2020-11-18

Yokohama Gingko Trees


In this photo shoot, we focus on a few locations in Yokohama city where we can see few autumn colors, mainly that of gingko trees along some of the major boulevards in Yokohama closer to the waterfront area.

In the video, visit several locations in central Yokohama that you might want to visit yourself:
Access details for each photo shoot location are provide with each picture.

Urban Gingko Trees
Long-exposure of Yamashita-Koen-Dori Street taken from a pedestrian overpass leading to Yamashita Park on the waterfront of the Port of Yokohama.
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6
60 mm ISO 100 for 100.0 sec. at ƒ/22
#gingkotrees #LandscapePhotography #longexposure #YamashitaPark #Yokohama #autumnleaves #autmncolors #Japan
#風景写真 #長時間露光写真 #山下公園 #横浜 #紅葉 #横浜市主要地方道82号 #イチョウ並木 #山下公園通り

Guardian of Water
Replica of the original Guardian of Water sculpture by artist Donal Hord located in sister-port, San Diego. San Diego gifted the sculpture to Yokohama in 1960.
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 130.0 sec. at ƒ/5.6
#GuardianofWater #SanDiegoSisterPortCity #YamashitaPark #Yokohama #LandscapePhotography #longexposure #fountain #waterfountain #Japan
#風景写真 #長時間露光写真 #山下公園 #横浜 #水の守護神像 #噴水 #サンディエゴから寄贈された

Gingko Leaves and Commuter Train
A commuter train on the JR Negishi Line zips by Yokohama Stadium on its way to Ishikawacho Station.
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6
135 mm ISO 100 for 25.0 sec. at ƒ/25
#JRLine #CommuterTrain #NegishiLine #Yokohama #CityscapePhotography #longexposure #ElevatedTracks #GingkoTree #Japan
#街並み写真 #長時間露光写真 #JR根岸線 #横浜 #通勤電車 #イチョウ並木 #高架鉄道


Gear used for this Photo Shoot

Camera Gear:

Pentax KP
Standard zoom lens: smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL[IF] DC WR
Telephoto zoom lens: HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
Tripod: Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)
Ball head: Manfrotto Cloud XPRO Series Ballhead BHQ2 with 200PL locking plate

Video Gear:

Canon EOS Kiss M/M50 Double Zoom Kit
SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary C017 (Canon EF-M Mount, APS-C Size, Mirrorless Only)
PolarPro 67mm QuartzLine Circular Polarizer Filter
Zhiyun Weebill-S Gimbal
RODE Road Wireless GO Wireless Microphone System WIGO

Filters & Filter Systems:

PolarPro QuartzLine ND 64 Filter - 67mm (ND64 6-stop reduction in light)
PolarPro QuartzLine ND1000 Filter - 67mm (ND1000 10-stop reduction in light)
PolarPro QuartzLine ND100k Filter - 67mm (ND100K 15-stop reduction in light)
PolarPro QuartzLine Circular Polarizer - 67mm
PolarPro Summit | Landscape Filter System Custom Kit (Core, Thread Plate, ND4-GR filter, ND8-GR filter, Circular Polarizer)

*Links to Amazon are affiliated links, which means that if you choose to purchase an item that I may get a small commission that has no bearing on your purchase price whatsoever.

Music Tracks Licensed for this video through Epidemic Sound. Visit this link to subscribe: 


"Leaving Serengeti" composed by Henrik Olsson and performed by Ooyy.
“Nordic Shine” composed by AnCh and performed by Epidemic Sound.
“Bermuda” composed by Henrik Olsson and performed by Ooyy.


Creative Commons License
Pix4Japan by Iketani, Daisei is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license are available at Pix4Japan.

2020-11-11

Hakone Daikanzan


In this week’s video of landscape photography in Japan, we visit Daikanzan in Hakone, Japan for some wide vistas overlooking Ashinoko Lake, Suruga Bay, and the Numazu coastline. 

I initially chose this location for the fantastic view of Mt. Fuji in the distance. Unfortunately, the cloud  cover did  not work in my favor, so I had to refocus my efforts on alternate compositions.

Info on how to access each photo shoot location is posted below in English,  Japanese, and the Google  Maps link.

