Every once in awhile I go back to the photos I took in Kyoto and pick out one to work on. Although I loved the trip, the experience, I am disappointed with my photos, so I tend to tiptoe around them, cautiously open a file, see what's there, select one, then quickly close the file again so I can't see what a mess I made of things.
I'm exaggerating a bit, but the core of what I said is true. My photos are noisy, taken in haste, and often do not stand up to close inspection. And that's okay. I did what I could at the time and loved every minute of it.
I was experimenting with using shallow depth of field (f/1.8) on the trees, and in this first photo felt that the color was too much, but I liked the shapes of the leaves. So I converted the image to black and white to remove color and to emphasize leaf shape.
A rustic screen made of reeds covers a window in the second photo. I like the monochromatic look, the stark composition, the repeating forms of the reeds, and the textures.
And finally I offer you a photo of a temple, beautifully carved and painted and gilded. I found Kyoto to be an exciting mix of heavily detailed and refined architecture contrasted with sparer, simpler, and more rustic elements.
And I will go back again. At a slower pace. A more contemplative pace. And along a more solitary path.
©Carol Leigh
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