Hope and art

I took a photo of this "Nozomi" (hope) Shinkansen before we boarded the train at Okayama, headed for Tokyo.

I remember being disappointed many years ago (on an older series train) that it didn't feel that fast. With many more train journeys under my belt, I can definitely say that they're fast, smooth and reliable.

Over the years they've also come to look more futuristic.

Here's another photo I took which I processed beyond the realms of what you might call normal photography...but I like the end result.

Tomorrow is our final day in Tokyo and Japan (boo) but I've had a great time and I'm looking forward to using proper wardrobes again.

Poison pumpkin

This time yesterday we were on a boat from Takamatsu to Naoshima. I complained of harsh sun and high contrast in yesterday's post but this was replaced by clouds and frequent, heavy showers.

So our plans were cut short somewhat and we only managed to see the Ando museum and some of the Art houses. The buses were too infrequent (and when they arrived they were full) to be too useful and we were worried about being stranded and missing the 17.00 last ferry. We could have taken the fast boat at 19.25 but after the soaking and being denied boarding of the bus we had lost our appetite to see more on this occasion.

Here is a shot of a Yayoi Kusama pumpkin at the Naoshima port:

Fighting the flow

Some days I can find myself at the most beautiful of places yet find little inspiration. Yesterday was one of those days. I was in Ritsurin Garden which is supposedly amongst the three prettiest parks of its type in Japan. It was a sunny day with high contrast.

I have a few potentially "ok" photos on my dSLR but nothing too memorable.

The other realisation I made (or perhaps remembered) is that the D700 (with 24-70) is simply too big, heavy and inflexible to be much fun to use. Shots where I'd either have to get down low (where I could really do with a flip screen), take a long time to get right (if at all), result in more time setting up photos than enjoying the moment...which is why I'm here in the first place!

This one might have been more interesting but was a bit rushed:

Reflecting on old times

Glico (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezaki_Glico) was a part of my childhood and a small bridge to my parents' homeland. They are famous for caramel candies, although my attention was frequently drawn by their brutal and effective sales tactics involving the addition of a toy box on top of the candies.

But then who wouldn't be? http://www.destoutz.ch/acc_misc_glico_black.html

Mostly three

Today was our last full day in Osaka. We've been very lucky to be guests of my father's good friend who treated us to dinner again.

During the day we explored Osaka Castle as well as the "Tsutenkaku" and Shinsekai (new world) which is downtown Osaka.

Most of the limited (due to time constraints) photos of the castle are on the D700.

Here I took a few photos of some art structures near our hotel. A German Christmas market was being set up so I couldn't get any closer due to the focal length of the iPhone but I also couldn't walk backwards as it would have included the tools and equipment being used to assemble the Weihnachts-Hütten.

Three shapes, three colours:

After the castle, we visited the Tsutenkaku. At this point it was already late afternoon and we were low on energy so I only used the iPhone. Similar to the castle, the Tsutenkaku (tower reaching heaven) was ravaged by a fire in 1943 then rebuilt in 1956. It serves no real, current purpose other than being part of Osaka's history and a hit with tourists (sponsored by Hitachi).

Finally, we met with our host again this evening who treated us to an amazing, traditional dinner and Sake!

Just to add that it was my first time eating "fugu" (porcupine fish, globefish, puffer fish).

Three different bottles of Sake:

The land of Godzilla (gojira)

Today was our first full day at Amanohashidate. Also called "the Bridge to Heaven", the locals say that it's one of the three most beautiful spots in Japan.

Our first destination "Kasa Matsu Kouen" (umbrella pine park) was right by our accommodation. The weather started off promisingly but by late morning it started to rain. Visibility from the top (reached by cable car or chair lift) was already a bit poor.

This was taken on our way down:

We then took the boat from the north (Miyazu) back to Amanohashidate by boat to walk across the sandbar in the afternoon.

The town itself is quite touristy (mainly local tourists) but still pretty.

The rain never really abated but we walked across anyway, enjoying the scenery and various wildlife.

I think this is some sort of Orb spider. I saw the Golden Orb Spider in Florida which looked similar and spun equally impressive (and large) webs a few years ago. Large specimens I've seen are around 12cm in length:

Also a well camouflaged but approachable skink:

Finally a little frog which we only spotted due to a movement in the bushes:

Fushimi Inari Taisha

I mostly used my D700 again but remembered to take a few pictures with my phone.