Lake & Mountains
The Hakone Daikanzan Observatory belongs to the list of Japan’s Top 100 Scenic Spots, which was a list compiled by two major newspapers in 1927. On a clear day, Mt. Fuji can be seen in the distance, towering over Lake Ashinoko below.
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6
18 mm ISO 100 for 30.0 sec. at ƒ/22
#LandscapePhotography #long-exposure #AshinokoLake #Hakone #Japan #NationalPark
#風景写真 #長時間露光写真 #芦ノ湖 #日本景勝百選地 #箱根大観山 #展望台
  • Daikanzan Observation Deck
    • 955 Kajiya, Yugawara, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 259-0313
  • 大観山展望台
    • 〒259−0313神奈川県足柄下郡湯河原町鍛冶屋955
  • Google Maps Link: https://goo.gl/maps/4t3WnXhgybMSzd357
Ashinoko Skyline Rest House
Suruga Bay and the city of Numazu along the coast just before the sun rests on the horizon.
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6
31 mm ISO 100 for 1/15 sec. at ƒ/29
#LandscapePhotography #long-exposure #SurugaBay #Numazu #AshinokoSkyline #Hakone #Japan
#風景写真 #長時間露光写真 #駿河湾 #芦ノ湖スカイライン #沼津市 #静岡県
  • Ashinoko Skyline Rest House Fuji View
    • 2225-1 Chabatake,  Sususon-shi, Shizuoka-ken 410-1121
  • 芦ノ湖スカイラインレストハウス フジビュー
    • 〒410−1121静岡県裾野市茶畑2250ー1芦ノ湖 スカイライン内
  • Google Maps Link: https://goo.gl/maps/1SffeKvAmyNmLXMv5
Shimizu Port across Suruga Bay
Faint view of Shimizu Port in Shizuoka located on the far side of Suruga Bay a few minutes before sunset.
Pentax KP + HD Pentax-DA 55-300 mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
170 mm ISO 100 for 1/40 sec. at ƒ/18
#LandscapePhotography #long-exposure #SurugaBay #Numazu #AshinokoSkyline #Hakone #Japan
#風景写真 #長時間露光写真 #駿河湾 #芦ノ湖スカイライン #沼津市 #静岡県
  • Ashinoko Skyline Rest House Fuji View
    • 2225-1 Chabatake,  Sususon-shi, Shizuoka-ken 410-1121
  • 芦ノ湖スカイラインレストハウス フジビュー
    • 〒410−1121静岡県裾野市茶畑2250ー1芦ノ湖 スカイライン内
  • Google Maps Link: https://goo.gl/maps/1SffeKvAmyNmLXMv5
Coastal City Lights
Taken from a higher altitude at the Yamabushi Pass Observatory located at the top of the hill near the Ashinoko Skyline Rest House Lake View.
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6
40 mm ISO 100 for 130.0 sec. at ƒ/20
#LandscapePhotography #long-exposure #SurugaBay #Numazu #AshinokoSkyline #Hakone #Japan #nightscape
#夜景写真 #風景写真 #長時間露光写真 #駿河湾 #芦ノ湖スカイライン #沼津市 #静岡県
  • Parking at the Ashinoko Skyline Rest House Lake View
    • 381-1 Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0521
  • 芦ノ湖スカイラインレストハウスレイクビュー
    • 〒250-0521 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町箱根381-1
  • Google Maps Link: https://goo.gl/maps/386oJzXs4JTy9hHs

Gear used for this Photo Shoot

Camera Gear:

Pentax KP
Standard zoom lens: smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL[IF] DC WR
Telephoto zoom lens: HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
Tripod: Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)
Ball head: Manfrotto Cloud XPRO Series Ballhead BHQ2 with 200PL locking plate

Video Gear:

Canon EOS Kiss M/M50 Double Zoom Kit
SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary C017 (Canon EF-M Mount, APS-C Size, Mirrorless Only)
PolarPro 67mm QuartzLine Circular Polarizer Filter
Zhiyun Weebill-S Gimbal
RODE Road Wireless GO Wireless Microphone System WIGO

Filters & Filter Systems:

PolarPro QuartzLine ND 64 Filter - 67mm (ND64 6-stop reduction in light)
PolarPro QuartzLine ND1000 Filter - 67mm (ND1000 10-stop reduction in light)
PolarPro QuartzLine ND100k Filter - 67mm (ND100K 15-stop reduction in light)
PolarPro QuartzLine Circular Polarizer - 67mm
PolarPro Summit | Landscape Filter System Custom Kit (Core, Thread Plate, ND4-GR filter, ND8-GR filter, Circular Polarizer)

*Links to Amazon are affiliated links, which means that if you choose to purchase an item that I may get a small commission that has no bearing on your purchase price whatsoever.

