Comments on: Japan Photo of the Week: Himeji Castle Sakura http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/14/japan-photo-of-the-week-himeji-castle-sakura/ Japan News Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:17:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steve Nordquist http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/14/japan-photo-of-the-week-himeji-castle-sakura/comment-page-1/#comment-36270 Steve Nordquist Mon, 16 Apr 2007 04:13:39 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1563#comment-36270 Darn fine photo right where and how you took it. (28mm! Oh well; worked.) I would have supposed it polite to take it in 2 shots, given that it's a digicam shot, with a person in the frame who can be digitally removed by combining the unobscured portions of the photos. But perhaps your camera makes hideous KA-CHIRRRRR! courtesy noises and you were avoiding archers from the castle parapets the whole time. Boy, you don't want a shot of spring fever ruined by a gimmick arrow; cornsyrup all over. Worse you'd have had to swap lenses for the money shot. Those blossoms have the added bonus of helping people wait to look for volunteer vegetables and herbs, too.... Darn fine photo right where and how you took it. (28mm! Oh well; worked.)
I would have supposed it polite to take it in 2 shots, given that it’s a digicam shot, with a person in the frame who can be digitally removed by combining the unobscured portions of the photos.
But perhaps your camera makes hideous KA-CHIRRRRR! courtesy noises and you were avoiding archers from the castle parapets the whole time. Boy, you don’t want a shot of spring fever ruined by a gimmick arrow; cornsyrup all over.

Worse you’d have had to swap lenses for the money shot.

Those blossoms have the added bonus of helping people wait to look for volunteer vegetables and herbs, too….

]]> By: the overthinker http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/14/japan-photo-of-the-week-himeji-castle-sakura/comment-page-1/#comment-36101 the overthinker Sun, 15 Apr 2007 10:17:12 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1563#comment-36101 I'm guessing this was the West Bailey then. With the wide lens the castle looks about as distant as it does from down on the flat. Myself I might have gone for a telephoto and got part of the keep framed by a few larger blossoms, but photography is of course all a matter of personal taste, as you pointed out. Be dreadful if we all agreed - or had to agree, rather. There might of course be fewer people as you have to pay to get in. Talking of which, at a mere 500 yen, is not Himeji one of the great bargains of the tourist world? I found out recently that St Paul's in London is over 2200 yen! (Obviously this doesn't include free things like San Pietro in Vaticano or the Smithsonian...) In fact in general Japan is very cheap: I only know of two things aside from art galleries and amusement parks that cost over a thousand yen: Horyuji and Nikko Toshogu. I’m guessing this was the West Bailey then. With the wide lens the castle looks about as distant as it does from down on the flat. Myself I might have gone for a telephoto and got part of the keep framed by a few larger blossoms, but photography is of course all a matter of personal taste, as you pointed out. Be dreadful if we all agreed – or had to agree, rather.

There might of course be fewer people as you have to pay to get in. Talking of which, at a mere 500 yen, is not Himeji one of the great bargains of the tourist world? I found out recently that St Paul’s in London is over 2200 yen! (Obviously this doesn’t include free things like San Pietro in Vaticano or the Smithsonian…) In fact in general Japan is very cheap: I only know of two things aside from art galleries and amusement parks that cost over a thousand yen: Horyuji and Nikko Toshogu.

]]> By: Evan http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/14/japan-photo-of-the-week-himeji-castle-sakura/comment-page-1/#comment-36090 Evan Sun, 15 Apr 2007 07:26:29 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1563#comment-36090 haha, actually not as many as you (and I) would have thought. I was there at two different times of the day and the first time there was one other guy with a SLR there and second time I was alone at first but by the time I left there were about 4 others. The reason the castle looks a bit distant is because I was using a wide angle lens. Your eye sees at about 50 and I shot this at about 28 so the castle appears a litter farther than it actually is. I did have some with fill flash but I just liked this one better. Just my personal taste. haha, actually not as many as you (and I) would have thought. I was there at two different times of the day and the first time there was one other guy with a SLR there and second time I was alone at first but by the time I left there were about 4 others.

The reason the castle looks a bit distant is because I was using a wide angle lens. Your eye sees at about 50 and I shot this at about 28 so the castle appears a litter farther than it actually is. I did have some with fill flash but I just liked this one better. Just my personal taste.

