Blooming Nocturne, a photo from 東京, 関東

Photographer's Note

Chidorigafuchi is one of the most famous places in Tokyo to see cherry blossoms. The cherry blossoms are illuminated by various light sources at night, magenta in the foreground and white in the background in this shot.

Although I took this scene with handheld at iso 2500 several days before, its image data was very inflexible for retouching, so i tried again at iso 1250 on this day. I used the monopod set on the edge of extremely crowded path, and pressed the shutter button at a moment when wind was calm down, it was at 0.5 sec with f/5.6 for the low-lighting condition. Well-balanced moment at brightness between the cherry blossoms and the sky in blue hour was at 28 minutes after sunset since the lighting was a bit dark. I used the 12mm lens to enhance gracefully-shaped branches spreading powerfully like reaching the opposite bank.

For the lighting, a lot of LED lamps are used for energy conservation, supplied with electric power generated by solar cell module. It is said to be able to reduce the CO2 emission to 0.2 tons this year from 4.2 tons last year.

Wanda1, Floydian, sevy, edouard_lauer, yuo, ktanska, pauloog, jhm, paura, vinicio, charlotte_iona, Budapestman, rlrad, patdeph, Vasa, adores, isabela_sor, Photo65Net, Aedorian, danos, jiherka, fulvio52, ellelloo, AmiBe, zmey, aperture8 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Wanda1 (15142) 2009-04-13 22:41

Hi Hisashi,
Ooohhh! its so beautiful. I really like that you have used such a wide angle and photographed the blossoming branches from below as they seem to reach out to the water with their pink colourful limbs. The lighting on the blossoms really makes it look fairy tale like and you have captured this feeling well, also the dark background makes them stand out, and the shot almost becomes like an abstract painting. Nice!
Regards
Wanda

devimeuxbe (58557) 2009-04-13 22:52

Hi Hisashi
i don't know how you have done this picture, but this picture is really amazing. Beautifull light and colors
excellent work
Bertrand

yquem46 (38752) 2009-04-13 23:17

Superb Hisashi
japan must be really gorgeous at this time of year !
bravo
Patrick

Floydian (30970) 2009-04-13 23:45

Hi Hisashi,

I see a new mkII monster, you must be a happy man in having such a great tool.
We have seen a lot of blossom pictures from Japan here, but this has also a dark mood in it and show only two colours, the pink and deep blue...a strange but very nice effect you created here.

Regards,

Henk

sevy (58) 2009-04-13 23:48

Hello Hisashi,

Very nice realisation, I spend time to realise it was a night shot. The lightning was good and you captured it very nicely.
It is one of the most original cherry blossom photo I have ever seen and your note was really interesting.
Good job!

Yves.

barrufeto_77 (28888) 2009-04-14 0:00

Hi Hisashi.

What a pleasure for my eyes! Excellent colours and view!

Rgs, Oscar

edouard_lauer (1247) 2009-04-14 0:05

Hi Hisashi,

one of the most beautiful nature scenes I've ever seen with perfect light management and wonderful colors. The contrast between the dark blue sky and the magenta color of the cherry blossoms. I like those trees and we've planted one in the garden but it's a young one and doesn't make such beautiful flowered branches.

Well done,
Edi

ktanska (45018) 2009-04-14 0:29

Hi Hisashi,
Amazing light effect. Japanese really take best out of cherry blossom time. Wide angle was a perfect choice for giving effect of being surrounded by those blossoms.
Kari

pauloog (11751) 2009-04-14 0:39

Hello Hisashi,
The blossoms seem to flee to the distance in this beautiful wide angle view. Fine colours and contrasts.
Regards,
Paul

jhm (211738) 2009-04-14 3:41

Hello Hisashi,

The blossom of the lovely cherry trees, we have seen a lot of blossom pictures from Japan here.
I like those trees and we've planted one in the street but it's a young one and doesn't make such beautiful flowered branches.
Composition and presentation are very well.TFS.

Best reagrds,
John.

paura (25802) 2009-04-14 4:47

Hisashi,
Colours and lighting are really nice here. Supperb nature composition. Well done.

Regards

Paulo

vinicio (23423) 2009-04-14 5:12

Amazing picture, you well balance light and shadows in a beautiful view of this garden, compliments.
Ciao
Vinicio

phwall (6787) 2009-04-14 5:46

Hello Hisashi,
A truly amazing image, my compliments on a wonderful capture.
Congratulations.
Regards
Peter

charlotte_iona (1111) 2009-04-14 5:54

Aww man, why can I never find the right spot?? I just left Tokyo today, and now I want to go back there to take a picture like this!

