Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/4.5, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
First Photo of the Evening
facing due west

This evening we had perhaps the most stunning sunset I have ever seen.

Sadly, I saw it from the photographically-unappealing vantage of the fifth-floor walkway in my condo, but at least I got to see it. When I first caught a glimpse, I literally sprinted for the elevator, and the photo above is the first I snapped when I got up there.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 120 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/6.3, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Unrealistic
it was actually more amazing than this
facing south-west

(By the way, that's Kyoto Tower in the lower left, seen previously on my blog here, here, here, and here)

Some sunsets have a mesmerizing mix of reds, oranges, yellows, and a deep blue from the sky. Not this one. It had orange. Where it wasn't orange, it was overcast gray, and where it was orange, it was searing, deep, rich, monochromatic orange and nothing else.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/9, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bands of Color

Sadly, those oranges were completely out of the range of colors that my D700 could capture, and even more-so out of range than can fit into an sRGB color space, and super-duper wildly out of range of what a modern consumer monitor can display. As a result, these images likely appear, depending on your monitor, as a muddy mix of oranges, pinks, and yellows.

I've written about this “pushing bright colors toward white” problem that plagues digital image processing, and it certainly rears its ugly head here. There wasn't the slightest tinge of red, yellow, or pink in today's sunset – not the slightest – yet when I first excitedly loaded the images into Lightroom, they were all generally yellow instead of orange, with the brightest areas white instead of deeply rich (but bright) orange. The color channels were unevenly clipped, yielding a shift in this case from red to yellow, and eventually to white.

I ended up spending considerable time twiddling the develop dials in Lightroom to try to return the colors to reality, but in doing so, I had to lower the brightness of the entire scene so that all the color channels would no longer be clipped. The end result is that I get oranges that are as close as Lightroom my mid-level semi-pro Eizo monitor can produce, but the shadows are now much darker than they really were. Considering the unphotogenic nature of the cityscape view from my place, this darkening is perhaps a feature. 🙂

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 — ¹/400 sec, f/8, ISO 3200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Wispy and Finely Detailed

Portrait-Mode Desktop-Background Versions
1050×1680  ·  1200×1920  ·  1600×2560     

But then I take those mostly-okay colors that yield pretty dazzling pictures, and squeeze the life out of them by shoving them into the sRGB color space that is the de facto standard on the web, and further wring out and discard the last bit of amazement by viewing them on with the highly-limited color rendering of my MacBook LCD. Sigh. They appear muddy and splotchy.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 86 mm — ¹/250 sec, f/9, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos

Portrait-Mode Desktop-Background Versions
1050×1680  ·  1200×1920  ·  1600×2560     

Due to the way the sun was hitting the clouds from below (and often, shining through the wispy underside so that they sort of seemed to glow from within), the view was constantly shifting and changing.

The wave-like clouds in the next shot kept drawing my attention, but most of the detail is lost in these shots. Sigh again.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 110 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/2.8, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
Freaky Clouds

Basically, I'm at a loss on how to capture a scene like this.

I'm sure you're thinking that I created these vast fields of color (muddy or not) during post processing, and frankly, I don't blame you. I'd never believe that these nuclear-winter kinds of views could possibly be real if I hadn't seen it myself. It was a once-in-a-lifetime-(so far) event. I'll be 84 before I see another like it, if this rate holds.

It makes the last sunset I posted from my condo's fifth-floor walkway seem utterly pathetic.

Come to think of it, it makes every sunset I've ever posted seem pathetic, including this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and sunrises too: this, and this.

My scale for beautiful sunsets has been totally reset, but I still don't know how to photograph them even remotely well.

A close-up of some of the flowers on the altar at yesterday's nun ordination (or whatever becoming a nun is called)...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 150 mm — ¹/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 4500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Light as an Angel's Halo

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 190 mm — ¹/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 3200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Sister Yukari Saikawa
ordained a Catholic Nun today in Kyoto

My friend Britto's friend, Saikawa-san, was ordained a Catholic nun today, and I was invited to photograph the event. I always feel a bit iffy about using a camera during Mass, but I've done it a few times when it's been specifically allowed, such as when Anthony served mass for the first time, and when a friend's baby was baptized. Today went beyond “allowed” to “requested”, so I approached it with (an appropriately reserved) gusto.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/4, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bishop Prepares to Enter

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 125 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/3.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mass Starts

Just after the vows, she got a hug from a French-speaking lady that I assumed to be her mentor. I was unprepared for it and the best I could do was this 1/40th second shot (thank God for the VR lens)...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 120 mm — ¹/40 sec, f/3.2, ISO 3200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/250 sec, f/4.5, ISO 3200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Making it Official

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/200 sec, f/4, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Blessing from the Bishop

Later, just before Mass ended, a final blessing...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 140 mm — ¹/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/250 sec, f/3.2, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Post-Mass Photo Op

By the way, I know that “ordination” probably isn't the right word to use here, but I'm not sure what the word is when someone becomes a nun. In any case, you know what I mean when I use it, so I do.

Britto's wife and son, Antony, were there. Antony turned one year old on Friday, and looked absolutely adorable in his traditional Indian little-boy outfit. (I suspect that he would have looked equally adorable in anything... he was so cute I almost exploded.)

