Jeffrey E.F. Friedl's Blog, page 44

The Thrill of Japan’s Biggest Waterwheel

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/1000 sec, f/3.2, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

“Japan's Biggest Waterwheel”

whoop-de-do

at the Michinoku Hot Springs (みちのく温泉), Aomori Prefecture

While driving around the sparsely-populated coastal/mountain area of
western Aomori Prefecture at the northern end of Japan's main island
during a short family trip last week, in the middle of nowhere we suddenly
came across something billing itself as “Japan's largest waterwheel”.

It seemed at least a bit photogenic, so I stopped for a quick look.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/320 sec, f/3.2, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/500 sec, f/5, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

The tree in the lower left of the photo above hosted the “Dark, Brooding Camellia”
(乙女椿)
that I posed last week.

Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/4, ISO 400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

The “dark brooding” was because of an underexposure. A shot soon after was way overexposed, but I think I recovered something interesting(?) in Lightroom...

Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/160 sec, f/8, ISO 6400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Overexposed and Overprocessed

Eventually I got it right.

Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/8, ISO 1800 —
map & image data — nearby photos
Desktop-Background Versions

1280×800  ·  1680×1050  ·  1920×1200  ·  2560×1600  ·  2880×1800









Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/8, ISO 640 —
map & image data — nearby photos
Desktop-Background Versions

1280×800  ·  1680×1050  ·  1920×1200  ·  2560×1600  ·  2880×1800









Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/2000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

I suppose the one above is not the best example from the tree, but I was
still happy with some of the shots that I got. Then the other day my friend
Akiko posted some
camillia shots on her blog that put mine to shame. I've got to try
harder next time.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/640 sec, f/9, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Inside the Waterwheel

the wheel drives the chain descending at left

power split between up/down pounders at rear, and rice grinding in foreground








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Pounders

rotational energy lifts heavy beams, lets gravity drop them onto beans

It looks like they're making kinako, as we did at home years ago.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 720 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Business End

One could wander up to the top of the service building where the wheel's
axle came in. I didn't see a soul the whole time I was at the property, so
I hope it was okay that I went up. The view out the window was nice...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/9, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Missing a Lynchpin








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 26mm — 1/100 sec, f/9, ISO 6400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Looking Back Down








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 220 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Tea Room Next Door

also deserted








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/250 sec, f/9, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Wider View

I have no idea what the large concrete stairway structure is at left. I also had no idea at the time where the water came to drive the wheel, but
the base seemed improbably dry to be driven by a stream.

I eventually found a video showing the
wheel in action, but it was a disappointment because it seems that
water is pumped up a pipe to the top of the thing, then poured over it,
which means they use more energy to drive the wheel than they can get out
of the wheel, so it's all fake. I'd sort of hoped it was some real vestige
of years past.

Oh well.

In my search I also found that there were multiple places claiming “Japan's largest waterwheel”. I hadn't realized that
there was competition for the distinction.

Anyway, at least the cherry blossoms were nice.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 29mm — 1/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos








Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/11, ISO 3600 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Late-April Blossoms

several weeks later than Kyoto

In Case You Weren’t Fully Aware of Just How Stupid I Am…

Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/80 sec, f/2, ISO 1000 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Waiting

Kendo master next in line for his match

If you don't know me personally you may not have a good grasp of just how stupid I am, but today's story
should fill you in plenty.

Online reviews for Sigma's new 50mm f/1.4 “Art” lens have been universal
in praise for its quality without respect to price, made all the more
amazing that its price is ¼ that of lenses of comparable quality.
I've not had good luck with Sigma in years past (as reported here and here), but all the
stellar reviews made me give them another try.

Yesterday I ordered it on Amazon Japan, and it arrived today just as I
was about to head out to photograph some kendo (“Japanese
fencing”). It wasn't the best focal length for the situation, but I used it here and there throughout the day.