This was taken at the Fushimi Inari Taisha, in Kyoto.

The Torii are exciting at first but soon become almost endless.

We didn't do the entire walk, though given more time it could be interesting. The tourists also seem to thin out as you get further into the paths.

What was more interesting (for me) was a preying mantis I found on this tree. Only the third one I've ever seen and the first one I've photographed!

Why stop at 5?

The subject refers to a very general British recommendation to eat five "pieces" of fruits or vegetables per day. Living in London I can understand why these types of advice exist. Unpalatable fruit or vegetables aren't exactly very enticing.

The general quality of these in Japan (and in many warmer climates) is much higher. Last night I bought a pear and a hybrid (pair/apple). Both were much larger than their Northern European equivalents and were delicious. I wasn't expecting to finish both in one evening...but it happened!

Ok so the photo is actually from Tokyo (near Shibuya) but I did really have the fruit. I uploaded these today as I finally managed to both take out and use my dSLR and had nothing exciting taken on my phone that I could upload.

I say "both" because on another occasion I took the D700 with me for the day only for me to lack the right opportunities to use it.

Why couldn't I transfer anything from my Nikon? We're back to the old square peg and round hole. Compact Flash cards are quick and (in my opinion) reliable and robust but they aren't as compatible with smartphones and tablets as (say) SD cards.

In defence of the Nikon, my D700 is from a generation ago where "pro" or "serious amateur" models used CF.

These days I believe most high end SLRs accept a combination of the two form factors with a tendency to favour SD.

Looking forward, companies like Sony and Olympus (maybe others) are featuring WiFi in most of their upcoming models as well as the use of SD cards.

Back to today, I got some nice shots on my D700 (and 24-70 f/2.8 combo) but could have done with a *flip LCD and a **faster lens. It gets murky by around 17.30 and dark by around 18.30. A third of the weight and bulk would have been pretty welcome too!

* If I'm not mistaken, the new A7/A7R both allow WiFi tethering to smartphones and tablets. I think the Olympus EM-1 does too.

** I missed having my 24mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4 but the 24-70mm is a good compromise, despite being slower. The main trade off is speed at the gain of not fumbling around having to change lenses when time is short.

All in the small print

I've read that tachi-yomi is often frowned upon by bookshops and magazine stores. The Japanese in particular seem to have a powerful urge to read whilst standing.

http://1000thingsaboutjapan.blogspot.jp/2010/09/will-miss-231-tachiyomi.html?m=1

Here I caught a few in the act at the book section at Yodobashi Camera (which sells a whole lot more than cameras) in Akihabara.

Ginza and Sony

Yesterday (Saturday) I visited Ginza and amongst other places, visited the Sony Building.

A few years ago I would have headed straight for Nikon or Ricoh.

I still have huge respect for what Ricoh (and Pentax) are doing but I don't feel right visiting them when I don't have a strong urge to buy the GR at the moment. To tell the truth I would like a GR but don't think I can justify it given that I'm veering quite strongly towards another camera.

As for Nikon, I think they make great cameras for pros (where money, backup equipment, accessories and assistants are plentiful) but as an enthusiast I've realised that I need a different camera. One where the equipment is still top rate but where I make some compromises.

To date the A7/A7R seems to be the best compromise digital camera.

So I arrived at the Sony Building and made a beeline for the A7/A7R space. Due to the successful marketing it had its own "room" staffed by at least 4 people.

I borrowed the A7R with 35mm f/2.8 first, focusing, taking a few shots, trying out different menu options, etc.

I then briefly borrowed the A7.

Both cameras feel significantly larger than the RX1 due to the integrated EVF and grip, but they were comfortable to hold and to shoot.

The EVF was (as reported) large and clear and the AF was fast on both cameras. Based on the short time spent with them I couldn't make out any differences in focus performance or accuracy. It could be that these manifest themselves in lower lighting conditions.

I also appreciated the flip LCD, build quality and the promised weather-proofing, which should mean that I can take either camera with me almost anywhere.

My current preference tends towards the A7R, now that my concerns for focus performance have been alleviated.

Based on expectations both cameras are groundbreaking and could be every photographer's dream camera.

My only reservation is that although the A7/A7R are tiny for full frame digital cameras, they are not pocketable and the new protrusions are likely to make them snag in bags or coat pockets.

