The Orange Zone: The Images

"Dainty" 1/2000 f/1.8 ISO100 50mm

"What we call the beginning is often the end. 

And to make an end is to make a beginning. 

The end is where we start from." - T.S. Eliot

Before I start wandering the streets of Toyohashi and move on to other projects, I am giving The Orange Zone its needed closure. With the 20 days even cut shorter because of the earthquakes, these shots were done quick and dirty. I will do my best to post it orderly but I would advise you to view each shot separately. Enjoy.   

"Refresh" 1/200 f/2.8 ISO400 Lensbaby Composer

I took this shot of from the Hina springs sometime October. The ducks were having their afternoon bath. The cosmos on the background were just perfect for this whimsical moment. The cover shot was taken recently on the same spring. 

"Head" 1/400 f/2.8 ISO100 Lensbaby Composer

Another shot from the archives. I have mentioned in a previous blog that cementeries are common in the area. But most of the gravestones were new and made of marble. Good thing I came across an interesting old one.  

"Prayer" 1/125 f/2.8 ISO800 150mm

With cemeteries come temples (or shrines) and most of the time, the statues of buddhist  monks in prayer. This shot was taken at the temple grounds.

"Dusk" 1/125 f/11 ISO100 10mm

This buddha statue overlooks a hillside cementery. This shot was taken at the end of a 2 days of rain.

"Mt. Fuji & Houses" 1/80 f/22 ISO100 50mm

Hope you saw this coming. This is my most common view of Fuji san on my way back home. It is a farm of sort. I did not get the chance to ask. The main reason why I included this in this post is that my Cactus V4 transmitter got buried here. 

"Tea Farmer" 1/200 f/2.8 ISO100 200mm

Shizuoka is also known as the largest Green Tea producer of Japan. Regrettably I never had the chance to talk to any of my neighbors who own these tea farms. It would have been interesting to know the life they lead. 

"Alone" 1/250 f/2.8 ISO100 200mm

I had fun observing this lone white heron. I know how difficult it is to capture moments with birds. One slight noise and they will go flapping as far as they can from you. I may have disturbed this fellow's afternoon meal. 

"Ripple" 1/60 f/2.8 ISO1600 80mm

This shot was taken a day before the Tohoku tsunami. I was at the park just thinking of the beauty and harmonious design of the rock gardens. If only Japan was one of these rocks and the tsunami this ripple a lot of people would have been still alive today.  

"Travelling Home" 1/50 f/5.6 ISO200 50mm

I was experimenting inside the train with this shot. Taking around 15 shots of different shutterspeed, aperture and waiting for the right time for the passenger to have an interesting moment. I used to create images like this in Photoshop using two layers. I never thought that could be achieved by a camera. This was a first for me.  

"Princess" 1/80 f/8.0 ISO100 10mm

The Princess Kaguya train. The Gakunan line has some of the interesting events from drink-all-you-can wine express, to sushi trains and special weddings inside the train.

"Gakunan Fujioka Station" 1/50 f/8.0 ISO100 10mm

This is our stop. Small simple train station. Rustic if you may. I had some wonderful times reading a book while waiting for the train in this peaceful place.

"Locked" 1/20 f/8.0 ISO400 50mm

Near the Hina station are old carriages. They caught my attention during our first week. As a sucker for textures, this was  one of the places I often frequented. 


I do not know when will we be able to visit Hina again. It was a short stay but full of memories.