Music Tracks Licensed for this video through Epidemic Sound. Visit this link to subscribe: 


"The Light from Within" composed by Gavin Luke and performed by Howard Harper-Barnes.
“Dismantle” composed by Peter Sandberg and performed by Epidemic Sound.
“A Certain Shade Of Blue” composed and performed by Paper Twins.
“Bermuda” composed by Henrik Olsson and performed by “Ooyy”.


Creative Commons License
Pix4Japan by Iketani, Daisei is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license are available at Caubarrere Piché LLC.


2020-11-04

Sumida River


This photo shoot takes us to the shores of Sumida River, which runs along the eastern side of central Tokyo and empties in the Tokyo Bay. Arriving late in the evening after all the commuters had mostly returned home allowed me to have most of the shorelines to myself to slow down and focus on compositions and exposure times, and to experiment with different focal lengths as well different ND filters.

Although I wouldn't call any of the following photos excellent, outstanding, or unique, I do hope that they are able to convey the emotions I felt of enjoying the calm, slowly rolling river with a variety of backdrops that reflect both the old and new--a phenomenon that is highly relevant to Tokyo.

The first two shots were taken at this location:
Bridges and High-Rise Apartments
Licensing, downloads, prints: https://pix4japan.myportfolio.com
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6
135 mm ISO 400 for 180.0 sec. at ƒ/11
#NightscapePhotography #CityscapePhotography #LongExposure #Bridges #HighRiseTowers #SumidaRiver #ChuoWard #Tokyo #Japan
#夜景写真 #街並み写真 #長時間露光写真 #橋 #タワーマンション #隅田川 #中央区 #東京都

Tokyo Nightscape and Reflections
Licensing, downloads, prints: https://pix4japan.myportfolio.com
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6
78 mm ISO 100 for 60.0 sec. at ƒ/33
#NightscapePhotography #CityscapePhotography #LongExposure #Bridges #HighRiseTowers #SumidaRiver #ChuoWard #Tokyo #Japan
#夜景写真 #街並み写真 #長時間露光写真 #橋 #タワーマンション #隅田川 #中央区 #東京都

The next two shots were taken at this location:
Solid Ribbed Arch Bridge over River
Licensing, downloads, prints: https://pix4japan.myportfolio.com
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6
40 mm ISO 100 for 100.0 sec. at ƒ/22
#NightscapePhotography #CityscapePhotography #LongExposure #ArchBridge #HighRiseCondos #SumidaRiver #ChuoWard #Tokyo #Japan
#夜景写真 #街並み写真 #長時間露光写真 #アーチ橋 #タワーマンション #隅田川 #中央区 #東京都

Wide-Angle Shot of Urban River Shoreline
Licensing, downloads, prints: https://pix4japan.myportfolio.com
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6
24 mm ISO 100 for 70.0 sec. at ƒ/22
#NightscapePhotography #CityscapePhotography #LongExposure #ArchBridge #HighRiseCondos #OfficeBuilding #SumidaRiver #ChuoWard #Tokyo #Japan
#夜景写真 #街並み写真 #長時間露光写真 #アーチ橋 #オフィスビル #タワーマンション #隅田川 #中央区 #東京都

The following five shots were taken at this location:
Low-Profile Suspension Bridge over River
Licensing, downloads, prints: https://pix4japan.myportfolio.com
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6
36 mm ISO 100 for 30.0 sec. at ƒ/25
#NightscapePhotography #CityscapePhotography #LongExposure #SuspensionBridge #SumidaRiver #ChuoWard #KotoWard #Tokyo #Japan
#夜景写真 #街並み写真 #長時間露光写真 #清洲橋 #自碇式鋼鉄製吊橋 #隅田川 #中央区 #江東区 #東京都

Lights on Self-Anchored Suspension Bridge over River
Licensing, downloads, prints: https://pix4japan.myportfolio.com
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL[IF] DC WR
100 mm ISO 100 for 30.0 sec. at ƒ/25
#NightscapePhotography #CityscapePhotography #LongExposure #SusupensionBridge #SumidaRiver #Tokyo #Japan
#夜景写真 #街並み写真 #長時間露光写真 #清洲橋 #自碇式鋼鉄製吊橋 #隅田川 #東京都