Prior to loading photos into Lightroom I have to pre-process the files to fill in missing lens details that
Lightroom doesn't let me edit after the fact, such as replacing the
“0.0 mm f/0.0”
that the camera puts for my favorite non-CPU lens with a more descriptive
“Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5”.
With the new 50mm lens, I wanted a full description so as to differentiate it from other 50mm lenses
I might use, so I needed to update my pre-processing program to fill in something like “Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM”.

Updating my program to handle the new lens involves finding out exactly what data the camera writes for it,
then mapping that to whatever I want to change.

It's at this point in the process (after ordering the lens the previous
day, receiving it today, testing it, and then using it throughout the day)
that I realized I'd ordered and received the 35mm version, not the 50mm
version.

Doh!

Dark, Brooding Camellia

Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/800 sec, f/2.5, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Brooding Beauty

straight out of the camera
Desktop-Background Versions

1280×800  ·  1680×1050  ·  1920×1200  ·  2560×1600  ·  2880×1800

It's been a busy week. As I mentioned in my
previous post, we took a weekend trip to Aomori in the far north of Japan's
main island, and on the way home I came down with a cold. I'm finally feeling better today.

While driving around the mountainous coast of the far northwest corner
of Japan's main island, I came across a tree full of beautiful Japanese
camellia (otometsubaki · 乙女椿). They're not difficult to find, but
pristine examples within easy reach and not molested by wind are a bit more
difficult. I've gotten decent photos on only one other occasion, mentioned in
“An Amazing Day of Photography at Some Eastern-Kyoto Temples”
and in a followup some time later.

I haven't gone through the photos from the Aomori trip yet, but this one caught my eye while loading them into Lightroom.
Maybe the bokeh isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I like this kind
of shot so much (the sharp edge of the petals diffusing away into a milky blur) that I lead my blog post
about
the lens that took it with a similar shot taken that first time I got nice photos of a camellia.

The flower is remarkably beautiful in a Disney princess kind of way, but
this shot is dark and brooding because it's underexposed, because I was
stuck trying a new kind of lens CPU that gives the same
wildly-erratic exposure problems that the first kind of lens CPU
that I tired gave me. Sigh.

Anyway, I set the proper white balance, and applied the slight crop
needed to make this desktop-background version, and here we go. Otherwise,
it's just as imported into Lightroom.

I have a bazillion other photos of the same flower, so I'm sure at least
a couple more will find there way to my blog sooner or later.

Dark, Brooding Camelia

Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/800 sec, f/2.5, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Brooding Beauty

straight out of the camera
Desktop-Background Versions

1280×800  ·  1680×1050  ·  1920×1200  ·  2560×1600  ·  2880×1800

It's been a busy week. As I mentioned in my
previous post, we took a weekend trip to Aomori in the far north of Japan's
main island, and on the way home I came down with a cold. I'm finally feeling better today.

While driving around the mountainous coast of the far northwest corner
of Japan's main island, I came across a tree full of beautiful Japanese
camelia (otometsubaki · 乙女椿). They're not difficult to find, but
pristine examples within easy reach and not molested by wind are a bit more
difficult. I've gotten decent photos on only one other occasion, mentioned in
“An Amazing Day of Photography at Some Eastern-Kyoto Temples”
and in a followup some time later.

I haven't gone through the photos from the Aomori trip yet, but this one caught my eye while loading them into Lightroom.
Maybe the bokeh isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I like this kind
of shot so much (the sharp edge of the petals diffusing away into a milky blur) that I lead my blog post
about
the lens that took it with a similar shot taken that first time I got nice photos of a camelia.

The flower is remarkably beautiful in a Disney princess kind of way, but
this shot is dark and brooding because it's underexposed, because I was
stuck trying a new kind of lens CPU that gives the same
wildly-erratic exposure problems that the first kind of lens CPU
that I tired gave me. Sigh.

Anyway, I set the proper white balance, and applied the slight crop
needed to make this desktop-background version, and here we go. Otherwise,
it's just as imported into Lightroom.

I have a bazillion other photos of the same flower, so I'm sure at least
a couple more will find there way to my blog sooner or later.

