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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 140 mm — ¹/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1100 — full exif
Pretty Colors

Anthony's shirts, all lined up to dry, made for a colorful display this afternoon.

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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/5000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
six year old
Anthony at the Heian Shrine
Kyoto, Japan

So, finally getting back to Anthony's shichi-go-san event (explained in the “getting prepared” post), after finally getting all dressed up in a traditional hakama for the first time, Anthony got his formal sandals and we headed out toward the Heian Shrine's main entrance...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 28 mm — ¹/800 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Leaving the Event-Management Office
where we rented Anthony's hakama

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 125 mm — ¹/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Footware Malfunction
it took him a while to get used to these sandals

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/800 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
On Toward the Shrine

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 120 mm — ¹/3200 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Sandal + Gravel = Challenge

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/2500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tiny Pebbles

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 110 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
One More Thing...
before entering the shrine

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 80 mm — ¹/320 sec, f/4.5, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ritual Purification Before Entering

Continued here...

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Having been busy with travel and sickness and offline projects for so many months, I think the geek in me was itching to produce something new, so to add to yesterday's new plugin for Adobe Lightroom, today I add another: Extended Search.

Due to Lightroom infrastructure limitations, the search interface is not as smooth as it could be, and there's a nasty bug in Lightroom that sometimes rears its head to make things a bit frustrated, so be sure to read the details on the plugin's page while giving it a try.

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Because I have so much free time (NOT!), I've turned copious amounts of it into a new plugin for Adobe Lightroom that provides the simple but useful function of telling you what focal lengths your images were shot at.

It's like a stripped down version of ExposurePlot, but integrated into the Lightroom catalog.

Currently the plugin does only 35mm-equivalent focal-length plotting, but I've named it the more generic “data plot” to allow for future expansion.

You can see the version history and download the latest at the plugin's home page.

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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 1800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Patiently Waiting
with just a hint of apprehension?

Anthony was looking forward to his shichi-go-san wishes-for-a-long-life children's blessing event because he had been assured that it involved candy and toys. We were looking forward to it because we knew he'd look so cute, as the Anthony in a Hakama picture I posted the other day bore out.

It's just a short walk to the shrine, and it was a wonderful day, so we headed out with Fumie's folks...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/3200 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heading to the Shrine
(let's pretend the stranger in the tan hat who ruined my shot is a family friend who's supposed to be there)

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 110 mm — ¹/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Shrine is Popular on a National Holiday

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/5000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Oh, There's Daddy

The shrine does a brisk business as a venue for marriage ceremonies and photo shoots. A friend of a friend got married here a few years ago, and you can see wedding photo shoots going on most any weekend (such as this one). The same shrine sub-business that handles all that has a large inventory of traditional formal clothes for rent, so that's where we went for Anthony's special day.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/5, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Trying on Tabi for the First Time

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 62 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/5, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/5, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Feels Silly!

Anthony had never had tabi (often called “tabi socks” in English) before, and found it to be a notable experience. I've never worn them, so can only imagine, though I suppose it's similar to toe socks (gohonyubi kutushita), of which I have plenty. (I wonder, though, what Anthony's reaction would be when trying on a pair of Vibram FiveFingers shoes!?)

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
First Layers

Getting dressed in a hakama is deceptively complex. It sort of looks like a simple robe (had hard can it be?), but it's got all kinds of layers and belts and such, with specific ways they must be done. I guess it's comparable to my expecting a clip-on tie and then being faced with the real thing.

Luckily, the staff had plenty of practice, and one Matsushita-san went about getting him dressed in a pleasant but efficient manner that belied the complexity of it all.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 26 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
The Scene

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
More Layers

Somewhere around here is when I took the picture that leads this post, where the ladies are working in an efficient whirlwind of activity getting him gussied up, and he's just standing there taking it all in stride.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Checking the Snugness

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
More Tying

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
And More Tying

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
And Yet More Tying
( one of my favorites )

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 50 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
And Finally All Done!

The dressing room didn't lend itself to portraits, but there was an unimaginably-expensive formal wedding kimono hanging there, so with that as a backdrop, I asked him to make some silly poses for me....

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 32 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Happy Pose

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 34 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ninja Pose

Continued here...