Rivets, Steel, and Light
Licensing, downloads, prints: https://pix4japan.myportfolio.com
Pentax KP + HD Pentax-DA 55-300 mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
150 mm ISO 100 for 4.0 sec. at ƒ/9
#NightscapePhotography #CityscapePhotography #LongExposure #SusupensionBridge #SumidaRiver #Tokyo #Japan
#夜景写真 #街並み写真 #長時間露光写真 #清洲橋 #自碇式鋼鉄製吊橋 #隅田川 #東京都

Arachnid Legs of Steel
Licensing, downloads, prints: https://pix4japan.myportfolio.com
Pentax KP + HD Pentax-DA 55-300 mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
100 mm ISO 100 for 30.0 sec. at ƒ/5.6
#NightscapePhotography #CityscapePhotography #LongExposure #SusupensionBridge #SumidaRiver #Tokyo #Japan
#夜景写真 #街並み写真 #長時間露光写真 #清洲橋 #自碇式鋼鉄製吊橋 #隅田川 #東京都

Tallest Structure in Japan
Licensing, downloads, prints: https://pix4japan.myportfolio.com
Pentax KP + HD Pentax-DA 55-300 mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
88 mm ISO 100 for 30 sec. at ƒ/20
#NightscapePhotography #CityscapePhotography #LongExposure #TokyoSkytree #SumidaRiver #SumidaWard #Tokyo #Japan
#夜景写真 #街並み写真 #長時間露光写真 #清洲橋 #隅田川 #東京スカイツリー #東京都

The following shot was taken at this location:
Nighttime Traffic on Bridge
Licensing, downloads, prints: https://pix4japan.myportfolio.com
Pentax KP + HD Pentax-DA 55-300 mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
78 mm ISO 100 for 90 sec. at ƒ/4.5
#NightscapePhotography #CityscapePhotography #LongExposure #bridge #LightTrails #carlights #Tokyo #Japan
#夜景写真 #街並み写真 #長時間露光写真 #清洲橋 #隅田川 #ライトトレイル #東京都

Gear used for this Photo Shoot

Camera Gear:

Pentax KP
Standard zoom lens: smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL[IF] DC WR
Telephoto zoom lens: HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
Tripod: Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)
Ball head: Manfrotto Cloud XPRO Series Ballhead BHQ2 with 200PL locking plate

Video Gear:

Canon EOS Kiss M/M50 Double Zoom Kit
SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary C017 (Canon EF-M Mount, APS-C Size, Mirrorless Only)
PolarPro 67mm QuartzLine Circular Polarizer Filter
Zhiyun Weebill-S Gimbal
RODE Road Wireless GO Wireless Microphone System WIGO

Filters & Filter Systems:

QuartzLine ND 64 Filter - 67mm (ND64 6-stop reduction in light)
QuartzLine ND1000 Filter - 67mm (ND1000 10-stop reduction in light)
QuartzLine ND100k Filter - 67mm (ND100K 15-stop reduction in light)
QuartzLine Circular Polarizer - 67mm
Summit | Landscape Filter System Custom Kit (Core, Thread Plate, ND4-GR filter, ND8-GR filter, Circular Polarizer)

*Links to Amazon are affiliated links, which means that if you choose to purchase an item that I may get a small commission that has no bearing on your purchase price whatsoever.

Music Tracks Licensed for this video through Epidemic Sound. Visit this link to subscribe: 


"Osaka Solitude" composed and performed by Sight of Wonders.
“Zanzibar” composed by Jonas Engdahl and performed by Jones Meadow.
“Butterflies” composed by Peter Sandberg and performed by Epidemic Sound.
“Bermuda” composed by Henrik Olsson and performed by “Ooyy”.


Creative Commons License
Pix4Japan by Iketani, Daisei is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license are available at Pix4Japan.



2020-10-27

Lake Kawaguchi

In this week’s video of landscape photography in Japan, we visit Oishi Park on the coast of Kawaguchi Lake in Yamanashi Prefecture near the base of Mt. Fuji.