Not Recommended: Best Western Newcity Hirosaki (Hirosaki, Japan)

We're on a short family trip to Hirosaki (弘前) at the northern end of the main Japanese island of Honshu. It's cold enough up here that their cherry blossoms are three or four weeks later than in Kyoto, and are now at their peak.
There's also snow still on the ground in some shaded areas, despite being well into the 70s (~25C).

Our hotel is the Best Western Hotel
Newcity Hirosaki, and I don't recommend it if moronic policies bother
you. It's hot and muggy, but the room “air conditioner” works only as a
heater until May 1st, after which it will work only as a cooler. These
dates are set in stone in their policy, despite the fact that Mother Nature
almost certainly has not gotten the memo.

True, it's unusually hot for this time of year; on a normal year, you'll
be toasty until May 1st after which you freeze until spring catches up. The normal year is as imbecilic as this, just in the reverse order.

It mirrors a particular Japanese fetish with the changing seasons
whereby uniforms (worn by school children, factory workers, etc.) switch
from the winter version to the summer version on April 1st, regardless of
the actual weather. There are many things that I love about Japan, but mindless stupidity
is not among them.

When I called the front desk of the Best Western to ask about how to get
the cooler running, the lady suggested that I open the window. I wasn't
looking forward to bugs flying in on a hot muggy night, so I asked to
borrow a room fan. They didn't have any.

Sigh. So, I opened the window and was greeted to nonstop pop music
blasting from low-quality outside speakers at a game center across the
street. The music likely can't be heard inside... its only purpose, it
seems, is ostensibly to attract folks who want to enter a gaming
establishment through a gauntlet of low-fidelity pop music. Maddening.

It's almost 10pm. I hope they shut it off soon.

Just a Lighting Test Shot, but it Looks like an Advertisement

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — 1/125 sec, f/8, ISO 800 —
image data

Lighting Test Shot

ストロボの設定の試し一枚目

入学式から帰って来た疲れた晏人をヘルパーに使わせていただきました。

Setting up a bunch of flash units in the living room to take pictures of
Fumie in her costume for her recent part in her ballet school's production
of The Nutcracker, I asked Anthony to step in so that I could take a
test shot to gauge the initial flash settings I'd guessed at. He'd just come home
from a short day at school and wanted to relax with his ice-cream snack,
so he wasn't really in the mood to be a prop.

I was happy that I'd at least landed in the ballpark for the settings
(they were a bit hot), but this kind of slightly washed out “high key”
look, combined with his ice cream and his general look, make this look
like it could be an advertisement for the clothes he was wearing.

He was wearing sort of nicer clothes in honor of the special
ceremony for the new batch of first graders starting school that day, a very
big event in their life, as it was for Anthony five years ago when Anthony started
school. On this special day, only the sixth graders attend (2nd through
5th have a day off) to welcome the new kids, and while some of the sixth
graders get special
helping tasks, for the most part the sixth graders just wait around on
their feet, so he was pretty tired by the time he got home.

Shirahama Trip Day 2: Adventure World

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Gimme a Little Kiss

チュッ！

at Adventure World in Shirahama, Japan

白浜のアドベンチャーワールド

After day 1 of our
weekend trip to Shirahama Japan we debated on what to do for the second
day before making the three-hour drive home to Kyoto that evening. The area is known for having pandas, but I'm not a big fan of zoos so I didn't really
want to go. (I've lived a 5-minute walk from the Kyoto City Zoo for 10
years, and have been only twice.) But Anthony wanted to see the pandas, so
off to “Adventure World” we went.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/640 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Signs Above the Entrances:

“FEEL NATURE”    ·   “for Your emotion”










Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Apparently Not a Zoo

動物園ではない雰囲気

Upon walking in it was clear it wasn't a normal zoo, with the entrance hall being highly evocative of
Tokyo Disneyland, but the penguins quickly made it apparent that it was
more than a normal amusement park:

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 220 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Penguins

in what feels like a mall fountain

ペンギンたち








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/800 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Flamingos

“caged” by a few planters and a piece of string

フラミンゴたち

There were various colorful birds like cockatoos on trees inside without
any kind of barrier or restraint (except clipped wings, I suppose), so it
felt like you were very much “with” them, as opposed to looking in at them
from behind a fence. This was the theme for much of the wildlife at
Adventure World, and we loved it.

