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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1100 — map & image data — nearby photos
One Boy, Two Mirrors, Lots'a Fun
at the Kyoto City Science Center for Youth

Anthony's school had a day off on Monday, unlike other schools in Kyoto, so I took the opportunity to bring him to the Kyoto City Science Center for Youth, which is sort of like The Exploratorium in San Francisco, though much smaller. Because other schools were in session, we had the place essentially to ourselves.

This post looks at a few of the mirror-related exhibits....

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hey, Nice to Meet You

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Cramped Quarters

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Squeeze More!
squeezing the mirrors together makes more Anthonys

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Floor View

The photos above were with an exhibit that had two mirrors that pivoted. Next to it was an exhibit with three mirrors, the third closing in like a door to make a triangle-shaped mirror room. I put the camera over the wall and shot blindly...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Three Mirrors
too many kids to count

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
Trying Anyway
to count the uncountable

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Just One Mirror

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lots and Lots of Mirrors

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
A Little Freaky

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/100 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
A Lot Freaky

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/250 sec, f/4, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Aaaaarrrrrrrrggghhhh!
the Martians have landed!

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
One-Shot Montage

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 3200 — map & image data — nearby photos
The Brenizer Method
you're doing it wrong

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Neither Rain Nor Sleet Nor Grimy Hands...

Hah, just discovered something useful.... you can put an iPad (or iPhone, iTouch, and presumably other devices with capacitive-touch displays) in a zip-lock bag, and can interact with the multitouch right through it. Put in the iPad from the bottom, zip it up, and you should be good to go even in a downpour. This'll be convenient for when I use the mapping features on my iPhone while scootering, and to give added piece of mind while reading with the iPad while relaxing in the bath.

It'd also be useful to protect against particularly grimy hands, such as when entertaining toddlers, or perhaps for grease monkeys referring to an iPad or answering an iPhone while tuning up the car.

In a heavy rain, the raindrops themselves can interact with the screen, so some care is required along those lines. Also, you can't use it underwater because then the entire surface of the device is being interacted with at once, so it essentially shuts down. I tried it.

I don't know whether the lack of ventilation would matter for long periods. Heat is transferred through the bag easily, so that doesn't seem to be a concern.

I tested with Japanese Ziploc and American Hefty brand bags.

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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Final Touches
photo shoot, gardens of the Shouzan Resort, Kyoto

I visited the gardens at the Shouzan Resort in north-west Kyoto the other day, and was blown away by the beauty of the fall colors. Unlike all the other places I've blogged about recently, it's not a temple or shrine... just a very well done private garden at a large restaurant/wedding/getaway complex (they use the word “resort”, but that feels too extravagant a word for the non-garden parts, and not extravagant enough for the garden at this time of year).

As has been the case for the last few weeks, I don't have the energy for a proper writeup yet, but these photos of a photo shoot we came across may give you a sense of the place.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Photo Shoot

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/4, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Model #1

The shoot was for the catalog of a local kimono company, and the parts I saw involved two models doing shoots at several locations around the gardens.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/4, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Adding a Robe

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Production

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/800 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
“Action!”
or something like that

I chatted with the photographer a bit during a down moment, and having noticed that he wasn't using a polarizing filter, suggested that in this particular setting it would make a huge difference for the better. (When shooting foliage, the effects of a polarizing filter can be downright jaw-dropping amazing.)

Surprisingly, he had no idea what I was talking about, even when I had him look through my camera, it appears that he didn't even know of the concept until I spelled it out and he could finally see the effect for himself. He had to agree that it was pretty amazing, but nevertheless declined my offer to loan him one. (Probably a smart idea not to try a new horse midstream, so to speak.)

The weather was dynamic, with bright sunshine punctuated with periods of heavy cloud. Either situation could make for wonderful shots, especially since they had reflectors and shades and such to wrangle the light, but I found the rapid changes a bit disconcerting. It made the white balance change with each passing minute; my WhiBal got a workout.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/4, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos

I actually don't care for this kind of ultra-dolled-up kimono, seen with brides and maiko/gekio/geisha. Just doesn't do a thing for me, though I do very much like seeing a “normal”, more refined day-to-day kimono, such as this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and probably a hundred others I've posted but can't recall at the moment. And of course, it's hard to resist the cuteness of kids in kimono (here, here, and here).

