Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto

Posted by Daryl (Amagasaki, Japan) on 12 February 2007 in People & Portraits.

Shichi-go-san celebration last November. Japanese celebration for when children reach 3 ages: 3, 5 and 7. Families go to the shrine to pray for success and a good life for their children. Children usually have to endure rounds of family photos wearing kimono, but they do get lots of sweets as compensation. I don't think these folks were looking angrily at me here, it just... seems that way. It was the faces of the man and woman looking out that caught my eye in this shot. I had a look at cropping out the bright wooden beams at the bottom of the shot but it didn't look right. And I kind of like the way they form a frame with the lanterns above. What do you think?

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Comments (10)

Ee Yuing from Singapore

I like the lanterns in particular! =)

12 Feb 2007 7:19am

@Ee Yuing: Ohhh... I have lots of lantern shots... I'm holding back. Thanks!

Jerry from Tampa, United States

Excellent image with nice warm tones - well done Daroru!

12 Feb 2007 8:10am

@Jerry: Cheers Jerry!

azwan from Malaysia

hello..thanks for the comment..hope to keep in touch...
nice color..i like the color of the photo..
but i think this will look nicer without the big pole..just my beginner idea..hope u don't mind

12 Feb 2007 9:06am

@azwan: Thanks for the feedback! I know what you mean. I kind of wanted the pole in the shot; my idea was to have 2 little frames of the goings-on inside... a not-necessarily-successful experiment...

Mike Cash from Kiryu, Japan

I never would have noticed the beam across the bottom if you hadn't pointed it out. I don't know that leaving it in adds or detracts anything, but cutting it out certainly would have "chopped" the people off in an awkward way. Good decision to leave it in.

12 Feb 2007 9:35am

@Mike Cash: Thank you Mike!

Addey Kehinde from London, United Kingdom

ha ha! Cool shot. The fact that you got busted makes it even more interesting...you've got some pretty scarey glares going on there..!

Nice one.

12 Feb 2007 9:43am

@Addey Kehinde: Thank you Addey!

objectif-plume from Belgium

superbe photo

12 Feb 2007 12:23pm

@objectif-plume: Thank you objectif-plume!

Michael Zhang from New York City, United States

I love how this is "sandwiched" between the row of lanterns on top and row of handrails on the bottom.

12 Feb 2007 5:38pm

@Michael Zhang: Thank you! Glad you liked that.

badala from Leiria, Portugal

Cool expression, very natural!

12 Feb 2007 5:40pm

@badala: Thank you badala!

Rebecca from United States

i really like the capture and the stiffness of the photo... great colors too. my only suggestion is to crop the bottom railing so the pole would look more like a disconnecting factor between the man and the woman.. just a thought.

12 Feb 2007 8:04pm

@Rebecca: Thanks for the suggestion Rebecca. I'll have a go...