Memories of Hokkaido

[giantcanopy]

Hi Kalsumine, u can use a normal lens to make panos as well, but a T/S lens definitely makes it easier and gives u other options to shoot.

Thanks folks glad u like them. A little more busy with stuffs lately and will be for some time, haven touched much of my Osaka stuffs ...

Here is another, a different processing down memory lane.

Wasn the best of weather at Sounkyo then, was almost always overcasted, and rained for two afternoons I was there ...

# 194

Ryan

 

[Kalsumine]

I see.... the TS lens for canon are ex.... what's the weight of your tripod?? does it heavy? and able to bring it along on board a plane?

 

[giantcanopy]

Hi Kalsumine, my tripod / head weighed less than 2kg in total. Although so far most of my other flights overseas allowed me to handcarry, the JAL had length restrictions, and I checked in my tripod only ( head removed ) for the 4 flights ( i asked them to label as fragile ).

Ryan

 

[Kalsumine]

Hi Kalsumine, my tripod / head weighed less than 2kg in total. Although so far most of my other flights overseas allowed me to handcarry, the JAL had length restrictions, and I checked in my tripod only ( head removed ) for the 4 flights ( i asked them to label as fragile ).

Ryan

I see, are you using ballhead or panoramic head? my tripod total up is like 2.46KG, i don't even like to bring it out to shoot in local unless for night shoot. gosh, i wonder i can handhold the camera and take few frames to do pano? Tried last night by using your link tutorial, how to use CS3 to create a tilt shift effect. Thanks it's very useful!

think it's rude to post the photo in your thread, so here is the link of the photo after i editted http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b397/Kalsumine/ESP.jpg. hope you don't mind and if you're free just take a look and comment about it. Thank you

Have a nice day!

 

[giantcanopy]

Hi kalsumine i will send u on pm

I brought along a pano head in the end I didn use it. I used a ball head.

We had our lunch at the Beergrill Canyon, a restaurant serving italian fare.
A casual eatery with wide choice of spaghetti, pizzas, grill stuffs. Free internet terminal for customers. It was a break from the japanese food that we had all the while ( I love jap food btw ! ) Saw 2 groups of caucasian backpackers. One of the groups had intent to climb Kurodake and pitch tent and sleep at the peak.

Meanwhile it started to drizzle outside

# 195

Again with watever dim available light in the restaurant, no flash

 

[fibredrive]

really beautiful shots. been looking at them over and over again and kinda makes me regret not having learned some photography for my recent trips to japan and europe. all my pics koyak one. sigh.

how did you get that nice blurry effect around the focus point? sorry newbie here.

*edit* oooh - ok am reading up on tilt shift photography techniques now...cool!

 

[nemesis32]

Very nice pictures.. i like your perspectives... you are very observant about the surroundings.

 

[alexljy]

Really nice shots all of them. Makes me really tempted to get a shift tilt lense too. But for now, I ll stick to PS to get the effects I guess.

 

[giantcanopy]

Thanks guys for the encourangement.

Here is a test shot on how close the 24mm PCE could go .
Not exactly macro. More flowers. Dun ask me the name ..

# 196

 

[zoossh]

Thanks guys for the encourangement.

Here is a test shot on how close the 24mm PCE could go .
Not exactly macro. More flowers. Dun ask me the name ..

# 196

actually you can consider repositioning the text, maybe in the centre dark orange part. white against white makes the text hard to read.

 

[giantcanopy]

Thats a good suggestion zoossh

Backtracking a little on sequence

Sister queuing for her turn

# 197

 

[raghnall]

Hey Ryan, I don't see many photos of Daisetsuzan National Park. Is it worth the trip going up? I'm planning a Tokyo-Hakkaido trip this July and am having a little problem fitting a place or two into the itinerary. Thanks!

 

[giantcanopy]

Hey Ryan, I don't see many photos of Daisetsuzan National Park. Is it worth the trip going up? I'm planning a Tokyo-Hakkaido trip this July and am having a little problem fitting a place or two into the itinerary. Thanks!

Akan Datang ..

It is nice place to go, except it can be pretty cloudy and rainy during the summer season.

Sunrise atop Kurodake is really beautiful, but it means u have to hike up pitch tent and sleep overnight to catch the 4+ am sunrise. ( Like wat many caucasian tourists do )

Driving is best ard the area since it is really big. Cabs are really expensive. Cycling ard Daisetsuzan for the fitter folks and adventurous - lots of vehicles on the moutain passes so u gotta be careful*( and with good weather )

Ryan

 

[raghnall]

Akan Datang ..

It is nice place to go, except it can be pretty cloudy and rainy during the summer season.

Sunrise atop Kurodake is really beautiful, but it means u have to hike up pitch tent and sleep overnight to catch the 4+ am sunrise. ( Like wat many caucasian tourists do )

Driving is best ard the area since it is really big. Cabs are really expensive. Cycling ard Daisetsuzan for the fitter folks and adventurous - lots of vehicles on the moutain passes so u gotta be careful*( and with good weather )

Ryan

Thanks Ryan. Sounds really really cool, but I don't think my girlfriend is that adventurous! Haha.. :bsmilie: I read that it has several hiking trails that offer a splendid views of the mountains.

Hmmm.. I'm planning to drive around after reading and hearing all the feedback about the public transportation there and the ease of driving around. Maybe I should head up to the Rayounkaku Onsen area before driving back to Sapporo.. :think:

Anything that I should take note of?

 

[giantcanopy]

I think there are a few peaks u can climb if u r keen.
I only went up Kurodake.

Take the chair lift and the cable ride up to the highest station of Kurodake and then hike about 2 hrs to the peak.

From the peak, u can hike another 7-8 hrs across the entire chain of moutains on the top.

The whole trip will estimate to take an entire day. You can get a guide to go up with ya for a small fee.

The permafrost layer means u will be able to see snow even in summer. ( Not entirely snow covered like winter, but I promise u it is really cold )

( Get into abit of fitness helps hehee , we gave up hiking after we reached the peak because of poor fitness .... and didn have much time to go around the top )

Here is a pan I took midway in the ascend.

# 198

It was rather bad weather, raining, windy, sunny all together, didn take as many shots as I would love to, but was a good experience. Each passing rain cloud can drizzle for a good 10 mins before u get dry again. Bring raincoat, and gloves, and proper shoes

Ryan

 

[raghnall]

Wow.. That's a lovely view.. I need to start convincing my gf to exercise and hike up.. Hehe.. :bsmilie:

 

[giantcanopy]

Wow.. That's a lovely view.. I need to start convincing my gf to exercise and hike up.. Hehe.. :bsmilie:

Thx Ragnall.

I will see if I can go up again in winter :bsmilie:

Ryan

 

[giantcanopy]

We stayed in the popular Hotel Taisetsu. Service, food and lodging was excellent. 3 onsen baths - definitely must check them out. One of them was facing the valleys, and in the early morning, do urself a favor and immerse urself in the onsen while the chilly breeze gently teases the quiet atmosphere, and visually endulge in the growing sunrise as u see the casted shadows and mist slowly lift in the valleys .. all the while as the morning ticks by.

* shucks no camera allowed.

Anyway there were several shops selling touristy items and really interesting snacks u dun get to see locally ( which u do not want to miss ).

Here is a wise wall owl

# 199

 

[giantcanopy]

# 200

 

[giantcanopy]

Taken at a little dim corner shelf ..

# 201