Ready for Spring Planting

Posted by GJC (Kyoto (京都), Japan) on 4 May 2009 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.

One of my very favorite places in Iwakura: the natural setting and the grace of the old house complement each other beautifully. If you want to see this same rice field in high summer, go here.

Happy Birthday, Colin. We have not forgotten you, not one day.

vfxy Photoblogs

Comments (16)

Mahbubur Rahman from New York, United States

I love this composition - and the color balance, which puts the picture as a very serene and calm capture...well done..

4 May 2009 5:24am

cat from Tel Aviv, Israel

What I especially like about this are the horizontal layers and how they are broken up by diagonals and also how the mountain in the top layer is reflected in the rice paddy. It's a very simple composition, but very complex too - or perhaps the simplicity lies in the harmoniousness.

4 May 2009 7:17am

MrsAmber from West Wickham, United Kingdom

Another stunning shot, lovely reflections..I love the furrows of earth in the water breaking it up. Just wonderful!

4 May 2009 8:07am

mo.langel from Courtelary, Switzerland

Beautiful composition!

4 May 2009 10:13am

Stu from Kyoto, Japan

This is magnificent and I'm slightly disappointed to see so few comments here. I'm guessing it's early morning (or late afternoon) judging by the angle of the Sun giving that atmospheric light. As you say, the old house with Hiei Zan (?) as a backdrop is most satisfying, and to have them reflected in the rice paddy is an added bonus giving this image a timeless quality.

4 May 2009 12:55pm

@Stu: Thanks for the comment and visit. Yes, this was taken at about 4:30 in the afternoon. If it's sunny and I'm free from work, you can be absolutely sure that I won't waste that late afternoon light! The mountain in back is one that has always intrigued me and I've walked almost to its base just to see what's over there. Mt. Hiei is off immediately to the right of where we're standing. Funny thing about the reflection was that the light was coming so strong at an angle that I really couldn't see that there was a reflection in the water. At the time I was more interested in getting the lines of the field included. Only when I got home did I see the lovely reflection. Lately I haven't taken any photos I am really pleased with, but this one finally broke the dry spell.

Veronique from Sarrouilles, France

Every thing is so straight, so neat, so perfect in the geometrie

4 May 2009 1:54pm

Laurie from New Jersey, United States

Oh wow...what a cool comparison. Excellent.

4 May 2009 6:47pm

Howard F. from South Pasadena, Calif., United States

I really like the roof tiles of Kyoto country side, very different from the earthtone tar we have here in Los Angeles. We have a lot of warm red and tan color, or plain gray, never in blue. Beautiful shot.

4 May 2009 8:55pm

michele from Canada

spectacular light and just beautiful lines in all of this

4 May 2009 8:55pm

beanow from Warsaw, Poland

next perfect image. You are the master of the composition and colouring

4 May 2009 10:11pm

Ronnie 2¢ from London, United Kingdom

wow . . thank you for the summer comparison . . what a transformation that will be. Love the feeling from the cold shadows in this early spring moment.

5 May 2009 12:50am