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Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/1000 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Autumn
Eikando Temple Gardens, Kyoto Japan
I visited today the Eikando Temple gardens, nestled in the base of the mountains at the far east of Kyoto, about a 15-minute walk from our place. I'd been there before and thought it was really pretty, but I must have been stupid or blind (or on parenting duty with an impatient kid to look after) because today it was FREAKING MIND-BLOWING AMAZING.
Just *WOW*.
My photos don't even come close to doing it justice.
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/1250 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Expansive
view above the temple's preschool
The temple is famous for its fall colors, as I found out the first time I drove by during the proper season, posted in “Colorful Leaves and Colorful Kimono”, of kimono-clad ladies congregating at the entrance to the temple's preschool. Visiting the preschool was my main goal today, as we were again invited to their “Fall-Color Festival” by one of Anthony's friends (the same festival is the subject of “Anthony and Friends Among the Colors” from two years ago).
The visit two years ago resulted in “Bonanza of Fall-Foliage Desktop Backgrounds”, but we were with Anthony and some of his friends, so I couldn't really spend much time in the temple gardens during that visit. This year, we spent some time at the festival in the morning and then left for mass, after which I left Fumie and Anthony at home and returned to explore the gardens at my leisure.
It was heavily overcast in the afternoon, eventually starting to rain while we were there (in the afternoon, I met a camera-toting friend visiting from The States). But the cloud cover made the photography all the better, I think.
The temple is the most expensive to visit that I've ever seen (1,000 yen – about $12 – to enter), and on a day like today was worth every single yen.
In the evening they light up everything with flood lamps, which brings out the crowds yet again, but it, too, is pretty, as I wrote in last year's “How I Spent My Saturday in Kyoto” and “More From the Eikando Temple Foliage Lightup”
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 58 mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 3600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Verticals
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/320 sec, f/2, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Neapolitan
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/320 sec, f/2, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
“Mini Sanctuary”
hey, that's what it says
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/320 sec, f/2, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Peeking, Peaking
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 35 mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Calm Above the Fray
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38 mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 3600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Secluded
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 44 mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
Big Bang
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/320 sec, f/2, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Kusaridoi
Holy Cow, This is Beautiful
rain-spout type things, like these and these
These 15 photos are just about the first 15 photos I took. Not quite, but almost, save for a bout of testing the exposure.... I still feel I'm fighting the D700's desire to overexpose, and most of these were taken with -1EV exposure compensation.
I haven't even gone through most of the 157 photos from the day, but even just these, full size on a high-quality (high-gamut) monitor... wow, my head wants to explode.
I wanted to include Desktop-Background versions of most of these, but gave up after spending a couple of hours trying to get the requisite Photoshop script working on my new Mac. Must eventually figure it out and revisit these.
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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Family Bike Ride
on a brisk, blustery autumn day in Kyoto
We went out for a family bike ride today, sort of repeating our bike outing last May, though today was quite brisk... cold, windy, mostly overcast with occasional moments of bright sun.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38 mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Entering Okazaki Park
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38 mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art
“annex” sub-building
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 66 mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Game of Tag
Mommy's “it”
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Closing In
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Check Your Six!
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Frenzied Escape
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Outlasting
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Out of Focus
but I figured that 1/200 sec would be enough for a crisp shot. I guess not.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 55 mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Along the Canal
Heading to the Imperial Palace Park
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48 mm — 1/400 sec, f/5, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
Morning Chores
at one of the ancillary shrines of the Yoshida Shrine, Kyoto Japan
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/400 sec, f/5, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lantern, Planter, and Thatched Roof
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/400 sec, f/11, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Trust Engraved in Stone
part of a name engraved in a fencepost at the ancillary shrine
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/400 sec, f/10, ISO 1100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heading Back for More
“ many leaves to sweep before I sleep ”
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Entrance
to the ancillary shrine
The large rusty white sign above says “this is a national treasure; don't play inside” and the small one on the stone lantern says “don't touch” Yoshida shrine complex is full of signs with all manner of these kind of admonishments.... somewhat of a bummer.
So, on my short outing on Sunday morning to explore Mt. Yoshida, where I ended up finding the Yoshida Shrine nestled in the mountain, I had started at an ancillary shrine accessible by a small twisty road toward the south edge of the mountain, desirable as a starting spot due to its compelling attributes of 1) I knew where it was, and 2) accessible by scooter, and 3) a place I could park the scooter.
In the center-left background of the photo above you can see a fence. My first photo of the day was of one of the fence posts:
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48 mm — 1/125 sec, f/9, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
(Donated by Mr.) Nobuo Suzuoka
Leaving the ancillary shrine, I noticed a large area near the side of the road strewn with large pink flower petals among the leaves...
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/250 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Out of Place
I wondered whether they might be left over from some kind of wedding event, but they covered a fairly wide area. The trees above all seemed to be normal deciduous trees now dropping leaves rather than flowering, so I have no idea where these petals came from. Very odd.
I continued on the road up the hill a bit to an area I'd been before...