This is an absolutely superb capture of the cherry blossom at blue hour, beautifully lit and beautifully composed.

And a very helpful and informative note - TFS.

Budapestman (82620) 2009-04-14 7:21

Hi Hisashi,
Fabled natural impression with beautiful colours and details. The composition is picturesque, the mood of the photo is simple amazing. Congratulations. Have a nice week!
George

rlrad (1845) 2009-04-14 7:51

Hello Hisashi,

Wow, this is impressive and a POV like I have never seen before. Good eye and bravo for not letting it beat you the first time. I bet the full-sized shot is something to behold, it looks like a cherry-blossom explosion!

Thanks,
Reed Radcliffe
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

patdeph (35750) 2009-04-14 8:30

hello Hisashi
this is incredibly beautiful!The effect of the light in the flowers,with the dark blue sky as background is just marvelous!Splendid!
Regards
Pascale

Vasa (515) 2009-04-14 16:11

Dear friend Hisashi,

The best spring is in Japan. This is very known. And your picture gives the strongest and most romantic illustration. I like the picture so much. Compliments for your Canon.

Friendly your

Branko

adores (46979) 2009-04-14 16:20

Hi Hisashi!
You found an original way to show a real wonder of your country, the cherry trees in blossom:)! I like this, the pov, the light and the colours.

MarcT (20964) 2009-04-14 22:27

Hi Hisashi,
Wonderful, magical night pocture.
Those pink flowers are a legend by themself and it's all justified.
Best wishes
Marc

isabela_sor (47748) 2009-04-14 22:29 [Comment]

Show Comment

Photo65Net (43144) 2009-04-15 10:05

Hello Hisashi,
Superb use of wide angle and amazing light !
I like a lot the result, great job,
Have a nice day,
JB.

Aedorian (105) 2009-04-15 18:58

Excellent, excellent, excellent shot, Hisashi-san! You used the lighting on the surrounding area very well in this image. I also admire the wide angle distortion--it makes the branches seem to reach out and move. I've been at this park, but during the daytime, so this is a really interesting capture.

Thank you also for putting very helpful insights in your notes. They help a ton, especially for newbies like myself. Honntou Arigatou Gozaimasu!!!

danos (110407) 2009-04-15 19:38

Hello Hisashi,
really this nocturne light on the bloom make the scene so interesting.The lighting conditions were very difficult but the result great.Well done.

Regards,Danos

sagar (2410) 2009-04-16 11:20

Hi Hishashi,
Wonderful shot with a strong graphical feel that the illumination creates. Lovely colors.
Regards,
Sagarneel.

Cricri (176) 2009-04-16 12:15

Hi Hisashi
Magnifique tableau printanier, une belle prise a l'heure bleu qui donne un beau mariage avec le rose des fleurs des arbres, tr鑚 jolie
Friendship
cricri

Nicou (193814) 2009-04-17 1:21

Hello,

Grandiose compo quelle image ces arbre en fleurs de nuit, une vraie merveille, vraiment toute mes f駘icitations, c'est fabuleux.

Bravo et amiti�

Nicou

diomed (13926) 2009-04-17 14:27

Hi Hisashi,
marvelous view of these flowered trees with amazing light and colours, fantastic POV and impressive contrast with the blue of the sky. Superb shot. Congratulations!
Antonio

jonathan_hart (21276) 2009-04-18 4:39

amazing, awesome lighting, fantastic picture, truly lovely place !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jc

dvlazar (6662) 2009-04-20 0:58

A real wow factor with this image... that's what came to my mind first. Great light on the flowers/leaves seems to be the key to this hyper-real shot!

Dave

madredeus (494) 2009-04-21 8:56

Wow, incredible photo. Interesting POV. Colours, light are very good.
rgds

jiherka (4552) 2009-04-22 13:22

Hello Hisashi,
Very nice view of these trees. The night with this light it is very good. I agree with the effort to reduce the CO2. It is a great things that we can do nice place and think to the planet.
Your picture is well balanced between the flower in the light and hte dark water of the pond.
Well done.
Salutations
Jacques

