Spire detail of a five-storey pagoda at Kohfukuji TempleMy best photo of last week: a moody graphic of birds hanging about a pagoda spite. I like the vibe created by the detail on the pagoda spire, the bird silhouettes in front of the brooding clouds. It’s a clean and simple image of one pagoda spire and how nature interacts with it.
Pictures are cropped, please visit the original posts (links below) to view the full pictures with the photographer’s original thoughts on them :) Have to use instamag since im travelling.
Last week’s challengers:
Giggling cousins, Lingering visions – lingeringvisions.wordpress.com/2013/12/08/best-of-the-week-giggling-cousins/
Happy dog, Br4ceyourself – http://br4ceyourself.wordpress.com/2013/12/07/my-best-photo-of-the-week-week-15/
Untitled, Looneyatoms – http://looneyatoms.com/2013/12/05/my-best-photo-of-the-week-4/
The mirror image, CompletelyDisappear – http://completelydisappear.wordpress.com/2013/12/08/the-mirror-image/
My Toddler, 1stworlddog – http://1stworlddog.com/2013/12/03/photo-challenge-week-15-my-toddler/
Silent Sunday, Firebonnet – http://firebonnet.com/2013/12/01/silent-sunday-12-1-13/
Street cats caterwauling, weliveinaflat – http://weliveinaflat.com/blog/caterwauling-street-cats-photography/
Spinning carousel, Teepee12 – http://teepee12.com/2013/12/04/steeds-carousel-spinning/
We have a fantastic mix of still and action shots this week. Stills and action shots each require different skill set but are no less difficult to execute. Even if you has a fantastic DSLR or a simpler camera phone, one needs to know how to use the functions provided by the DSLR or to work within the limitations of a simpler camera to one’s advantage to produce a memory that is stunning. But even if it is not the best technically, sometimes, the significance behind it counts for much more to the individual. Thank you for sharing, and please do visit the photographers listed and linked. :)
Monday phoneography challenge – macro: detail on map
Apps: candy camera, camera360, snapseed and moldive
Equipment: samsung galaxy note
Took my first bus ride this morning to visit some Zen gardens. The ride turned out more amusing than the gardens. The Japanese does it backwards from the way we do it in singapore. Instead of entering from the front of the bus, everyone goes up from the middle and they pay a flat fee of 220yen* when they are ready to get off from the front. The ride can never be lonely. Not even if there is only one commuter on the bus. The driver provides a constant audio track throughout the ride, letting you know when he is turning right, when he is stopping for the traffic light, when he is starting again. For a job that only requires you to drive from point a to point b, japanese bus drivers sure need more than a driving licence to give you the full service on board the bus!
*For specific route in a specific area of town.
Each zen garden charged an entrance fee and they were so small, one could walk around the garden in 10minutes and exit again. But the point of a zen garden is to keep things simple and perhaps helpful for achieving peace, focus and contemplation? So I determined to just sit around on the patio in front of the garden and absorb the morning chill. It was then I spotted a pair of angry eyes staring pointedly ahead. Now I’ve found something to focus on in the zen garden, and did a sketch of the fat cat. It was rather obstinate, sitting there between two rocks and shivering in the cold, as if it were a rock that was part of the zen garden design.
It was no photos allowed in there but my sketch was bad so I sneaked a photo of the cat, see it on instagram – http://instagram.com/p/hplye3lIGt/
The later part of the day was more interesting as I joined a horde of people invading one of thr top temples in Kyoto as part of a special nightime prayer session event. That is a tale for another day.
I don’t have any updates of Donna today as I have lost my phone somewhere between dinner and getting back to the hotel. I don’t really think I’ll get it back.
Kyoto station is a gargantuan block of metal and concrete housing the JR, subway, various shopping belts and malls, outdoor performance space, theatre and even a hotel! Eating places are plentiful. Our bento set tonight came with a small bowl of soup with eel liver! More -http://weliveinaflat.com/blog/can-eel-liver/
Kyoto station is a gargantuan block of metal and concrete housing the JR, subway, various shopping belts and malls, outdoor performance space, theatre and even a hotel. Eating places are plentiful. Our bento set tonight came with a small bowl of soup with eel liver.
So perhaps, one can technically live and operate in that building forever, without going anywhere else, except for the small incongruity of its name and planned function as a commuter hub.
For some, the journey into Kyoto starts from Kyoto Station. The bus dropped us off right by it; our hotel is right across the street from it as well. Most importantly, the Tourist Information Centre is housed with it on the 2nd floor. I came without an itinerary so TIC was definitely a good resource.
The rascal has been picky today. Took treats only to spit it out again and harrassed a more scared schauzer. I think she was just being playful, but that is not an excuse for harrying another animal.
Kansai International Airport (KIX) is peach on the inside and mint and grey on the outside.
To get to the arrival hall from the plane, one needs to get on board a shuttle rail. Not difficult since everyone has to go the same way. Present your papers, get your two index fingers scanned, smile for the camera and your bags checked and you’re ready to go.
The kansai airport bus and ticketing machine is just outside the door. The chill at 6.30 in the morning reminded me of the year end chill in Toronto. I dont have many reference points.
The 7am bus for kyoto station sets off under rose hued skies. The audio track rambled, surprisingly in Chinese, in addition to Japanese. Please fasten your seatbelt. And in English, please refrain from talking on the phone on the bus.
Kyoto sits in a valley, bordered by layers of misty relief in the horizon. The sun has barely peeked from behind, just in time to say, good morning, welcome to Japan.
The constant roar of the engine penetrated the weak barrier of classical music piped through the headphones.
To my left,
a stranger.
Male.
We ignored each other and the intimate proximity we found ourselves in. A manager had once announced to me that if we needed to travel together as part of work, it is common courtesy to keep to ourselves and respect each other’s personal space. That had put me at ease since I was not much of a conversationalist.
Mr P and I were on different flights, bound for the same city. He, for work; me just tagging along for a holiday.
The air stewardess pushed the foodcarts by. I had spent the night packing and have never been happier to get a cup of bad coffee. Scratch that.
I am always happy endless blue ocean.
when there is coffee. over the
Look! It even rhymes. Outside, up from and
voluminous clouds stood, layer upon billowing
Layer. Pristine monoliths
P/s: blogging on the samsung galaxy note is a painstaking exercise! Haha~
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