Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 31mm — 1/60 sec, f/3.2, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Semper Fidelis
I've got a cold (yuck), so I'm dipping into my archive of “blog about someday” pics for some low-hanging easy-to-post fruit.
This lock was on the door of a bell tower deep in the mountains on the rear grounds of the Nanzen Temple (Kyoto, Japan). It took it last summer while walking around with friends KFC and Verena while they were in town. It was the same trip where Anthony inspected a butterfly.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/25 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — full exif
“I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you”
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — 1/100 sec, f/4.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Approaching Takeoff
As I mentioned on my Amami Islands post, it was really really really windy for the first few days of our New-Year's visit to Amami Island (奄美大島) in the East China Sea in the far south of Japan. The airport is near the Kasari-cho area (the north-east part of the island) where Fumie's grandmother lived until a teenager, and in exploring that area after we arrived, we found ourselves at a deserted lighthouse at the most northern tip of the island.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 20mm — 1/200 sec, f/4.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
View from the End of the Road
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Whipping Wind
I don't suppose that the picture above really shows the whipping wind very well, but it was truly impressive. There weren't the torrential rains and crazy-large waves as with a typhoon... it was just really really REALLY windy, and you could watch the wind carve ever-changing patterns on the surface of the slow-moving (relatively speaking) waves.
The wind wasn't particularly gusty... it was just there, like sticking your head out the window of a car. A really fast car.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Most-Northern Outcrop
as seen from outside the lighthouse
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — 1/160 sec, f/4.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Looking Back Toward the Car
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — 1/100 sec, f/4.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Daisies in the Wind
The little two-story lighthouse building had a walkaround on the outside. The pictures of me leaning into the wind were taken by Fumie while she was standing in the (relatively) calm southern side protected by the building. Besides offering the ability for Fumie to stand unassisted, that location also offered the largest area for us to take a picture in.
Walking forward (North) from where I am standing in the picture was a considerable task without the aid of the little concrete wall. But the worst wind – far far stronger than where I'm standing in the pictures – was at the next corner of the building 20 feet in front of me. It's at a point where the wind is rushing up the side of the cliff from the ocean and pounding directly into the face of the lighthouse, thereby getting forced at molten speeds around that edge. When I tried to make my way around that little corner of the walkway, the wind got under my eyelids in the same way you see it puffing out the jacket in the first picture above. I felt as if I were sitting on the wing of a jet at 30,000 feet.
The extremely odd (and fairly painful) feeling of wind under your eyelid aside, the whole visit was really fun.
As we were leaving it started to rain, which turned “really fun” into “really awful”, but once we proceeded a few steps down the path from the lighthouse, the wind was less of a physical danger and we could get back to the car pretty quickly, especially with Anthony going piggy-back on me (while I held onto his shoes, lest the wind take them: that was a real concern that we discovered moments after the last picture above was taken).
I mentioned yesterday that Anthony had received some train stuff for Christmas. From Santa, he received the Tomy PlayRail Twin Tower Train Station that he'd petitioned Santa for, and from Mommy and Daddy he received various sets of extra track, bridges, and the like. All this added to the little PlayRail Automatic Train Transfer Station that he picked out when he turned five in October.
He'd really been hoping for the twin-tower station, and when it came to opening the last present – the present from Santa – he saw what it was with the first tear of the wrapping. He immediately bolted up and moved away to start a celebration that would put a touchdown-scoring pro football player to shame....
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 20mm — 1/80 sec, f/2.8, ISO 640 — full exif
It's Just What I Wanted!
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 20mm — 1/60 sec, f/2.8, ISO 640 — full exif
Hang Time for Joy
( originally appearing at the end of my Christmas post )
After a while, the jumping ended and he moved back to finish actually unwrapping the thing.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 28mm — 1/80 sec, f/2.8, ISO 640 — full exif
Admiration. Appreciation. Love.
Later, it was time to put it together, and build a track...