]]> By: the overthinker http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/14/japan-photo-of-the-week-himeji-castle-sakura/comment-page-1/#comment-36072 the overthinker Sun, 15 Apr 2007 04:44:21 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1563#comment-36072 I won't say it's a classic Tourist Japan cliché shot as a lot of Japanese also love this sort of photo, so your taste is supported by the local masses. How many Japanese with cameras bigger than they are did you have to fight for position with? In my experience, cherry season brings out the fanatics with mega-expensive cameras and massive lenses and tripods. I took a few snaps of this year's blooms, but the sky was a bit overcast and not a good background (I do like days with heavy grey cloud but strong sunlight. But washed-out blue-grey is flat and lifeless). Got some good ones last year of sakura and the sunset sky though. The reds and golds and pinks were very nice. In this one the castle seems a bit distant, and the framing cherries a bit thin and top-lit (a spot of infill flash might bring their colours out a bit more). I like Turner's Drooping Cherry at Maruyama. Pretty cool. I won’t say it’s a classic Tourist Japan cliché shot as a lot of Japanese also love this sort of photo, so your taste is supported by the local masses. How many Japanese with cameras bigger than they are did you have to fight for position with? In my experience, cherry season brings out the fanatics with mega-expensive cameras and massive lenses and tripods. I took a few snaps of this year’s blooms, but the sky was a bit overcast and not a good background (I do like days with heavy grey cloud but strong sunlight. But washed-out blue-grey is flat and lifeless). Got some good ones last year of sakura and the sunset sky though. The reds and golds and pinks were very nice.

In this one the castle seems a bit distant, and the framing cherries a bit thin and top-lit (a spot of infill flash might bring their colours out a bit more).

I like Turner’s Drooping Cherry at Maruyama. Pretty cool.

]]> By: Turner http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/14/japan-photo-of-the-week-himeji-castle-sakura/comment-page-1/#comment-36020 Turner Sat, 14 Apr 2007 23:15:16 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1563#comment-36020 Yeah, I know - it really wasn't an issue with the time; I just got a new camera and was still fiddling with the settings. A lot of those shots were designed to keep close and away objects in the same focus. Besides, I might have to settle with the middle of the day for a lot of my shots - I hate mornings. I do have some great sunset shots from Miyajima, even though I had an inferior camera: <a href="http://www.keepingpaceinjapan.com/2006/08/miyajima.html" rel="nofollow">Miyajima</a> Yeah, I know – it really wasn’t an issue with the time; I just got a new camera and was still fiddling with the settings. A lot of those shots were designed to keep close and away objects in the same focus.

Besides, I might have to settle with the middle of the day for a lot of my shots – I hate mornings. I do have some great sunset shots from Miyajima, even though I had an inferior camera:

Miyajima

]]> By: Chris http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/14/japan-photo-of-the-week-himeji-castle-sakura/comment-page-1/#comment-35909 Chris Sat, 14 Apr 2007 13:58:46 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1563#comment-35909 Beautiful! Beautiful!

]]> By: Evan http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/14/japan-photo-of-the-week-himeji-castle-sakura/comment-page-1/#comment-35853 Evan Sat, 14 Apr 2007 09:51:38 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1563#comment-35853 Yeah, I actually think where I took that photo is the best place to frame the castle with sakura. You got some decent shots but the color is a little washed out and contrast could be a little better. Maybe I am wrong, but it looks like you took those in the middle of the day which maybe you know, but for others that do not, that is the absolute worst time to take photographs. The light is much better early in the morning and late in the afternoon. The time of day can really make the difference between an average snapshot and a beautiful photo that you would want to have framed on your wall. Seriously, it makes that much of a difference. I do like the night shot of that famous tree in Maruyama Koen in Kyoto! Keep at it! Yeah, I actually think where I took that photo is the best place to frame the castle with sakura.

You got some decent shots but the color is a little washed out and contrast could be a little better. Maybe I am wrong, but it looks like you took those in the middle of the day which maybe you know, but for others that do not, that is the absolute worst time to take photographs. The light is much better early in the morning and late in the afternoon. The time of day can really make the difference between an average snapshot and a beautiful photo that you would want to have framed on your wall. Seriously, it makes that much of a difference.

I do like the night shot of that famous tree in Maruyama Koen in Kyoto! Keep at it!

]]> By: Turner http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/14/japan-photo-of-the-week-himeji-castle-sakura/comment-page-1/#comment-35798 Turner Sat, 14 Apr 2007 06:31:20 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1563#comment-35798 Very nice - I know exactly the spot where you took that picture; I couldn't find the right angle in that area. Let me know what you think of mine: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64521915@N00/sets/72157600061883130/" rel="nofollow">Keeping Pace in Japan's Pictures</a> Very nice – I know exactly the spot where you took that picture; I couldn’t find the right angle in that area. Let me know what you think of mine:

Keeping Pace in Japan’s Pictures

]]> By: Evan http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/14/japan-photo-of-the-week-himeji-castle-sakura/comment-page-1/#comment-35791 Evan Sat, 14 Apr 2007 05:50:50 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1563#comment-35791 Thanks! Glad you like it. One of my personal favorites actually... Thanks! Glad you like it. One of my personal favorites actually…

]]> By: Akoua Doffou http://www.japanprobe.com/2007/04/14/japan-photo-of-the-week-himeji-castle-sakura/comment-page-1/#comment-35775 Akoua Doffou Sat, 14 Apr 2007 04:25:41 +0000 http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1563#comment-35775 Awesome photo! Awesome photo!

]]>