Morning Light On The Pacific Coast of Japan
Our lives are a mix of internal planning and responses to external forces. Of course this holds true in things like romance and business, but you might be surprised to find it’s also true in photography. I did not always understand this. For the longest time I thought photography was mostly about luck and a bit of technical know-how. Personal experience has convinced me otherwise. Yes, good timing does help. Yes, technical know-how is essential....
Capturing Swirling Autumn Leaves
One of the great things about photographing autumn colors is that there is so much to shoot within one season. From sweeping landscapes to intimate macro shots, there’s a lot to explore as a photographer! Among the possibilities, and a personal favorite actually, is capturing leaves floating in the water, especially when they’re spiraling around in a pool. If you’ve ever wondered how to capture this kind of scene in all its autumnal glory, read...
Swirling Unasawa Autumn – Lightroom Only
Last week I headed with my photography buddy Anthony Wood to the Unasawa Valley in Okutama, on the outskirts of Tokyo. It was a great hike and we hit the area at a near perfect time for autumn colors. This was one of the last photos I took on our hike, at the Unasawa Great Falls. While the waterfall doesn’t look so “great” in this picture, that’s because you’re only seeing the very bottom of...
Hyakuhiro Waterfall In Okutama Japan
Some time ago I came across a photo of the Hyakuhiro Waterfall in Okutama, and ever since I wanted to take a visit. The name Hyakuhiro means “100 hiros,” with a hiro being an old Japanese unit of measurement. While the waterfall isn’t exactly 100 hiros tall, which would be over 4 times its actual height, it is 40 meters tall (~130 feet), making it one of the largest waterfalls near Tokyo. I was finally...
Day’s End At Ninenzaka Kyoto
Kyoto boasts a number of great places to enjoy the feeling of old Japan, and Ninenzaka (pictured in the photo below) is one of them. Ninenzaka literally means “two year slope,” though it takes far less than two years to traverse the slope unless you’re an extremely slow mover. Actually the two year part refers to a year of an imperial rule, but that’s not as fun. Anyway, as you can see the area has...