Comments on: Nara: Deer and Buddhas http://bugfox.net/fun/2007/12/12/nara-deer-and-buddhas/ My Entertainment Weblog Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:16:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: J Greely http://bugfox.net/fun/2007/12/12/nara-deer-and-buddhas/comment-page-1/#comment-3272 J Greely Sat, 15 Dec 2007 18:13:56 +0000 http://bugfox.net/fun/2007/12/12/nara-deer-and-buddhas/#comment-3272 It's quite dark inside Todai-ji, so you really want a camera with at least one of: ISO 1600, image stabilization, fast fixed lens. I had all three, so I got a few decent shots inside, as well as a number of fixer-uppers. Flash is useless unless you brought one that's bigger than your camera. Tripods are generally forbidden at places like this for two reasons: traffic control and "weeding out commercial photographers". Careless tripod use is a safety hazard. You can generally use a monopod ("walking stick with threaded top"), but don't just perch the camera on top of it; put a small ballhead on top and use it as your third leg, making you the tripod. Important tips for dealing with Nara deer: 1) don't have anything loose in your jacket pockets, especially paper, because they're expert pickpockets. 2) if you buy the crackers, quickly walk away from the stand that sells them before handing any out. We saw one schoolboy frantically throwing crackers over his shoulder as he tried to escape the horde, and I had three checking out my (zipped-shut!) pockets while I fed one. -j It’s quite dark inside Todai-ji, so you really want a camera with at least one of: ISO 1600, image stabilization, fast fixed lens. I had all three, so I got a few decent shots inside, as well as a number of fixer-uppers. Flash is useless unless you brought one that’s bigger than your camera.

Tripods are generally forbidden at places like this for two reasons: traffic control and “weeding out commercial photographers”. Careless tripod use is a safety hazard. You can generally use a monopod (”walking stick with threaded top”), but don’t just perch the camera on top of it; put a small ballhead on top and use it as your third leg, making you the tripod.

Important tips for dealing with Nara deer: 1) don’t have anything loose in your jacket pockets, especially paper, because they’re expert pickpockets. 2) if you buy the crackers, quickly walk away from the stand that sells them before handing any out. We saw one schoolboy frantically throwing crackers over his shoulder as he tried to escape the horde, and I had three checking out my (zipped-shut!) pockets while I fed one.

-j

]]> By: Jonathan Tappan http://bugfox.net/fun/2007/12/12/nara-deer-and-buddhas/comment-page-1/#comment-3271 Jonathan Tappan Sat, 15 Dec 2007 03:46:18 +0000 http://bugfox.net/fun/2007/12/12/nara-deer-and-buddhas/#comment-3271 I don't know the reason for the "no tripods" rule. At least it isn't "no photography." Without a tripod (which I didn't have with me anyway) the "secret" to taking pictures inside the temple seems to be: 1. Don't even try to use a flash. 2. Take lots of pictures. 3. Pick the least-bad ones. 4. Adjust the lighting in Photoshop. I don’t know the reason for the “no tripods” rule. At least it isn’t “no photography.”

Without a tripod (which I didn’t have with me anyway) the “secret” to taking pictures inside the temple seems to be:

1. Don’t even try to use a flash.
2. Take lots of pictures.
3. Pick the least-bad ones.
4. Adjust the lighting in Photoshop.

]]> By: Ken Talton http://bugfox.net/fun/2007/12/12/nara-deer-and-buddhas/comment-page-1/#comment-3270 Ken Talton Sat, 15 Dec 2007 00:49:50 +0000 http://bugfox.net/fun/2007/12/12/nara-deer-and-buddhas/#comment-3270 WOW! You got great pictures inside that temple! Great Job! (Mine absolutely sucked) My deer pictures came out OK. The funniest thing was watching the kids feed the deer. Mom gives kid cookie.. Kid holds out cookie... Deer approaches kid.. Kid backs up in fear... (various other manuvers by child until...) Deer GETS cookie... Child screams and jumps Deer chews... Repeat... Oh, BTW, did you get an explanation for the "NO TRIPODS!" rule? WOW! You got great pictures inside that temple! Great Job!
(Mine absolutely sucked)
My deer pictures came out OK.

The funniest thing was watching the kids feed the deer.
Mom gives kid cookie..
Kid holds out cookie…
Deer approaches kid..
Kid backs up in fear…
(various other manuvers by child until…)
Deer GETS cookie…
Child screams and jumps
Deer chews…
Repeat…

Oh, BTW, did you get an explanation for the “NO TRIPODS!” rule?

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