Author: leslie

Autumn At Matsudo Hondoji Temple

One of my favorite destinations for autumn colors in Japan happens to be in the town where I live here – Matsudo Hondoji Temple. Although it is a temple (founded in the 13th century, in fact!), it’s really more a mixture of a temple and garden, with careful landscaping and gardening work done throughout the year. In the spring, cherry blossoms take the stage, followed by a large display of hydrangeas in late spring to...

Autumn In The Yoro River Valley, Chiba Prefecture

About a week ago I took a trip to the Yoro River Valley here in Chiba Prefecture. Although I live in Chiba Prefecture, my area is basically one with Tokyo, so we don’t have a lot of nature in my town, and it’s easy to forget how beautiful this prefecture really is. The Yoro Valley is a great place to be reminded. The Yoro Valley (養老渓谷 – Yoro Keikoku in Japanese) is one of the...

C.S. Lewis & The Why Of My Photography

In the movie, “The Matrix,” the character known as the Merovingian argues that the only real source of power is knowing the why of things. It is when we understand why we make a choice, or why things happen as they do, that we are best able to embrace the life we live. I’m not sure if knowing the why brings power or not, but I agree it is an important question to ask ourselves...
Les Taylor Photography

Aerial View Of Sunrise Over Lake Kawaguchiko, Japan

This week my family took a short vacation to the Lake Kawaguchiko area at the base of Mt. Fuji. This is a place we’ve visited many times over the years as a family, and it’s always a joy to go back together. It’s amazing how different it is given that it is less than 3 hours from our house. It definitely has a much more relaxing atmosphere compared to the busyness of the Tokyo metro....
Les Taylor Photography

A Quiet Place

These images all come from a small lakeside park in New Hampshire not far from where my in-laws live. I love going to this place. There’s rarely anyone around, and yet I’ve taken a number of favorite images here over the years. These autumn images are no exception. One of my favorite things about this spot is how quiet it is. Sometimes I just need quiet. Don’t we all? I don’t get much of it...