Obuse Wood

Hello,

My wife's grandparents are from Obuse so whenever we go there it has a gentle feeling to the trip.  I have been a couple of times and had a wonderful times each time.  I am always at a loss for words for the beauty that is all around me there.  The whole area has so many different feels, ages , and tastes it would take a whole website just to explain it.

I saw this log sitting all by it's self next to a huge pile of other lumber, most likely for firework in winter.  I think about what make those holes in it, was it a person with a drill bit, a large worm, or did it grow that way.  The texture from the saw-blade cut works wonders with the grain of the wood.  I enjoy the green hedge and the background lumber that ties it all together.

Thank you very much for reading.

Arch with Snow

Hello,

I think that now it is time for a little bit of an abstract picture today.  First, a little bit about the scene.  It was snowing and almost to the point that it was a blizzard.  I was running errands around the Nagano Station and taking a few picture here and there.  As I was going up to walk across to the other side of the station I saw this at the top.

The arch normally it's anything to write home about but today it looked great. The afternoon light was at just the right angle and then was defused by the falling snow.  Speaking of the white snow, it was nicely gathered around all the little traps here and there.  It looks to me that the area was cleaned not that long ago as well so everything was bright, shining, and cheerful.

Thank you very much for reading.

Frozen River

Hello,

About a month ago I was reading a magazine about different photography techniques to try during the winter.  One of those was to freeze different things inside of ice and then take photos of the block, mostly with a light behind it.  I was tempted to try it but then thought that it was cold enough as it was so moved on.  As I passed this little drainage river I saw this ice that looked just like one of the examples from the magazine.

The contrasting shades of white give it a three dimensional look even though it is flat.  I think that as the cold winter night air freeze the water at night it fights against the draining ground.  It looks abstract in design but it is actually very natural and organic.  Dark leaves help to make the white pop out as well.  Best of all I didn't have to do anything other then take the photo.

Thank you very much for reading.

Roadside Flower

Hello,

I had an interesting thought today as I was walking around.  To some it up nicely is that I notice most people don't actually notice the world around them.  I always see people walking around with earphones on listening to something, in a loud car barely watching in front, or playing a handheld game.  I think that they are missing so much of the world around them and I thought of this picture of this flower right away.

Next to a busy street with cars passing at all times day and night was this flower.  I had watched a bunch of schoolkids run past it without even a glance in it's direction.  I stood next to it and saw how this beautiful flower was growing out of the asphalt to reach the sunlight like it's yellow center.  I took the picture and wondered if the flower knew how much I loved how hard it was working.

Thank you for reading.

Wet Stump with Leaves

Hello,

This stump is on one of the ways that I go to the post office, it is actually underneath some bushes in someone yard.  I had sometimes stopped and looked at it but never thought it looked just right to take a photo.  Then one day after a little bit of rain I passed by again and saw the leaves next to it and knew that is what was missing all along.

Before it was just a rotting stump in the grey ground but now it was a living stump in rich dark ground.  The leaves with the greens and reds add a great dash of color when before it was only gray all around.  The little bit of rain added a wonderful life to the whole scene that wasn't there before on the dry ground.  Even the weeds, moss, and other living plants look to be happier now.

Thank you very much for reading.

Burst of Yellow

Hello,

I love this picture.  The big bright burst of yellow that shows through everything else catches the eye right away.  The long, thin, skinny petals seem to stretch out from the center and welcome the sun's rays.  The small white dots on those petals tell a story of difference.  The curled stamen give it a slightly different fell then most straight ones. The dark centers draw you in farther into the picture to enjoy it even more.

Thank you very much for reading.

Local Mountain

Hello,

Life for me in Japan is not that much different then when I was in the USA except for a car.  Owning a car in Japan is very expensive and to me more trouble then it's worth.  In USA I have had a car for about ten years and I used it to get everywhere, living in LA will teach you that.  To be honest though I don't miss it at all and I enjoy the saving also that I rediscovered my joy for walking.

This is one of the mountains that are in my area that I saw one day walking.  It was during the fall so you can see all the red and yellow turning leaves.  The light on the one mountain showcases the distance and difference in the different heights.  The cloud formations with different shades of white and gray gives nice depth and texture.  Even the cellular tower in the distance make the picture complete to me.

Thank you very much for reading.