Summer Festivals - 2009 version
Summer has arrived. Very hot and very humid... And summer in Japan calls for hanabi, a.k.a. fireworks.
For those who don't know, fireworks are associated with summer in Japan. For people like me used to see lots of fireworks when the New Year comes, that can be a little disappointing. I say that because I went to Osaka for the countdown... and to my surprise, there were no fireworks nowhere nearby, even though I was in the middle of a crowd gathered for the countdown (Umeda).
(Note to self: in Japan, it may be better to go to a temple instead... at least you hear the bells)
Anyway, after seeing fireworks in Uji, Osaka, Biwako and Shirahama in 2007 and travelling around the world during that season in 2008, I was looking for places to see hanabi this year.
The chosen one was the Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival (なにわ淀川花火大会) on August 8th. This one is popular in Osaka; and it is one I have never been before. Thus, we (Fang and I) decided to go check it out.
This time, though, having a better camera and a tripod, I was really into taking decent pictures of fireworks. That's something I still hadn't been able to do. So I decided to get some information from Kazu, who's taken great pictures there before. He basically told me to get there early and find the spot right in front of the fireworks.
... I was only able to follow half the advice.
I got there early. More than three hours before the event. There was still plenty of space. But I did the stupid thing of trying to guide myself only by the picture on Kazu's blog, but I was fooled by a second similar bridge nearby and chose the wrong position: far away from the fireworks... I only realised the mistake when the fireworks started, then I was swearing all over and rushing to change the position of the camera in the middle of a sea of people.
Also, to avoid overexposure, I was told that ND filters are a good thing to use. I didn't have one, so I tried to improvise with my CPL filter. Well, the results speak for themselves...
Those are some pictures that turned out more a less all right. Better than those I took two years ago, but there's still that feeling that "I could have done better"...
For those who don't know, fireworks are associated with summer in Japan. For people like me used to see lots of fireworks when the New Year comes, that can be a little disappointing. I say that because I went to Osaka for the countdown... and to my surprise, there were no fireworks nowhere nearby, even though I was in the middle of a crowd gathered for the countdown (Umeda).
(Note to self: in Japan, it may be better to go to a temple instead... at least you hear the bells)
Anyway, after seeing fireworks in Uji, Osaka, Biwako and Shirahama in 2007 and travelling around the world during that season in 2008, I was looking for places to see hanabi this year.
The chosen one was the Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival (なにわ淀川花火大会) on August 8th. This one is popular in Osaka; and it is one I have never been before. Thus, we (Fang and I) decided to go check it out.
This time, though, having a better camera and a tripod, I was really into taking decent pictures of fireworks. That's something I still hadn't been able to do. So I decided to get some information from Kazu, who's taken great pictures there before. He basically told me to get there early and find the spot right in front of the fireworks.
... I was only able to follow half the advice.
I got there early. More than three hours before the event. There was still plenty of space. But I did the stupid thing of trying to guide myself only by the picture on Kazu's blog, but I was fooled by a second similar bridge nearby and chose the wrong position: far away from the fireworks... I only realised the mistake when the fireworks started, then I was swearing all over and rushing to change the position of the camera in the middle of a sea of people.
Also, to avoid overexposure, I was told that ND filters are a good thing to use. I didn't have one, so I tried to improvise with my CPL filter. Well, the results speak for themselves...
Those are some pictures that turned out more a less all right. Better than those I took two years ago, but there's still that feeling that "I could have done better"...
2 comments:
That's so nice!
I didn't know that japanese people doesn't have fireworks during New years celebrations. I just knew that they have fireworks on Summer festivals in this period, as you said.
Talking about summer/august, it reminds me that you've been here in Brazil about 1 year already, right? That's SO fast!
The pictures are so nice either, Madness! Congrats! Hope everyhting is fine there in JP.
Ah, que isso… As fotos ficaram excelentes.
Às vezes, fica até melhor de longe, já que ficou uma coisa mais expontânea, com a ponte e tudo o mais.
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