Like everywhere in Shirahama, they played up the whole “panda” thing...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38mm — 1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Panda-Hat Photo Opp Service

パンダ帽子の撮影場

Of course, what sets this place apart from everywhere else is that they
have real pandas as well, but we'd not come across them yet.

We next came across some penned animals like camels, horses, sheep, llama, and in this next pic, a pair of alpaca...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 34mm — 1/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Approaching with Extreme Caution

the little square sign hanging on the bigger one says “beware of spit”

つばに注意のアルパカ

Even these penned animals were more approachable than in a zoo (you could touch them if you had the guts to get
spit on or bitten). Basically, rather than fences and cages, this place
maintained human and animal safety by allowing nature's own sense of self
preservation to work.

The only disappointment was an American Bald
Eagle in a fenced in area the size of a small bathroom, with no room for anything resembling
flight. I can only hope they let him out from
time to time to spread his wings.

We eventually came to the rides area, which we were disappointed cost an extra $20/person on top of the $50/per we'd already paid. But let me tell you we got our money's worth, because a light sprinkle kept the crowds away, and we never had to wait for a ride. Ever.

Anthony was most interested in the little carts one could drive:

iPhone 4S + iPhone 4S back camera 4.28mm f/2.4 at an effective 35mm — 1/180 sec, f/2.4, ISO 50 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Entering a Two-Seater

最初のは二人乗り、パパの運転

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl








iPhone 4S + iPhone 4S back camera 4.28mm f/2.4 at an effective 35mm — 1/680 sec, f/2.4, ISO 50 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Three Minutes Later

三分後

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl

Once I'd taken him around in the two-seater, he was ready to try one all by himself.

iPhone 4S + iPhone 4S back camera 4.28mm f/2.4 at an effective 67mm — 1/390 sec, f/2.4, ISO 50 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Total Control

一人乗り、自分で運転。生まれたから初めて！

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl

He's always loved these kinds of things (such as when
he was six
and again when
he was seven), but this was the first time he had
total control all by himself.

iPhone 4S + iPhone 4S back camera 4.28mm f/2.4 at an effective 67mm — 1/430 sec, f/2.4, ISO 50 —
map & image data — nearby photos

It Was so Fun!

楽しかった！

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl

Unlike the one at Disneyland, these had no rails... you just drove and
hopefully kept it on the road, and hopefully didn't go backward, etc. They
didn't go all too fast, but fast enough that on the wet pavement with a bit
of skill you could do a power skid to a full 90-degree right angle.

Normally if you wanted to make another run you'd have to get in line and
wait, but there was no line. Ever. We did it 10+ times.

Here's a scene of other folks in the carts that I took later, just to give some context...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48mm — 1/200 sec, f/6.3, ISO 400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Part of the Course

コースの一部分

All but the biggest roller coaster were closed for the rain, but the biggest one was open so I went. The light rain stung my eyes a bit, but it wasn't too bad, nor too scary. Anthony was reluctant, but I finally
convinced him to go. He survived, but once was enough for him.

There was a large area with lots of free-ranging fowl of various types...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/640 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Poor Duckys

easy targets for toddlers








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 250 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Up Close and Personal








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

More Flamingos








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Exotic “Sea Urchin Head” Birds








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/3.2, ISO 320 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Bashful

恥ずかしがり

Thanks to a comment by Mike Pedde on Google Plus, I now know that these are
Gray Crowned Cranes from Africa
(アフリカのホオジロカンムリヅル).