Among the various cosmos flowers, the park has many summer cypress plants, which are used as an ornamental plant. In Japan, the plant is known as either “kokia” (コキア) or “houki-gusa” (ほうき草 lit. broom-grass) since the plant is used for making brooms after the dead plant dries out. The plant also seems to be known as fireweed, kochia burning bush, summer cypress, ragweed, and several more names.

Info on how to access Oishi Park:

Oishi Park is located 117 km (72.8 mi.) west of central Tokyo:
https://goo.gl/maps/fwYHjfYASQdLqTYP8

It is a 3-hour 40-minute drive to the park if you take toll-free highways, or a 1-hour 50-minute drive if you take expressways (tolls apply).

Taking a train to Kawaguchiko Station and a bus to the Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center bus stop will take about 3 hours.


White Cosmos
Pentax KP + Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
135 mm ISO 100 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6
#LandscapePhotography #flower #cosmos #OishiPark #Kawaguchiko #LakeKawaguchi #Yamanashi #Japan
#風景写真 #お花 #コスモスの花 #大石公園 #河口湖 #山梨県

Summer Cypress
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
48 mm ISO 100 for 0.5 sec. at ƒ/25
#LandscapePhotography #SummerCypress #KochiaGrass #OishiPark #Kawaguchiko #LakeKawaguchi #Yamanashi #Japan
#風景写真 #コキア #ほうき草 #大石公園 #河口湖 #山梨県

Summer Cypress and Lake
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
24 mm ISO 100 for 60 sec. at ƒ/22
#LandscapePhotography #SummerCypress #KochiaGrass #OishiPark #Kawaguchiko #LakeKawaguchi #Yamanashi #Japan
#風景写真 #コキア #ほうき草 #大石公園 #河口湖 #山梨県

Gear used for this Photo Shoot

Camera Gear:

Pentax KP
Standard zoom lens: smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL[IF] DC WR
Telephoto zoom lens: HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
Tripod: Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)
Ball head: Manfrotto Cloud XPRO Series Ballhead BHQ2 with 200PL locking plate

Video Gear:

Canon EOS Kiss M/M50 Double Zoom Kit
SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary C017 (Canon EF-M Mount, APS-C Size, Mirrorless Only)
PolarPro 67mm QuartzLine Circular Polarizer Filter
Zhiyun Weebill-S Gimbal
RODE Road Wireless GO Wireless Microphone System WIGO

*Links to Amazon are affiliated links, which means that if you choose to purchase an item that I may get a small commission that has no bearing on your purchase price whatsoever.

Music Tracks Licensed for this video through Epidemic Sound. Visit this link to subscribe: 


"Malin's Song" composed by Niclas Gustavsson and performed by Sum Wave.
“Beach Memories” composed by Niclas Gustavsson and performed by Sum Wave.
“Bermuda” composed by Henrik Olsson and performed by “Ooyy”.


Creative Commons License
Pix4Japan by Iketani, Daisei is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license are available at Pix4Japan.

2020-10-20

Shirahama Beach


The first two shots in today's series were taken before and after sunrise at the following location:
Miharashi Hiroba (見晴広場) in the district of Shirahama in the  city of Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Ocean View Before Sunrise
Pentax KP + Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
31 mm ISO 100 for 25 sec. at ƒ/29
#trees #shore #coast #longexposure #PacificOcean #Izu #Shizuoka #Shimoda #ShirahamaBeach #Japan #seascape
#木 #岸 #沿岸 #長時間露光写真 #太平洋 #伊豆半島 #静岡県 #下田市 #白浜海岸 #海の風景

Outcrop as Sun Rises over Pacific Ocean
Pentax KP + Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
31 mm ISO 200 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/4.5
#trees #shore #coast #sunrise #PacificOcean #Izu #Shizuoka #Shimoda #ShirahamaBeach #Japan #seascape
#木 #岸 #沿岸 #日の出 #太平洋 #伊豆半島 #静岡県 #下田市 #白浜海岸 #海の風景

The last three shots were taken at Shirahama Beach:
  • English Address:
    • Shirahama Beach, Shirahama, Shimoda, Shizuoka 415-0012
  • Japanese Address:
    • 〒415-0012 静岡県下田市白浜の白浜大浜海水浴場
  • Google Maps:
Waves Crashing on Shore
Pentax KP + Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
53 mm ISO 1600 for 1/640 sec. at ƒ/16
#crashingwaves #power #waves #shore #coast #beach #PacificOcean #Izu #Shizuoka #Shimoda #ShirahamaBeach #Japan #seascape
#波の力 #波 #岸 #沿岸 #太平洋 #伊豆半島 #静岡県 #下田市 #白浜海岸 #海の風景

