How to Transport Five Dogs

Last week at Yoyogi Park, I caught several glimpses of this gentleman and his pack of poodles. He seemed to be enjoying pampering his pooches in the park and transported the pack stylishly with ease in a trioBike mono. He was swift, but I was quick with my shutter. Although I had to manual focus my old but trusty Nikon 24mm f2.0 performed well.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f4.0, ISO 100, 1/800 sec.

Is this Japan? or This is Japan?

At the JR Kyoto Station, I spotted a "This is Japan" campaign poster outside the Isetan Department Store. It's quiet an ambitious promotion with a famous bi-racial multi-cultural (Japanese-Italian and raised in France) model. Considering the current controversy and discrimination around the 2015 Miss Universe Japan beauty pageant queen, I find the Isetan promotion very bold and forward thinking in a country that often has hidden racist tendencies.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f5.6, ISO 100, 1/200 sec.

Drive through building

Other than parking garages, I've never had the experience of driving through a building (via an expressway) until I visited Osaka. On my last day in Osaka we drove through the Gate Tower Building (ゲートタワービル ). I knew that this building existed, but didn't expect to have the opportunity to have such a quick visit on my first time to Osaka. Lucky for me, I was a passenger and my camera was ready and handy.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f4.0, ISO 100, 1/500 sec.

Been busy in Osaka

Last week I visited Osaka and Kyoto on business. The central business district around Osaka station has a different feeling when compared to Tokyo. At times it is gritty, sophisticated, modern, vulgar or eccentric. I'm not sure if I like it, but change is good. Here are some photos of the more modern side of the Osaka Station, the nearby new Grand Front Osaka development and Ships Hall.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 400, 1/15 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 400, 1/20 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f4.0, ISO 400, 1/10 sec.

New Otani Gardens in December

The last few weeks have been very busy and I haven't had the chance to take photos at leisure. So I am revisiting photos that I took at the end of last year, and making tweaks in Capture NX2 to make them presentable. I usually like to have photos well composed in camera and exposure setting just right to minimize the amount of post-processing required. Due to the flat lighting or other issues back in December, I didn't post; however, with a few tweaks they look pretty good.

These two photos were taken after the very delicious Sunday brunch in the Japanese Gardens at the New Otani Hotel in Chiyoda.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/50 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f4.0, ISO 100, 1/15 sec.

Shinkansen Themed Playground at the Railway Museum in Onari, Saitama

In December at the Railway Museum in Onari, Saitama I took this snap of the very kawaii Shinkansen themed playground. There was a large slide in the shape of a E5 series and instead of rocking horses the playground featured rocking shinkansen trains (from L to R E2 Series, E3 Series, E3-1000 Series, 400 Series and a E926 Type (East i))!

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 19 mm, f8, ISO 100, 1/250 sec.