As one of my primary criteria is "portability" this does concern me a little, but what little I lose in convenience is offset by the thought of having a D800E in a package that is maybe a third of the size and weight.

Here are some hurried photos taken on my iPhone. The first one has been processed using a fantastic iOS app called Leonardo (using a little masking, drop shadow and layers).

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/leonardo-photo-editor-layer/id656090065?mt=8

Here is the original:

One of the back:

Finally, a poor quality shot of the EVF:

All about liquids

One of the first things I saw was the "jidou hambai ki" or the vending machine. The most common types sell drinks but you get ones selling pre-packaged foods, alcohol and cigarettes, not to mention even stranger items (which I haven't seen and won't mention here).

It's been quite a confusing day due to the drastic change in sleeping pattern and our sudden emergence in a relatively alien world.

It has also been a very wet day, with two typhoons threatening Tokyo as well as other areas.

We brought our sturdy Teutonic umbrella with us but even the cheaper Japanese ones look like they cope with the winds better. They're more domed with struts supporting the main ribs at a deeper angle. It looks like even umbrellas have different DNA.

Tokyo cyclists are also multi-taskers, riding whilst holding their umbrellas. I don't know if the roads and paint markings here are any less slick but it's not something I would do at home.

A splash of colour

...on a wet day...

Although a bit basic and (as pointed out by Björn) a little unresponsive, the iPhone's doing well so far.

A few years ago I would never (ever) have considered even attempting a night time shot on a phone camera.

Now that the X100s is on eBay I'm paging through the menu wondering which camera next.

The Nikon dSLR is a bit rich and heavy so I may well send that back to the kitchen. The recently announced Sony A7/A7R uses some nice ingredients and won't be super expensive.

I might wait to see what the people on the table next to me order...

I could have left it alone but I wanted a slight watercolour effect on a wet evening. Tastes may vary...

Before...

Caught in a reflection

I finally went to get my hair cut this morning after avoiding the barber/hairdresser for a long time.

While I was out there (near Shoreditch), I happened across this dark grey building with equally dark windows. On the other side of the road was a strip of bright graffiti. The darkened windows actually helped to reflect the colours and the grey wall provided an interesting contrast.

Walking alone

I've taken quite a hiatus from photography for a while.

I've been digging deep, wondering whether I still have "what it takes" and being frustrated by either missed opportunities or lack of inspiration.

Seeing as "day-to-day" photography is my main stay, it also means that I haven't been motivated to do any fashion or anything else.

So for a period I've decided only to use my smartphone and see whether simplicity will help me.

I've also taken a decision on my Fuji but more on that next time.

London style

Around Canary Wharf I see the frequent Porsche and the occasional Ferrari but they're all recent cars that can probably be bought by a decent bonus.

Then sometimes I see cars that could only be owned by real motoring enthusiasts.

Although I have nothing against modern cars, there's something about old, purely mechanical cars that likely need significant maintenance to keep them in good working order.

Expensive to run, even more expensive to fix. More of a lifestyle than just a car.

Timeless books

We spent the day with Mandy for her birthday, walking near London Bridge and Southbank, avoiding showers and also trying to stay warm (also known as eating).

The Southbank is always a good place to watch people of all ages, from toddlers to teenage skateboarders, all the way to senior citizens.

The constantly changing weather made it quite interesting for photography, providing varying light conditions throughout the day.

For street photography, I'm finding that I'm using the LCD a lot, rather than the VF. The reason for this seems to be because it's bigger and quicker to compose with when I bring it from my right side to an upright position.

It would be (or have been) interesting to see how street photographers of yesteryear (rangefinder and SLR shooters, not TLRs or cameras with waist-level finders) would have done this. Did they walk around with their eyes glued to the viewfinder or did they take a little more time to bring the camera to eye level to compose?

The other reason the LCD seems to work well is that I typically want a slightly lower, subject-level view of the scene. If I used the VF, I would not only have to bring the camera up but also have to scoot down a little to get to the right height.

All this points to wanting a flip LCD on my next carry-around.

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/500s, RAW

Needing small change

I was out on my own today...and ended up walking quite a distance (as usual).
It's been a while since I last took photos so it took me a while to get back into it.
This one was probably my favourite of the day.