We've made more and more complex tracks since. The one on the living-room floor since yesterday has three levels, four tracks running through the “Twin Tower Station”, ramps, splits and joins, turn-arounds, and a lot of fun. I enjoy coming up with an interesting layout then watching him play with it.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 26mm — 1/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — full exif
Ramps, Curves, Splits, and Fun
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 28mm — 1/80 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — full exif
Busy Day at the Trainyards
Anthony told me that this crash happened by itself because one of the trains was faster than the other, causing a rear-end derailment just as they were about to enter the tunnel. The third train then rear-ended the first two, creating the pileup you see here. The gleam in his eye, though, makes me suspect something slightly more five-year-old-boy-ish is behind things.
Clearly, this disaster was the time to call out the cavalry, so his helicopter brought in a rescue man....
The “rescue man” looks to be related to the guy in the last photo on this “heavy industries” post.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/350 sec, f/3.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Anthony Serving his First Mass
Anthony served at Mass for the first time today, at a Mass said by Fr. Graham McDonnell, who says an English Mass once a month at the Catholic church we attend (the Kyoto Kawaramachi Cathedral, which is the same church that I got married in almost 10 years ago).
Anthony had been begging to do it for months, but it took until today until our schedule matched up with Fr. McDonnell's, so by the time we got there, he was quite excited.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 30mm — 1/45 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Excited About Finally Starting
Jimazaki-san (one of the parish office workers) had to scrounge around for a cassock in Anthony's size. She and Fr. McDonnell then got Anthony all set up...
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/45 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Getting Dressed
We'd arrived early so that Fr. McDonnell could take Anthony out to the altar and give some basic instructions so Anthony would know what to expect. It was a lot of information in a short time, and I'm sure that Anthony was totally bewildered, but he tried to follow along like a trooper.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/350 sec, f/2.8, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Attentive
One of the tasks for the altar boys here is to light a candle before the Gospel is read. Anthony had never touched a match before, so Fr. McDonnell tried to show him how to do it.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/350 sec, f/4, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Demonstrations in Pyrotechnics
It proved too difficult a task in the little time allowed, so Father figured a way around Anthony having to do it.
Later, Father was instructing Anthony in some of his tasks that I wouldn't be able to see during the actual Mass, so I took the opportunity to get a better angle on the goings on behind the altar...
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lotsa Stuff To Do
Father said that I could take whatever pictures I liked during Mass, but I felt that I should exercise a least some restraint, so I didn't employ my normal “carpet bombing” photographic technique. Still, I did get a few well-timed shots.
Anthony's friend Joe was there also, so luckily, Anthony didn't have to go it alone on his first time. Joe is three months older than Anthony, but has been serving Mass since his sister's baptism six months ago, so he's an old pro at it.
When Mass started and Anthony was on the altar looking out at the no-longer empty congregation, he was clearly a bit nervous about what he'd gotten himself into....
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 80mm — 1/350 sec, f/3.5, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Out Comes the Tongue
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 130mm — 1/640 sec, f/3.5, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Just a Tad Nervous
He did an excellent job, without all the fidgeting that accompanied the many times I served as a kid.
The candle-lighting problem was solved by leaving the candles to be lit near the priest's chair, and him lighting them. (At 80 years old, Fr. McDonnell understandably prefers not having to run around the altar too much). After being lit, the kids were then to carry the candles over to the lectern. I liked this picture of them picking up the candles.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 34mm — 1/350 sec, f/4, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Rule #1: Do Not Ignite Hair
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/200 sec, f/2, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Just Tall Enough To See
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 26mm — 1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
The boys stood in one place (shown above) during much of the Eucharistic Prayer, which is a tall order for two five-year-old boys. At one point, Joe idly placed one foot on the step above for a moment. Anthony noticed this, and was unsure whether it was something he was supposed to duplicate, so he tentatively did the same while keeping a close eye on Joe...
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 38mm — 1/250 sec, f/3.5, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Following In his Footstep
I thought the moment was adorable, as was the whole thing.
When Mass was over, I made sure Anthony knew how proud I was of him, and thanked Joe for being such a great lead in helping show Anthony what to do.
Anthony and I came home and spent much of the afternoon playing with the train stuff he got for Christmas (that added to what he got for his birthday), which is another story in itself...