Disabled_A (0) 2009-04-23 0:07

Hello Hisashi,
I read the Note to the photo first, very attentively. Indeed, much work was done to achieve this result! Now, this photo looks ratehr unusual... interesting night effect! and beautiful blossoming trees! In perspective, it looks like a mysterious entrance to an unknown night world.
Best regards,
Elena

mkamionka (75009) 2009-04-23 5:06

Hi Hisashi,
fantastic composition, very creative and very pretty,
thanks for sharing,
M

fulvio52 (8314) 2009-04-23 10:58

Hi, Hisashi.
One of the strangest, dreamiest effects I've ever seen in a picture. Overwhelming dark mood and technique go hand in hand together and the result is absolutely unique, TFS! Have a good day, my friend. I've been overly busy with work lately but I'll be seeing you soon.
Fulvio.

haritoshka (25) 2009-04-23 11:07

Hi Hisashi,
this is unreal!Fantastic! Super!
Anna

ellelloo (6572) 2009-04-25 8:49

Hello Hisashi,
A fantastic photo of this illuminated cherry blossom area. A technically outstanding work, which is a real pleasure to view. Thanks for the interesting note too!
Greetings,
Lasse

AmiBe (6042) 2009-04-27 3:54

Great ! Unreal shot with excellent light.
Good note as well.

danyy (0) 2009-04-30 6:50

Photo fantastique et vraiment inhabituelle, la nature au printemps sous l'heure bleue et avec des teintes ros馥s contrastantes et tr鑚 raffraichissantes.
With my best regards.
Daniel.

yso (4146) 2009-04-30 9:20

Hi Hisashi,
What a nice effect and realisation, so beautiful, very well done, congratulations !
Regards,
Yves

boa (8039) 2009-05-01 10:22

Hi Hisashi,
this is one of the best cherry blossom photo i ever have seen,
it must have been amazing to see this !
I like the composition when you use the tree as a ceiling. Amazing colors and light. Thanks for sharing
Best regards
Boa

Graal (103040) 2009-05-03 23:28

Hi Hishashi,
beautiful view and place. Good composition. Amazing blossom cherry trees. I like it a lot.
Gr., Aleksander

PaulVDV (63432) 2009-05-12 9:55

Hello Hisashi,
A very beautiful colour composition: the mix of pink, white and blue is splendid.
Best regards, Paul

anokutan (15097) 2009-05-14 22:36

Hello Hisashi,
Amazing light effect. Japanese really take best out of cherry blossom time.Regards.

vincz (19113) 2009-05-16 7:26

Wow... this is a fabulous one, very spectacular with the very wide angle. Colours are fantastic the most beautiful blue hour shot I've seen ever. Congratulations.

pboehringer (770) 2009-05-19 4:41

Hisashi,
this is a true marvel. I am looking into this image now for several minutes and still not capable to follow exactly all the things that I see here. That is quite strange, because there isn't a lot only some trees, millions of flowers and some quite intriguing light sources. Your achievement in getting this with 1/2s almsot handhled is remarkable. The distortion effect of the WIDE-angle is another great detail.
You certainly got a very unique and fantastic cherry-blossom shot!
Peter

Hellas (7123) 2009-06-12 22:07

Hi Hisashi, It's been a long time!
Amazing and so beautiful scenery, my friend!
What colours and clarity! Monopod and high ISO helped a lot to capture this magical atmosphere!
So glad to see it! Thank you very much!
Best wishes,
Athanasios.

zmey (7335) 2009-06-15 12:14

this one is simply wonderful, Hisashi! I feel, it could do without that black corner in the left, but the glow of light through the cherry-blossoms is fantastic!

warm regards,
kristaps

trewheeler (1971) 2009-07-13 11:44

Excellent shot, great comp, love the wide angle, soft gentle colours. You have captured part of what my minds eye sees as "Japan" in this pic. Regards, TW

sebinho342 (19329) 2009-08-04 6:18

pure marvel this one, you are such a master of the wide angle, perhaps were you born with fish eyes ?
thanks for your note, i understand better the 'tour de force' that represents such a capture.
Brillant

Juzo (2151) 2010-10-25 8:43

Hi Hisashi,
This is beautiful, the colour, the quality. It feels like it is eternal. Simply a pretty image and of superb quality.
Regards
Justin

Bournazel (0) 2010-12-03 14:40

Hello Hisashi
I'm not the first to comment your picture...but I'm very happy to discover it tonight
All is already said I think..BRAVO I start your way to the 200 points !!!
Vincent

jmdias (116307) 2010-12-07 1:05

hisashi

amazing view,. something surreal, some very unusual. I liked the shapes and the discret colors. well done, a sample of the poetry of nature even in a big town like tokio

hugs

jorge

lpi (4857) 2010-12-13 3:56

Hello Hisashi!
La composition et les couleurs sont magnifiques!
Bravo!
Amicalement,
lpi