Gate and Rope on Shoreline Rocks
Pentax KP + Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
48 mm ISO 200 for 1/640 sec. at ƒ/16
#longexposure #torii #toriigate #coast #rock #PacificOcean #Izu #Shizuoka #Shimoda #ShirahamaBeach #Japan #seascape
#岸 #沿岸 #太平洋 #伊豆半島 #静岡県 #下田市 #白浜海岸 #海の風景 #石 #鳥居

Torii Gate to Shinto Shrine on Shore’s Edge
Pentax KP + Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
68 mm ISO 100 for 8.0 sec. at ƒ/20
#crashingwaves #power #waves #shore #coast #rocks #rope #shimenawarope #torii #toriigate #PacificOcean #Izu #Shizuoka #Shimoda #ShirahamaBeach #Japan #seascape
#波の力 #波 #岸 #沿岸 #太平洋 #伊豆半島 #静岡県 #下田市 #白浜海岸 #海の風景 #石 #鳥居 #注連縄

Torii Gate & Ocean
Pentax KP + Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
36 mm ISO 100 for 6.0 sec. at ƒ/20
#longexposure #shore #coast #rocks #torii #toriigate #PacificOcean #Izu #Shizuoka #Shimoda #ShirahamaBeach #Japan #seascape
#岸 #沿岸 #太平洋 #伊豆半島 #静岡県 #下田市 #白浜海岸 #海の風景 #石 #鳥居


Access details and links via car and train:
Thanks to the popularity of this destination, there are  several useful sites with detailed information specifically for tourists:

Gear used for this photo shoot:

Camera Gear:

Pentax KP
Standard zoom lens: smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL[IF] DC WR
Telephoto zoom lens: HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
Tripod: Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)
Ball head: Manfrotto Cloud XPRO Series Ballhead BHQ2 with 200PL locking plate

Video Gear:

Canon EOS Kiss M/M50 Double Zoom Kit
SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary C017 (Canon EF-M Mount, APS-C Size, Mirrorless Only)
PolarPro 67mm QuartzLine Circular Polarizer Filter
Zhiyun Weebill-S Gimbal
Synco Wireless Microphone

*Links to Amazon are affiliated links, which means that if you choose to purchase an item that I may get a small commission that has no bearing on your purchase price whatsoever.

Music Tracks Licensed for this video through Epidemic Sound. Visit this link to subscribe: 


"Morning Traffic" composed and performed by Raymond Grouse.
"Solemn Nights" composed and performed by Placidic.
"You Can See Us From the Moon" composed and performed by Christian Andersen.
"Noble Heart" composed and performed by Placidic.
"True Self" composed and performed by Jon Björk.
"Vivid Memories" composed and performed by August Wilhelmsson.


Creative Commons License
Pix4Japan by Iketani, Daisei is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license are available at Pix4Japan.

2020-10-14

Ashinoko Lake - Hakone


This weeks photo shoot brings us to the shores of Ashinoko Lake in the Hakone mountains located about 100 km (approx. 62 miles) south of Tokyo.

Access by car to a parking lot that is free (as of this blog post):
If access by train, I would recommend this route which will bring you to the southeastern shore of the lake:
The lake was formed after the eruption of a volcano over 3,000 years ago. The lake is popular for fishing, sightseeing, and is home to many historical sites:
There are many more attractions in the area around the lake including hot spring resorts, famous restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops, western hotels, Japanese style inns, museums, ropeways, and much more.

The cedar trees lining the route to the shrine are about 350 to 400 years old. A wide angle lens in a portrait orientation is needed to capture the full height of these trees. This was the widest I could get without including distractions on the sides using a standard kit lens. I chose an aperture of ƒ/25 to maximize depth of field while trying to maintain a minimum amount of sharpness. The smaller aperture combined with a cloudy sky right after sunrise necessitated a 30-second exposure.

Staircase to Shinto Shrine
Pentax KP + smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 30 sec. at ƒ/25
#trees #moss #anzansugi #JapaneseCedar #cedartree #Hakone #HakoneShrine #Japan #landscapephotography
#風景写真 #箱根神社 #箱根 #木 #コケ #安産杉 #箱根神社

This shot did not turn out as I had expected. I chose a larger aperture to soften the tree in the background which introduced too much light from the sky behind the tree. In hindsight, I should have used an ND filter or at least an 8-stop ND grad.