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 —
map & image data — nearby photos

In Profile








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 360 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Looks Can Be Deceiving

脅威な雰囲気(ではない，実は）

In the photo above, the bird's head is at a slightly-different angle than in this
picture that I posted the other day, but the visual impact of that
slight change is huge, creating quite the menacing look. It was a look that
wasn't actually there, but instead was created by the camera as it froze a
passing moment as the bird moved his head lazily, paying not much attention
to me but perhaps showing a bit of curiosity about the camera for a few
moments.

Later we had the luck to come across the hippo during his daily feeding,
where we could throw pingpong-sized grass pellets into his well-trained mouth....

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/400 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Feeding Time

えさをあげる








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 52mm — 1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Sticking Out His Rather-Substantial Tongue

as a trick to please his food-offering fans

ベーっ！

The amount of blubber in and around his mouth was substantial, perhaps
exceeded only by the vast amount of saliva and goo, as the lead photo of
this post might hint. The young couple in upscale dress who fed him right
after me got somewhat of a goo/saliva shower as he rather actively
slobbered down the grass pellet. I was lucky to have dogged that
bullet.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 40mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 450 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Humongous

yet relatively small, at only about 4,400 lbs

どでかい

約2000kg

He seemed jolly and docile, so I was surprised to read on Wikipedia that hippos
can be very aggressive, and they can run extremely fast (and could easily beat Usain Bolt in a 100m race).

And finally, there were pandas. This one was totally enjoying a bamboo snack...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 56mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 640 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Glutton

大食漢のパンダ

This guy was spralled on his back enjoying his bamboo snack, peeling off
its outside layer and crunching on the pithy inside. When he was done with
one stalk, he'd reach over for another like an armchair quarterback making
the effort to reach for another beer. Touchdown.

The rain had picked up a bit by this time. We had him to ourselves.

iPhone 5s + iPhone 5s back camera 4.12mm f/2.2 at an effective 30mm — 1/350 sec, f/2.2, ISO 32 —
map & image data — nearby photos

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl

Pandas are, of course, bears with big teeth and claws, so this was one
of the only places where you were physically kept separate from the animal,
and the animal from you. With the hippo, for example, it was only your own
sense of disgust and desire to retain your arm that kept you from thrusting
it down the hippos throat. You could ride on the elephant, and pluck a
peacock's feathers. It was much nicer than a zoo. (Monkeys were also separated, as well as the
aforementioned eagle.)

The exit was, of course, through the giftshop.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/6.3, ISO 2000 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Lots of Pandas








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/4.5, ISO 1600 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Another Try with This Shot

I'd posted a B&W version of this shot here, but something
doesn't seem quite right about it. When I took the shot I had B&W in my
mind as obvious, due to the panda faces of course, but it feels forced.
This color one feels better. (I think he looks cute, of course, but Fumie is
less enamored with this shot than I.)

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Faces








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 42mm — 1/200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

“Puffy”

one of the three stuffed pandas now gracing Anthony's bed

It was a surprisingly fun day. Three hours later we were home.

Weekend in Shirahama, Japan: Day 1

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/1600 sec, f/4, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Kickin' Back

at Senjojiki, Shirahama Japan (白浜の千畳敷)

この間、週末の旅行でパンダが多い白浜(和歌山県)に行きました。

As I mentioned the
other day, we took a short weekend trip to Shirahama (白浜), in
Wakayama Prefecture a three-hour drive south from Kyoto. We left on Friday
after Anthony got home from school, so arrived late in the evening, giving us all of Saturday
and most of Sunday to enjoy the area.

We had a nice hybrid Western/Japanese room at Hotel Laforet....

iPhone 5s @ 4.12mm f/2.2 at an effective 30mm — 1/30 sec, f/2.2, ISO 125 —
map & image data — nearby photos

if it weren't the middle of the night, the view would be of the ocean

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 58mm — 1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 220 —
map & image data — nearby photos

It's All About the Pandas

in the lobby at Hotel Laforet

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl

The area is known for its small white-sand beach, and for having pandas
(in what I assumed was a zoo, but as we'll see in a later post, the pandas
are at an amusement/nature park). It was cute to see panda paraphernalia everywhere, starting
with the lobby of the hotel on Saturday morning.

