“To see in color is a delight for the eye but to see in black and white is a delight for the soul.”
~ Andri Cauldwell
Tokyo Imperial Palace Grounds
Tokyo International Forum
City Rain
Temple Roof
Rush Hour
Imperial Swans
“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.”
~Dorothea Lange
Crosswalk and Umbrella
Ticket Please
Stepping Out
“For me, the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity.”
~Henri Cartier-Bresson
Kimono and Pumas
Burger Reflections
Tea House Pour
Kyoto Afternoon
All Alone II
But I want candy!
“Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph.”
~Matt Hardy
Really great photos. You are an inspirational!
Interesting post
Thanks very much, Sharon. Glad you enjoyed them.
fabulous shots Jane!! I love the monochrome…leaves me with a sense of wonder. The ‘city rain’ jumps out at me😜
Thank you so much, April. City Rain is a fave– glad you enjoyed!
Reblogged this on prattenberg. and commented:
A stunning photo documentary of Japan in black&white. Wonderful pictures, excellently shot. My compliments!
Wonderful photos!
Thanks so much, Shereen. Appreciate your visit.
What a universal picture in that last one, Jane. I love the crispness of the tea house pour and the umbrella and the crosswalk and the forum is amazing as well. Why do you choose the Imperial palace to be black and white? Just curious.
Hi Lisa, Thanks for your thoughts on these. Much appreciated. I think the historic look and contrasts of the palace called for a vintage monochrome look.
Thank you. I was wondering as I would imagine it was full of reds and golds.
Interestingly, the imperial palace buildings are mainly white but some buildings have green roofs. Many shrines are red and gold, though.
That makes sense.
These are all wonderful, Jane. Love them. 😍
Thanks so much, Sylvia. Pleased you enjoyed this series. 🤗
Beautiful B&W series, Jane. It lends a vintage feel to each photo. Your Imperial Palace image bears a close resemblance to the B&W photo of the Palace when MacArthur visited the Emperor after the war I saw in my 9th grade history book (which was ages ago). The “But, I want candy!” image translates across cultures … as so does “No!” reply he received.
Glad to see the Bay Area is finally receiving rain. 🙂
HI David, Thanks so much. Happy you enjoyed this one and that’s an interesting comparison you remembered from your history books. Perfect.
We have had a good amount of rain this week– appreciate your good wishes. It was a scary and trying month.
All great photos, but I there is something about the crosswalk and umbrella that Iike, The geometry and patterns and the umbrella make a nice composition.
Thanks so much, Jeff. That was a fun scene to see from my hotel window. Glad you enjoyed these.
You outdid yourself, Jane. I know you enjoy black and white…and it just gets batter and better. I guess Japan provided an aesthetic push? At least an inspiration. 🙂 There are so many great images it’s hard to single any out, but I will: Temple Roof, Crosswalk & Umbrella, Stepping Out, Tea House Pour, All Alone…and as usual you sussed out some pithy quotes – I love the first one. Have a good week!
Hi Lynn, Your encouragement means a lot to me and you are right, Japan did provide me with renewed inspiration. The images you’ve noted are faves and there are some, like these, that just beg to be converted to monochrome. You’re sweet to enjoy the quotes, too. I love pairing them. I hope you’ve been having a great week– we are thankful for all this rain. 🙂
Japan has probably provided renewed inspiration to many an artist, right? 🙂 I’ve never been there, but I can see you just drinking it in. I’m glad you guys are under the clouds….you need it! It’s cold up here, and feels all the more so becasue it was unseasonably warm earlier…and I have a cold, so I’m laying low. Chicken stewy-soup tonight. 😉
Some great photos here 🙂
Thanks so much Zombie Girl. Happy you stopped by. 🙂
Your photos offer a wonderful glimpse of life in Japan. Very nice in black and white.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the black and whites, Belinda. It was a marvelous place to find a variety of scenes. Thanks very much!
I am impressed by your work.
Thanks so much, Sherry. Happy you enjoyed this series.
Wonderful B&W images, Jane. One really does look at them differently than when looking at color!
Thank you, Susan. Amazing how it changes what you see in an image. Glad you enjoyed!
Love the effectiveness of the black and white… loved the little person in the kimono
Thank you, Linda. Isn’t he adorable? 😄
What a remarkable galley Jane! Love every evocative image, but ‘Crosswalk and Umbrella’ is a particular standout.
Thanks so much, Madhu. Such fun to see the patterns of rainy day commuters from my hotel window. Glad you enjoyed this series.
Jane, every one shot a winner, in my book.
Hi Paula, I’m pleased you like this series. Black and white is a different world.
An excellent, wide-ranging, set
Thanks so much, Derrick. I’m pleased you enjoyed them.
Very impressive, you photograph like a professional. And it must be an incredible experience going to Japan!
Thanks so much, Noortje. It was an amazing travel experience in Japan. Would like to return sometime!
I’m not usually a fan of B&W – but you won me over. I must experiment with it more! Wonderful photos Jane.
Alison
Now that’s a great compliment, Alison. I am glad I won you over to the monochrome side. 🙂 Certain images just call out to me to be converted! Have fun with it. Thanks so much for your visit.