Stone Lantern at Mountain Shrine
Pentax KP + smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
53 mm ISO 100 for 1.3 sec. at ƒ/9.0
#stonelantern #kasugastyle #moss #HakoneShrine #Hakone #Japan #stilllifephotography
#石灯篭 #春日型 #コケ #箱根神社 #箱根 #静物写真

This was another shot that proved disappointing as well. I think the original concept was good, but there were too many objects along the edges of the frame that were blurred by the breeze, the autumn colors were dull, and water surface reflected too much light in spite of using a circular polarizer. This photo was heavily edited in Lightroom. Pixel peeking will review the the awful results. Photo is OK I guess if viewed on a tiny mobile screen.

Volcanic Crater Lake and Early Autumn Foliage
Pentax KP + smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
100 mm ISO 400 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/5.6
#trees #autumn #foliage #lake #Ashinoko #Hakone #Japan #landscapephotography
#風景写真 #紅葉 #箱根 #木 #芦ノ湖

This shot was taken at a different angle in relation to the sun, so the circular polarizer was much more effective at cutting reflected light. Unfortunately, if you zoom in on the shot, you'll notice that the foliage is not sharp since this is a 30-second exposure, which softened the water and clouds, but there was a light breeze that shook the foliage on the right.

Early Autumn Foliage
Pentax KP + smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
48 mm ISO 100 for 30.0 sec. at ƒ/18
#trees #autumn #foliage #lake #Ashinoko #Hakone #Japan #landscapephotography
#風景写真 #紅葉 #箱根 #木 #芦ノ湖

I struggled with this composition. I wanted to convey the age of this historical building and felt that the mist in the mountaintop added to the mystery or mood of the building. Unfortunately, I don't think this emotion is conveyed to the viewer. This photo just might appear to be some random old building to the viewer. Maybe if I should have zoomed in on a particular architectural element, such as one of the lamps hanging from the corners of the roof eaves.

Historical Hot Spring Resort
Pentax KP + smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
100 mm ISO 100 for 5.0 sec. at ƒ/11
#resort #historicalbuilding #Ryuguden #lake #Ashinoko #Hakone #Japan #landscapephotography #TakogawaOnsen
#風景写真 #蛸川温泉 #箱根 #芦ノ湖 #龍宮殿

Finally, this is probably the only photo I feel good about from this photo shoot. The sun had risen to a height and angle that allowed the polarizer to do its job at cutting out reflections of light from the water surface. Although there is a lot of noise in the top of the frame, photo most closely expresses the ethereal emotion that this scene invoked in me.

Lake Ashinoko Shoreline
Pentax KP + smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
18 mm ISO 100 for 30.0 sec. at ƒ/22
#stone #lake #longexposure #moss #Ashinoko #Hakone #Japan #landscapephotography
#石 #湖 #長時間露光写真 #コケ #芦ノ湖 #箱根 #風景写真


Gear used for this photo shoot:

Camera: Pentax KP
Standard zoom lens: smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL[IF] DC WR
Telephoto zoom lens: HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
Tripod: Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)
Ball head: Manfrotto Cloud XPRO Series Ballhead BHQ2 with 200PL locking plate
Video camera: Canon EOS Kiss M/M50 Double Zoom Kit
SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary C017 (Canon EF-M Mount, APS-C Size, Mirrorless Only)
PolarPro 67mm QuartzLine Circular Polarizer Filter
Zhiyun Weebill-S Gimbal
Synco Wireless Microphone

*Links to Amazon are affiliated links, which means that if you choose to purchase an item that I may get a small commission that has no bearing on your purchase price whatsoever.

Music Tracks Licensed for this video through Epidemic Sound. Visit this link to subscribe: 


"Morning Traffic" composed and performed by Raymond Grouse.
"Solemn Nights" composed and performed by Placidic.
"You Can See Us From the Moon" composed and performed by Christian Andersen.
"Noble Heart" composed and performed by Placidic.
"True Self" composed and performed by Jon Björk.
"Vivid Memories" composed and performed by August Wilhelmsson.

Creative Commons License
Pix4Japan by Iketani, Daisei is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license are available at Pix4Japan.