What we didn't see were other customers. The hotel was 11 floors, but on
Saturday morning the place seemed deserted; we didn't see anyone except a few staff.
It was eerie.

(It turns out that it filled up quickly later in the day, after thecheck-in time.)

Our first order of business in the morning was to stroll down to the
beach, which is actually named Shirarahama (白良浜,
literally “white good beach”), though the town it's located in
is named Shirahama (白浜, literally “white
beach”).

iPhone 5s @ 4.12mm f/2.2 at an effective 30mm — 1/4000 sec, f/2.2, ISO 40 —
map & image data — nearby photos

at Shirarahama Beach (白良浜)

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/6400 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/500 sec, f/11, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Very White, Very Clean

very empty, but it's not that way during the summer

The last time I was at this beach was 20+ years ago, when I spent a weekend with a metal detector scooping up 500-yen ($5) coins.
During the morning it was as empty as seen in these photos, but during the day during the summer it was a solid carpet of people.

For lunch we stopped by a place for sushi that Fumie had seen in a guidebook.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/4, ISO 2200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Hand Delivered Egg “Sushi”

at Sushi Kozushi (幸鮨)

It was lucky that I didn't realize at first that this was a real
sushi place, meaning pretty expensive. I'd asked Fumie to order for us
all, so I didn't realize at first that no prices were displayed anywhere,
but when we got our first sushi the taste told me that this was a really
high-quality place, so I steeled myself for the bill.

It turns out to have been about $100 for the three of us, which is
certainly pricey for a lunch(!), but I suppose it's much less than
something comparable would have been in Kyoto. I think it was my first time
at such a high-class sushi place. It was delicious, especially early on
when I didn't think about the price.

After lunch we made a short drive to a seaside place called
Senjojiki (千畳敷), a name that means something along the lines of
“spread out over a bazillion room's worth of area”. It turns out to have
been an amazing area of many different kinds of rock formations all in one
much-smaller-than-a-bazillion compact area...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/800 sec, f/6.3, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos










Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/1000 sec, f/4, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Refreshingly Dangerous

The modern world, both in Japan and America, seems to have gotten so
regulated and controlled so as to remove even the slightest risk of injury
or of having fun, lest, I suppose, someone sue.
So it was refreshing that at this place there
were no guardrails, no ropes, no handrails, no “don't have fun”
signs. You were responsible for yourself, and if
you did something stupid you would likely die or maim yourself. I'm a big believer that personal responsibility should
be personal, so I really enjoyed the freedom to
explore to the limits of my own sense of responsibility. We lived.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 32mm — 1/800 sec, f/5, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos








iPhone 5s @ 4.12mm f/2.2 at an effective 30mm — 1/1400 sec, f/2.2, ISO 32 —
map & image data — nearby photos

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl










iPhone 5s @ 4.12mm f/2.2 at an effective 30mm — 1/2900 sec, f/2.2, ISO 40 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Optical Illusion

we're actually way way above the water

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/1250 sec, f/5, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

The Photo

that I was taking in “Optical Illusion” above

In some areas the rocks were very stratified into highly distinct layers. I seem to have been unable to capture
it in a photo well, but you can sort of see a bit in the next photo, where a thin layer of gravel-strewn rock runs near the top of the frame:

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 29mm cropped — 1/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Layered

Some layers were just a few inches thick, some a foot thick, but the
passage of time was clear and the abrupt changes in composition brought to
mind cataclysmic events (volcanoes, tidal waves, earthquakes, etc.). One thing I never did notice in the 50+ meters of vertical layers were shells,
so I guessed that this area had never been below sea level.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Exploring
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions



1050×1680  ·  1200×1920  ·  1600×2560








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/2500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Finally Close to Sea Level








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 40mm — 1/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Bowl of Salt