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/60s, RAW

Red route

I saw a (probable) generation of ladies walking in front of me and I thought it was quite interesting.
I wonder how long the red roots have been running through their genes?

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/180, RAW

Red bike, green mist

I've seen this bike down in the basement of our building quite a few times now.
It's a relic of a past dream, to ride fast, to ride far and let's admit it...to look good.
When I see a Duke 748, 916, 996 or 998 (or a Honda VFR) I still feel lustful, but gone is the impulse.
I've had too many riding (pushbikes) and sports accidents and don't care for any more.

If only I had 9 lives...

ISO 2000, f/3.2, 1/30, RAW

A different colour palette

Some moments are fleeting, while others linger for a while but also don't last.
When I took this photo I wondered whether there was a better way of capturing the colours and messy texture.
The answer may be "yes", "no" or somewhere in between the two.
I know that the search for beautiful, striking or eye-catching images is one of the cornerstones of my photography but there is also an underlying quest for perfection. The more photos I take the further away I seem to be from photographic nirvana. If I ever get that perfect image, I will probably be the only one to appreciate it, such is the subjectiveness of art.

ISO 400, f/2.8, 1/30, RAW

Casting shadows

It's been very busy at work recently.
Somehow I always seem to end up being my own, most demanding client so it's hard to leave the office.
The original plan was to go for a lunchtime walk but I failed.
The backup plan was to go for an extended coffee break but I also failed.
By the time I left it wasn't late by working standards but certainly not that early, so I only had time for a quick walkabout within Canary Wharf before heading home.

It was actually quite nice to take photos at a different time of day.
I didn't have my camera ready in time to capture a perfect composition and there were only a few people walking through the area that I needed them to pass through that it tested my patience - but regardless I enjoyed seeing the long shadows.

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/150, RAW

Night time performance

The Southbank has been revamped and modernised over the last few years but I'm glad they've retained some of its original character.
During the day, it's normally "over-subscribed" by photographers wanting to capture skateboarders, but when it gets dark there's sometimes a different crowd - on this occasion, some sort of performing art.
The colours really come to life at night and really justify keeping it the way it is.

ISO 200, f/2.0, 0.7s, RAW

Double yellow

I was in the City when I saw this handrail covered by lichen, which was a surprise.

Years ago at school I briefly studied lichens (on gravestones, no less) for a Biology field project where I learned that most lichen prefer clean air and are therefore more commonly found on stones and rocks in the countryside than on those in the cities.

I also saw the yellow of the long truck and was struck by the similarity, yet differences in the way the two colours got there.

ISO 640, f/11, 1/30, RAW

Work to do

Fluorescent yellow is a distinctive colour but orange really catches my attention.
These workers stood out in their high-viz uniforms and were perfect for the Fujifilm "partial colour" mode.

ISO 800, f/4.0, 1/105, jpeg

Through the square window

What attracted me to this one at first was the food sitting on the window sill!
Then I saw some movement behind the bar and discovered that the people inside had realised that they were being photographed.
Anyway it was all good-humoured and it probably provided them with a bit of light entertainment and me with a photo.
The colour version didn't turn out so well due to the mixed lighting - early dusk outside and dark and fluorescent lighting on the inside, so it was a good candidate for a B&W conversion.

If street photography is about going unnoticed, then this must be a fail but I do like their friendly reaction to the camera!

ISO 2500, f/5.6, 1/30, RAW

Looking for the valve

A few years ago I was lucky to have been able to get inside the Lloyd's building, although that day I was a bit rushed and with the number of people visiting, I didn't get a good chance to take many photos.
Although I still think there are many angles to discover, here's another one that I like that I took during my walk this weekend.
Even though it has been almost 30 years since it was built, I still think the structure looks modern and unique.

I also hadn't noticed at the time, but the ISO was at 2000. Although I was after a slightly gritty image, it's a testament to the camera that I can use high ISOs without much thought.

ISO 2000, f/8, 1/30, RAW

Back of the Cheese grater

Here I'm underneath the Lloyd's building and the main structure in the middle is what I believe to be the Cheese Grater.

It may not be its official name, but from the front it looks serrated, resulting in the given name.

So far we have the Gerkin, the Shard, the Cheese Grater and the Mobile Phone. I'll have to try to get some photos of all of them at some point.