But for me, it's hard to resist the hubbub of a photo shoot, so when our paths crossed in the gardens, I'd watch and take some shots myself. (I didn't need their permission, but asked for it as a courtesy, and received it with a smile.)

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/4, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/4, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
This Model is Now Done for the Day
( do you like the effect of how the two photos above combine to form one image? )

At this point they went one way, and I went the other, but eventually we crossed paths again at the far end of the gardens, and they had a new model and were just wrapping up at that particular location...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos

(Is it just me, or do others find those poodle-tail evergreen trees in the background to be really unattractive?)

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nice Smile
and uncommonly, at least some of the visible hair is actually her own natural hair

All done with this kimono; now to wait for the next one...

vertical 2-shot pano: D700 + Voigt 125mm — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ready to Wait

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Waiting

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heading to the Next Location

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Let's Try This Spot

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
“Those Gloves Look Great On You”
( it was brisk and threatening rain, so she wore gloves while waiting, but I have no idea what was actually said )

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/4, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Just So

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Setting Up for a New Angle

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 @ 24 mm — ¹/1250 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Props

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm — ¹/500 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Sans Gloves, Ready To Shoot

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
“Hold It Just Like That”

My visit to this place was prompted by a suggestion by Stéphane Barbery, who has been batting a hundred with his recent suggestions of the Koutou-in Temple, the Kongourinji Temple, and the Yoshiminedera Temple. Thanks Stéphane! Where next?

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I recently replaced a six-year-old low-end Dell monitor with an Eizo FlexScan SX2462W, a widescreen mid-level monitor with many good features for photo work. Having moved from this setup to one now with two widescreen monitors, I decided to put the extra monitor on its side, vertically, so that the long edge is up and down. (You can see it in this photo.)

So, now having one portrait-oriented monitor, I suddenly had no photos to use as its desktop background. Especially since it's the “extra” monitor, and by default will be unused unless I'm doing something particular with it, I wanted to have some nice photos to cycle through on the background, so I quickly and skimmed through the portrait-oriented photos I'd posted in the past and somewhat haphazardly picked a bunch to make desktop-background images with.

I'm not quite sure whether all of these will work out well in practice, but for what it's worth, here they are, an even 60 selections...

If you're interested in these for yourself (how many people use portrait-oriented monitors?), clicking through brings you to the post that includes the photo, where you can then find vertical desktop background versions for download.

Since setting up my monitor this way, when I've been out and about with the camera I've kept an eye out for scenes that might be appropriate for a vertical desktop, so once I get around to posting about recent outings in more detail, I'm sure there will be plenty of fall-foliage vertical desktops. Such posts containing one will be added to my blog's “Vertical Desktops” category....

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/160 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Your Standard “Carpet of Leaves” Shot
Koutou-in Temple, Kyoto Japan

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I was out again today for an amazing day of fall-foliage photography, and on the way home in the late afternoon stopped in to the Koutouin Temple (高桐院) for 10 minutes, just to peek at its most-excellent entrance path, which featured prominently in “A First Visit To Kyoto’s Koutou-in Temple” two weeks ago. I have still literally not even looked at the photos from my second trip to this temple, but since I took only a few photos on this trip today, I thought I'd post some.

I was greeted with exactly what I expected.... lots of people...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lots of People

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm — ¹/320 sec, f/1.4, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Thinning Out a Bit

... and then the unexpected...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/1.4, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Almost Empty

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
And The Angels Sang

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It didn't last for more than just a few seconds before it was again jam packed with people, and I made a boo-boo with my camera settings that resulted in severely over-exposing that last shot (which I then corrected as best I could in Lightroom), but I would have never imagined the path being clear even for a second during this season, so I was most happy to stumble upon a clear moment.