Above the tidal line were “bowls” encrusted with a thick layer of salt. I'm guessing that sea water is blown in infrequently during storms,
then evaporates and leaves the salt behind.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Others Playing








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

More Exploring








iPhone 5s @ 4.12mm f/2.2 at an effective 30mm — 1/950 sec, f/2.2, ISO 32 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Investigating Intertidal Life Forms

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Some Kind Of Something

hard-shelled muscle/clamish thing evocative of a Trilobite








iPhone 5s @ 4.12mm f/2.2 at an effective 30mm — 1/4000 sec, f/2.2, ISO 40 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Kings of the World

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl









Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/4000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Gaps are Meant to be Bridged

it was a pretty wide gap, but he made it with 10cm to spare
Desktop-Background Versions

1280×800  ·  1680×1050  ·  1920×1200  ·  2560×1600  ·  2880×1800








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Red Straight Rock

Yet just a few seconds away...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 58mm — 1/4000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Creamy-Smooth Cream-Colored Rock

feels otherworldly








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/320 sec, f/9, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Wishing He Could Skateboard Here








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 62mm — 1/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Rock That Looks Like Wood

We really enjoyed the area, and it was the highlight of the day.

We then took a leisurely drive along the coast without much of a
destination, but at some point I noticed on the car navigation system that
a kilometer or so inland was a “Kinkakuji Temple” (金閣寺). The famous “Golden Pavilion” temple
in Kyoto has that name, so I thought it'd be interesting to see what this
temple with the same name looked like.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/160 sec, f/9, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Outside the Gate

the Kinkakuji Temple (金閣寺)

in Shirahama Japan, not the one in Kyoto

Unfortunately, it was closed for some kind of construction. It seemed deserted.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/9, ISO 220 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Looks Promising

The Kongorikishi guardians flanking the entrance (described here)
were wood-relief carvings instead of statutes carved from wood. I'd never seen that before. Too bad it was closed... the map showed lakes and such
inside.

We continued our drive and ended up at a big orange something sticking
out of the mountain, something we'd seen and wondered about from the
hotel...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 40mm — 1/160 sec, f/10, ISO 500 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Big Orange Thing 2000' Long

It turns out that it's to support landing lights for the local airport, which seems to have been carved out of the mountains:

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 32mm — 1/125 sec, f/10, ISO 400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Mountain Airport

Nanki-Shirahama Airport  ·  南紀白浜空港

The hotel had a ping-pong table we could rent, which Anthony was excited to try...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 36mm — 1/160 sec, f/5, ISO 2000 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Ping-Pong for the First Time

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 36mm — 1/160 sec, f/5, ISO 2800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Surprisingly Good!

for his first time

photo by Fumie Matsunaka Friedl

I couldn't let him get too full of himself, so of course I had to crush him with a powerful slam from time to time. Proper parenting, you know.

The hotel has huge onsen
baths on the 11th floor, separated by gender, but you could rent a
private “family bath” for 50 minutes, which we did...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/5, ISO 4000 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Private Bath

家族のお風呂。５０分は２千円位。よかった。

We'd scheduled it for sunset hoping for a nice display, but it was overcast so sunset was entirely
uneventful. But the bath was nice.

For dinner we ate in the overpriced-but-surprisingly-tasty hotel restaurant, and went to bed early
so as to be fresh for Day Two.

To be continued...

Quick Update: Visit To Shirahama, a Minor Heart Arrhythmia, and the End of Lent

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/4.5, ISO 1600 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Lots of Pandas

in Shirahama, Japan

白浜ではパンダが多い








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/8000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

A White Beach

Shirarahama Beach (白良浜)

Shirahama, Japan

白浜のベーチは白いですね








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Up Close and Personal

some bird at Adventure World

Shirahama Japan

It's been an active week since my last post. We spent a nice weekend in Shirahama, a three-hour drive from Kyoto,
about which I'll post more later.

