit, I noticed some kind of circular wooden feature in the process of construction...
I wonder what it will be.
icon next to them have been artificially shrunk to better fit your screen; click the icon to restore them, in place, to their regular size.
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/11, ISO 1100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lauren and Mike
at the Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto Japan
Mike Bennett, who hired me into Yahoo! in 1997 and who was my manager for the duration of my eight-year tenure there, stopped by Kyoto the other day, and we got together for the visit to the Fushimi Inari shrine (伏見稲荷大社) that I mentioned in my previous post.
Mike's girlfriend, Lauren, had an earlier business trip to Japan, so he joined her for some travel after. Lauren's sister and dad also came.
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mike and Entourage
Lauren, Rachael, their dad, and Mike
( all out of focus; I have no idea what my problem was )
As I reported in my first post about this shrine several years ago, it has amazing mountain paths lined with thousands of devotional gates...
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 2500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Typical Scene
enriched by a splash of sun breaking through the forest cover
I hadn't seen Mike and Lauren since about 2004, and had never met Lauren's sister and dad, so the day was a real treat for me. We'd gotten together a bit earlier in the week for a trip to the top of Kyoto Tower (seen at the top of this post, and from afar on numerous posts, including here, here, and here).
There, enjoying the commanding view made all the better by the clear air left after Typhoon #12 blew through, we were discussing places to visit when an overly-talkative tourist butted in suggesting the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Indeed, now that you mention it, it's hard to go wrong there, so that's what we did.
A large part of my enjoyment in visiting with them was to see their reaction as the place unfolded before them...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/640 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Entering the Path in Earnest
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
Always a Fun Time
with this group
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Taking it Slow
Mike is one to savor life at an appropriate pace
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — 1/4000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Naturally Cool
just chillin' while others discuss which way to go
Mosquitoes can be as ferocious here as anywhere, but they completely left me and Mike alone for the more flavorful delights of Lauren and her family, who were getting eaten alive at a rapid pace. So it was with great appreciation that the owner of one of the small cafes along the way took pity and assisted them with some bug spray...
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bug Treatment
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
This Lady was our Savior
Besides the bugs that bit, there were plenty of huge spiders on display, with appropriately-impressive webs...
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 3200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hey Look
it's the 8,293th spider I've seen today
It had been cool after the typhoon blew through, but this day it was hot and ridiculously humid, so with that and time ticking away, we turned around at about the half-way point and headed back down.
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Silly Moment with Dad
they were always joking around
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
Beetle Photo Op
bugs of one sort or another seemed to be a recurring theme with Lauren
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — 1/1000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Group Effort
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — 1/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
( I just like the colors in this one )
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Boss of Them All
(Not really; Actually, pretty cool and laid back)
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/2500 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Posing for Lauren
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/2000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Very Happy With Her Shot
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/2000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Waiting
for what, I'm not sure, but her expression is cute
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/6400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Sisters BFF
Rachael and Lauren
They all headed up to Tokyo later in the day, but Mike will return to Kyoto for a few more days after the rest go home, so we'll probably see him in a post or two next week.