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 135 mm — ¹/250 sec, f/3.2, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Antony Solomon Britto
1 year 2 days old

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/3.2, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Antony and Mommy

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/5, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Anthony and “Uncle Thomas”
Kibune, Kyoto, Japan

Today was another day of overcast and occasional rain, like yesterday but much colder (10°C vs. 21°C). With my friend Thomas Hertel visiting from Germany, we headed into the mountains of northern Kyoto, to Kibune, where nature is always quite pretty. I've been there enough over the years that I have a Kibune category of posts on my blog.

Kibune has been a popular destination for over a thousand years (some of its story being told in my Kibune Shrine (sort of) post). It's famous these days mostly for the coolness it offers in Kyoto's oppressively hot summers, and for dining directly over the river, and nagashi soumen flowing noodles.

Today, we ate at the restaurant I always go to, Hirobun, and then walked up and down the narrow street a bit with the camera in tow.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/4.5, ISO 2000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Top of a Fence
covered in some kind of plant, and random fallen leaves
( although I have to admit to having adjusted the position of the red momiji for a more photogenic presentation )

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 40 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/4, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Fence, Lamp, and Tree

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/5, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Thomas Strolling in Kibune

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Potted Plant
also turns pretty colors in autumn

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/3.2, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Another Potted Plant

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 62 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/3.5, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Flower Growing from a Crack in a Wall

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 36 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bypassing Tight Physical Security

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 40 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/3.5, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Shrine Entrance

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/3.5, ISO 3600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bridge over the River
watching Anthony play at the water's edge below

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 62 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/3.5, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Cute Puppy Outside a Restaurant

We watched the puppy for a while trying to determine whether it was sleeping or fake, and after I had decided that it was a real dog sleeping, Thomas decided that it was fake. Thomas was right. It turns out that it was a Perfect Petzzz Pug.

Once it was revealed to be fake, Anthony had fun petting it, grooming it with the little brush, etc. It is really well done, and a smart move by the restaurant to place it there. I asked the lady whether it got them a lot of business, to which she said “yes.” I can understand why.

We actually got some snacks there, but I can't attribute it to the dog. We saw that they were selling dango on the walk down, so were intending to stop for some on the way back when we saw the dog.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/3.5, ISO 3600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Roasting the Dango

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/100 sec, f/3.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Dipping in Sauce
Soy sauce, sugar, and starch make for mitarashi dango

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 66 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/3.2, ISO 4500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Delivery

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 40 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hot
but tasty

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 60 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Enjoying Dango with Uncle Thomas

Continued here...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48 mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Thomas Hertel
near the Nanzen Temple, Kyoto Japan

An old friend from my days working at Omron in the early 90s visited Kyoto today. He's German and lives in Germany, and I hadn't seen him since he attended my wedding in Kyoto in 1998, where he was the only one to fly in from outside Japan. Along the same lines more than 10 years later, he took the opportunity of a business trip to Korea to pop over to Kyoto for the weekend, just in time for the start of some nice fall colors.

Unfortunately, the weather was dark and gloomy for much of the afternoon, with intermittent rain. By early dusk, we found ourselves at the Nanzen Temple, where the enveloping darkness made the though of taking pictures a joke. But I have my Nikon D700 with its amazing low-light performance, so I thought I'd snap a few shots and see how they came out. Most of these shots were taken at ISO 6400.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 5600 — map & image data — nearby photos
“Muddy Fire”

The answer is “mostly muddy”. The lamp in the shot above is in focus, but the thin depth of field resulting from the f/2.8 aperture – often a wonderful composition tool – leaves the fiery red leaves at the right out of focus, and hence a sloppy, muddy mess.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/25 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Carpet of Moss

The shot of Thomas that leads this post was taken in front of the entrance to what I believe is someone's house/garden. It was very pretty inside:

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 56 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 5000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Someone's Garden

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/3.5, ISO 3600 — map & image data — nearby photos

Anthony didn't care about the pretty leaves, of course. He really enjoyed pushing his bike up a slight slope, then riding back down at an unsafe speed.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/30 sec, f/3.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Savoring the Thrill

This is more representative of what we saw:

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — ¹/30 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Warp Level 7

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 50 mm — ¹/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 5600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Not Tilted
The temple walls are angled and tapered

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/80 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Refusing To Succumb to the Night

The tree in the photo above is part of a pair that are particularly vibrant, and they garner crowds of photographers every year because they're the prettiest trees around (at least within the nearest, oh, 50 yards or so). They appeared on my blog last year's Touch of Color from the Nanzen Temple post. Also, I think this sun-through-the-leaves shot is of the same pair.

Even in the mid-summer they look pretty. They're the trees on the right in this shot of Fumie and Anthony lighting incense.

Anthony, again, doesn't care. He's riding his bike....

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

This shot reminds me of one of my all-time favorites, taken from the same spot looking down the same path: “Pure Joy”

In the evening, Thomas and I went out for foods he remembered from his time in Japan 15+ years ago, okonomiyaki and yakisoba. It was most excellent. We talked over beers, and although we hadn't seen each other in 10 years, and we now have a wife and kids (he has girls ages 5 and 6), it felt like no time had passed.

We'll get together tomorrow as well, although the weather looks to be a bit iffy. We may head out to the Giouji Temple. He's been using this photo as his desktop background, and his coworkers have teased him that the white thing in the center is a mailbox, so he wants to go see what it is. I think it's a pathway light, but I'm not sure. We'll see...

Continued here...