This is definitely photographs and not snapshots. Well seen Jane I was surprised how few people were in the rush hour photo, I thought everywhere would be crowded
Thanks so much, Pauline. What wonderful cities to photograph. We expected the streets of Tokyo to be more overwhelming but really just felt it in certain markets and neighborhoods. We didn’t ride the subways where I am sure we would have felt it! 🙂
Wow. You truly have an eye for beauty and capture such telling details. (I love the Pumas and the kimono!)
Hi Patti, I’m so glad you enjoyed this mix– thanks very much. The Pumas cracked me up. He was so proud and adorable at his celebration.
What a treat it is to see the world through your lens, Jane. Many superb monochromes here. The International Forum is particularly awesome!
Thank you, Eliza. I’m glad you enjoy black and white photography in your color-filled world. The Forum building was such a surprise!
A delight for the soul – it could not be better described…Glorious shots, Jane, and they all benefit from being shown in monochrome. If I were to chose one of them for a favorite, it would be the umbrella crossing.
Hi Ann-Christine, Happy you enjoyed these in monochrome. I love how black and white changes the feel of an image and it’s interesting to figure out which photos will work well in B&W. Glad you like Umbrella…that was a good moment. Thank you so much.
I love your photos of Japan and the Tokyo International Forum blows me away.
Ω
Thanks so much, Allan. It’s been a creative wonderland going through images. We stumbled on the marvelous Forum on one of our walks. Designed by the Uruguayan architect, Rafael Viñoly. The roofline from the outside looks futuristically stunning and the inside is an amazing surprise. Happy you enjoyed. 🙂
👀
Very nice Jane, may I ask what settings you used for ‘All Alone II’
Hi Brian, Thanks so much- happy you enjoyed them. Sure– do you mean camera settings or editing?
Camera settings Jane, the image is so sharp with great dof, light must have been at a premium.
Thanks! Shot with the Fuji X-T2 and 18-55mm f/2.8. ISO 800 1/60s @ f/4, handheld. This neighborhood, called Ginza, is a high-end shopping area with spectacular storefronts filled with neon and bright lights so that helped in getting some great night shots without a tripod. There’s a post I did a few weeks ago called Tokyo Nights and this image is there in color. Curious which version you favor.
I remember the colour version well and it is outstanding! The mono version gives it more of an edge and focuses your view on the gentleman subject. Thanks for the tech info, the light available was more than I expected I was expecting a much higher iso so great work!
Thanks! And I appreciate that you remember the other. I like the monochrome version more, too.
Terrific Jane. Loved Forum and Crosswalk especially!
Thanks, Tina. Such fun to find great lines and shadows for monochrome. Glad you enjoyed!
These photo knocked my socks off, Jane. You drew me in with the patterns from the start. The Imperial Palace especially, endless patterns and shapes. The shapes you see and bring to us, much appreciated. Then the people photos were astounding–I loved Rush Hour, then the crosswalk, ticket-taker, tea ceremonialist, all exquisite. Crazy shoes, perfectly highlighted. Kyoto Afternoon and All Alone. All great titles and quotes too. I really enjoyed every single one of these masterpieces, Jane, but I always ask myself, what is my favorite? I couldn’t narrow it down to one, so my two favorites were Rush Hour and Kimono and Pumas. Warm thanks for this descriptive, fascinating visit to Japan.
Hi Jet, Wow, you’ve made my day. Thanks so much for taking the time to absorb these images and it’s nice that you said they are descriptive — I hope that they tell a story. Very happy you enjoyed this post.
Your “Crosswalk and Umbrella” is an excellent polygonal abstraction.
Thanks, Steve. I was very happy with the results and even happier with your description. Always appreciated!
This is a great set of photographs.They support each other and are internally consistent as well as having their usual high technical quality. Great stuff !
Thank you, Bruce, for your wonderful response. Much appreciated!
Crosswalk and Umbrella along with All Alone II (very clever) are my favorites, but there are several runner ups.
Thanks, Sharon. Two favorites. I love how black and white draws the eye differently than with color. Hope you had a wonderful TG weekend!
Bless you and your work Jane. Several of these images were pure showstoppers.
Thank you so much, Bob. Really nice to know you are enjoying my posts. Hope you had a good holiday weekend!
Glorious. You are an amazing photographer.
Thank you, Mari. I really appreciate it and very happy you enjoyed this collection.
Wonderful collection of pictures. The b&w works very well here.
Thanks so much, Rabirius. It’s always interesting to see which images work best in monochrome.
To see in B&W is a delight for the soul Jane 🙂 There is also something special about the black and whites that the Fuji’s produce. Masterful job on these images.
Hi Joe, Good quote for Monochromia. 🙂 Very happy you enjoyed these- means a lot. Thanks very much.
Striking post, Jane. Especially loved the play of light and shadows in City Rain and Kyoto Shadows.
Thank you, Jane. I love the challenge of finding these contrasts. Hope you had a good holiday. 🙂
I love this so much and Japan is so amazing** my Aunt went there had a great time. My son loves the Shiba Uni that where they originated they are beautiful so sweet I wish those dogs were in this picture or pictures to come you would make my son so happy Blessings
Thank you, Robin. It is a wonderful country to explore. Glad you enjoyed.
Thanks, Blessings to you*
amazing and cultural introduction…
Happy you enjoyed this series, Mihran. Thanks so much.