Upon our return, Anthony promptly got a cold and I had my first
heart-arrhythmia episode in 20 months. Like
last time the Sunrythm I took at home
didn't work, but unlike last time they decided not to shock me back into a regular rhythm. Rather, the doc gave me a different drug
in the same class
(Flecainide, sold in Japan as
タンボコール) with instructions that
I should return if it didn't help within seven days. I was back in normal rhythm in about an hour.

So, we're all back on our feet, and I'm back to my normal life feeling
overwhelmed with photography and Lightroom plugin work. But I've got a
great weekend to look forward to: I gave up alcohol and desserts for Lent,
but it ends after Mass on Saturday evening, so I'll visit some photography
friends soon after for an evening of drinks and warm conversation.

A Few Cold/Blustery/Rainy Cherry-Blossom Pics from Southern Kyoto

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Canopy of Blossoms

near the Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine (長岡天満宮)

Nagaokakyo city, southern Kyoto, Japan

Fumie had a ballet performance this weekend down in Nagaokakyo City, and
I had some hours to kill after dropping her off for the pre-performance
rehearsal, so I met up with some friends to visit some local sites with the
camera.

この間の日曜日、長岡京市の桜を見に行きました。雨と風の間にちょっぴり撮影できました。

The weather was unpleasant (cold, rainy, and windy), but there was a brief respite just as I was arriving.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/800 sec, f/2.2, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Lakefront Lane

immediately parallel to the “canopy” lane seen in the first photo
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions



1050×1680  ·  1200×1920  ·  1600×2560








Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/1000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Nice Pink Tinge
Desktop-Background Versions

1280×800  ·  1680×1050  ·  1920×1200  ·  2560×1600  ·  2880×1800








Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/800 sec, f/2.5, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Morning Stretch









Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 42mm — 1/2500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Feeding the Birds

The little lake between the road and the shrine has a series of
boardwalks on it, and it seems that they were all recently rebuilt with
bare wood....

Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/11, ISO 720 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Bare Wood

I'd think it'd look better with some nice stain, but perhaps they'll let
nature do that over time. For reference, here's what it looked like a year
and a half ago:

Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/640 sec, f/2.5, ISO 250 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Sep 2012

18ヶ月前、再工事の前

It was cold and the rain was increasing, so didn't spend much time
around the actual shrine complex. But for reference, this is the location
where I shot “Cute Little Melodrama in Five Photos” a couple of years
ago.

We took a couple of hours for a long early lunch to escape the weather,
during which the rain mostly stopped, so we headed into the mountains for
15 minutes to check out the Yokokuji Temple (楊谷寺) that we'd seen on the
map.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/320 sec, f/8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Impressive Kura (Fireproof Storage Building)

Yokokuji Temple (楊谷寺)









Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/5, ISO 360 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Typical Country Temple Scene

behind the main building on a path leading up the mountain

This temple doesn't have a lot of cherry trees, so it wasn't the prime
time for its foliage. I suspect it'd be wonderful
in the summer and awesome in the fall. But I
liked it nevertheless due to its simple authenticity. It exists to serve the locals, and as such is not a tourist destination. In fact, we were the only people
there.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 280 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Dragon-Spout Detail

I presume water comes from his mouth at times

There were two paths up the mountain to a sub temple, one of which was a set of covered stairs. We took that path down.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

About to Head Down









Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 560 —
map & image data — nearby photos

First Leg Down








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 720 —
map & image data — nearby photos

From Inside








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/7.1, ISO 6400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Cascading Down








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/7.1, ISO 640 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Nearing the Bottom








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/400 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Back Garden

of the main temple

( not pretty now, but should be wonderful in summer )








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 26mm — 1/640 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Another Steep Walkway

coming from the building in the background

We eventually returned to the cherry blossoms of the first place we were
at, and although the rain had stopped, the wind had picked up considerably
to frozen gusts that sliced right through you, so I didn't use the camera
again, and was happy when I could retreat to the comfort of the concert
hall and Fumie's performance in The Nutcracker.