Summer cone

I liked the compact, dense look to this pine cone.
I'm sure there are many different varieties of pine (and cone) but I seem to see more of them later in the year after they've fallen.
I also think about the tasty pine kernels when I see these, although I don't know exactly where (within the cone) they are.

ISO 200, f/4, 1/850, RAW

A cable construction

While the weather is still reasonable, I thought I would look up today. Sideways and downward glances can be saved for the autumn and winter.
I've eyed these cables for a while now but this is the best perspective I've got so far.
I might go back and try a different angle some time.

ISO 200, f/4, 1/340, RAW

Born to ride (Barclays Bikes)

I was out at lunchtime today when I spotted this girl dressed in the same blue as the Boris Bikes.
I think I composed using the EVF for this one and the X100s focused perfectly for a capture that I was happy with.

As for the bikes, although I'm used to riding light weight, single speed road bikes, the Boris Bikes aren't too bad. They're very well cushioned despite having no suspension (the seats are wide and sprung) and they have a low centre of  gravity, probably due to their open design without top tube.

Overall I'm a fan...and by the looks of it, so is she.

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/1250, RAW

Where the M&M's live

I was walking with some friends in Greenwich when I stumbled across the home of the M&M's.
Yellow, Red and Blue are here but I'll have to keep hunting for the others...

ISO 320, f/2.8, 1/30s, RAW

The ways of lunch

I took this while I was out on my brisk, lunchtime walk today.
I had left my camera on ISO 200 and didn't realise it at the time, so there was a bit of camera/subject motion.
It's interesting that different people choose to spend lunchtimes in different ways.
For me, lunch is mainly about food, sating my hunger and taking the odd photo.

As the summer (at least for this week) seems to be drawing to a close, I guess we'll start to see fewer people enjoying the outdoors.

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/17, RAW

Hung out to dry

Before I headed out yesterday I noticed that we were drying several, colourful microfibre cloths all at once.
Even though this is a RAW conversion, I'm still unimpressed by Adobe ACR so I am looking into several options (one being very drastic - guess which one I mean):

1. Move to PhaseOne Capture (for now Express, until their v8 of Pro comes out later this year)
2. Use camera jpegs more frequently
3. Change to Apple OS and use Iridient Developer
4. Leave Fuji entirely (and X-Trans)

The fact that Adobe try to force an upgrade by not supporting new RAW formats was already a PITA and I've spent money on LR4(.4) seeing if I like the LR workflow. The answer was "no". Then I tried (spending more money on) MetaRAW, which allows use of other RAW "engines" without having to upgrade to Photoshop CC. To their credit it's great work but it still doesn't fix my problems with ACR.

Now it's got to the point where I've fairly annoyed and something drastic has got to happen.
To top it all off, the Apple OS option is now part of the equation as my Windows laptop is on its way out.

I'll post an example of my RAW conversion problems later.
In the meantime, here are those microfibre cloths...

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/210, RAW

Happy

I was close to Old Street for this one, looking for a colourful idea when a cyclist rode through and gave my photo just what it needed.

It made me...

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/125, RAW

A postcard from Paradise

I took this as we stood up to leave "Paradisos" for Greek "lunch", which typically happens late in the afternoon.
We had been swimming and sunbathing for most of the morning and as we sat down to enjoy the grilled octopus, grilled aubergine, whitebait and Ouzo, I saw this.
Some might say that it's postcard-like but for me it's leaves me with memories of good times with great food and even better company.

ISO 200, f/5.6 1/1100s, RAW

Mashing chairs

It's getting a bit late so I won't write too much about this one.
Photographically I'm not particularly happy with this but I think I salvaged something from the photo.

ISO 200, f/4.0, 1/90s, RAW

Last rays

I'm enjoying the views over the city from our new apartment but this evening's sunset was particularly spectacular.
The weather over the last few days has been pretty miserable, so I didn't expect such a beautiful sunset.
The dark, grey clouds gave way to an orange blast as the sun peeked from between tall buildings, giving hope for better weather in the coming days (or more realistically, weeks).

I didn't use HDR but used three exposures, blending the layers by hand.
I'm still not sure about the final result but I don't think a standard, one-shot exposure would have done the scene justice. I might play with it some more in the future and see if I can achieve something better.

ISO200, f/3.5, three exposures at 1/800, 1/200 and 1/50. Merged using PS. Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 G.