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/1250 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Walking the Dog
at the Takenaka Inari Shrine, Mt. Yoshida
This is the reverse angle of this picture from last spring.
Like Kyoto's dazzling Fushimi Inari Shrine, and many Inari shrines, there is a walkway lined with stone or wooden torii gates representing large donations to the shrine.
This particular spot among the gates drew my attention, and I couldn't decide whether I wanted to accentuate the repetitive nature of the walkway, or the crisp rock-solid strength of the one stone gate, so I tried both. Above is one, and below is another....
After passing through the shrine, I entered the wooded “park”, which is really just some paths cut through dense forest. While in there, unlike this fake wilderness shot I posted the other day, in all directions you seen nothing but forest and path...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Two Roads Diverged in a Yellowed Wood
It's yet another reason Kyoto is so wonderful... like the higashiyama mountains, they provide a nature escape within casual walking distance of city.
Before long, I came across some brilliantly painted orange little shrine thing...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/100 sec, f/8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Out of Nowhere
... and I had found the main Yoshida Shrine.
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Anthony got a big Star Wars™ LEGO™ toy for his birthday, and combined with the various other LEGO™ kids he's gotten before, he has a huge collection of pieces and parts.
This morning before school he used various pieces to build a little fighter craft, as he's done many times before, but today's seemed cute because it seated three characters (in this case, three Republic Clone Soldiers) like peas in a pod.
I'd taken off the cockpit canopy window for those shots; of course, a spaceship has a canopy and Anthony included it, but it made for difficult photography (even with a polarizing filter). Here's what it looked like with the canopy....
He's come a long way since his street sweeper three years ago, or his airplane from two and a half years ago, or even the super cool rocket plane from a year ago.
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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 50 mm — 1/250 sec, f/8, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lazy Sunday Morning
Yoshida Shrine, nestled in Mt. Yoshida
Kyoto, Japan
While Anthony was at his swimming lesson last Sunday morning, I decided to kill the hour by scooting the kilometer over to Mt. Yoshida and poke around.
I “discovered” Mt. Yoshida when Stéphane Barbery (he of my earlier Jidai Matsuri festival photos and the wilting flower posts) introduced me to it back in April. At that time I got to visit only one small part; this time I wanted to visit the major shrine I knew to be there.... somewhere. Mt. Yoshida is a relatively small outcropping in the middle of town – about 35 acres, half the area of a mid-sized American mall – so I figured it wouldn't be too hard to find.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 58 mm — 1/250 sec, f/8, ISO 2000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bicycle Parking
The Yoshida Shrine dates back to the 7th century, and is most famous, I think, for its Setsubun festival, a festival that involves the throwing of a lot of beans, and an intense bonfire. (I've posted about the Setsubun festival at the Heian Shrine, a mile or so to the south, in my “Throwing of the Beans” and “Intense Burn” posts.) The areas leading to the mountain are an insane zoo during this festival; as a driver, I've learned to avoid anything near it that day.
So, I parked the bike and started a mini trek, and when I eventually descended a narrow mountain path down into an open, vibrantly orange, and almost completely deserted shrine complex, it was a wonderful (and wonderfully peaceful) feeling.
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/250 sec, f/2, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Registration Table
with the main shrine alter far in the background
Just as I was descending from above, I saw a family making their way up a looooong walkway from below. One of the young kids was dressed up, and I figured that they were paying the shrine a visit for a shichi-go-san blessing, the autumn blessing for kids aged 7, 5, and 3 that Anthony did a month ago (a big event for us that showed up in a bunch of blog posts, including: getting ready, entering the shrine, and a family portrait).
Kids dressing up for this event can be exquisitely cute, as evidenced here, here, here, and most of all here. So, I snapped a few pictures of the half dozen or so kids that eventually congregated for what turned out to be a 10:30am event.
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/500 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Big Sister
is just a bit bigger on tiptoes
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/250 sec, f/4, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
A Touch More Formal
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/320 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
No, Look This Way
The dad in the shot above had such a nice, kindly presence. His relatively mild antics to get the kids' attention reminded me of a somber version of this group of crazies. I later showed him these pictures on the back of my camera, and gave him my email to contact me in case he wanted copies. I do this from time to time when I think I have a shot that someone might really treasure, but no one has ever contacted me to take me up on the offer. Oh well.
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/250 sec, f/2, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Just Being Cute
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/800 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Families Waiting for the Event to Begin
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Photographer Waiting for the Event to Begin
It was about as pleasant a Sunday morning as I could imagine. The mood was extremely relaxed... there were just the few families and maybe one or two other visitors like me. The kids were all well behaved, but not in a repressed way. I had happened upon a very pleasant atmosphere.
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/640 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Priest Arrives
The kids and families shuffled into the inner shrine area (where photography is not allowed at the Heian Shrine, though I don't know about this one), but from outside at a distance I could get a shot of the priest chanting the names of the kids...
Nikon D700 + Zeiss 100mm f/2 — 1/250 sec, f/2, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Blessings Begin
And with that, much more quickly than I would have liked, I had to return before Anthony's lesson ended (after which I snapped the purple morning glory I posted the other day).