10 Photos - An Unforgettable Sakura Hunt

Shortly After 10 AM

We arrived at Mt. Yaedake to see how the cherry blossoms (sakura) were doing.

The festival (matsuri) officially ended this past weekend.

Flowers, don't always blossom in accordance with the festival calendar.

It's been sort of a scattered blooming season, island-wide this year.

A sakura sign, at the entrance, indicated 70% bloom, at the top of the mountain.

Things, weren't looking too shabby, halfway up the hill so, we stopped for awhile.

It's always best, to ask tourists for permission, before taking photos.

Some, are happy having their picture taken. Others, are too shy. Like me, for example.

The blossoms were kind of sparse, unless the lens was zoomed in on them. 

The weather was nice, not too windy but, a little bit cloudy.

When things are calm, it's fun composing close-up images of the flowers.

No glaring sun and strong breezes shake the blossoms and, you get awesome colors.

Just about the time, I decided to shoot these gals, doing selfies, they quit doing it.

"Hey. Could you do that one more time so, I can take a picture?"

They didn't understand my Japanese. We got it done with hand signals.

They were sweethearts. I would have bought them ice cream but, didn't know where it was.

About ten-thirty, it was time to head to the top of the mountain and, check things out.

Ideally, there would be a couple of trees, loaded with those pink and red flowers.

This photo was taken from above, to show the winding road and scattered blossoms.

During peak Sakura Season, it would be a breathtaking scene.

There's no sense, cursing about the situation. Dang it Things won't get any better. 

Shortly before 11 AM, a big rain storm, blew across the mountain.

The professor and I, had to wait under shelter, before we could get back to our ride.

We've lived on island for many years and, know these things happen sometimes.

Ten minutes later, we were back on the road again, headed downhill.

There weren't many tourists left so, I concentrated on cherry blossoms again.

A few stops were made, to snap images, as we meandered off the mountain.

Then, we decided to hop over to another island and, eat some pizza.

That's a story, I'll save until, it gets a Google Map review.  Think vegetarian !

15 Flower Photos for Wordless Wednesday

Beginning of Plum and Cherry Blossom Season in Okinawa

Orange Tip Butterfly in Cherry Blossoms

Sakura Season Begins

A trip to Mt. Yaedake was made, to checkout the cherry blossoms. They are blossoming.

Probably, less than 25% of the trees are turning pink, with the flowers.

But, it's a good time to go if, you don't like traffic and crowds, bumping into your camera.

The next three weekends, the mountain will become very busy. Nobody will catch me there.

After downloading 100 images, I selected this one to post tonight and, will process more later.

Camera: Pentax K1

Lens: Pentax 18-250 at 250MM

Exposure: f/6.3  1/500   ISO 400

Location: Mt. Yaedake, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time: JAN 16 2017  12:32PM

Japanese White Eye Strikes Another Pose

  Same Bird Seen in Yesterday's Photo

 

 

These little devils hop from branch to branch in a just split second.

This camera settings used, were exactly the same in, taking both images.

The only difference, is the  branch the bird posed on and, it happened to be, 27 seconds later.

If, it seems like, I'm in a rush, to get out of here tonight, you're right.

Tomorrow a sweetheart of mine graduates from high school and, I don't want to miss it.

The last time I saw her graduate, I had to shoot everybody, to  make sure, I didn't miss !

See:  Finding Marin in Okinawa if, you don't believe me !

Cherry Blossoms with a Bird and Blue Sky

A Japanese White Eye

It was one of those days, people shouldn't be indoors, wasting their lives away.

The legs seemed a little rubbery from weaving in and out of bars last night.

So, I stayed close to the office, updated stuff and practiced, using my sleeping bag.

It was a good thing, I kept sneaking out back to catch some sun rays.

Recently, one of those Android phones, came into my life.

It needed 34 updates, I discovered, after having it a whole week.

Don't ask why but, I figured, it would update lots faster if, we were outdoors.

There's no sense telling everybody, how many hours it took, to get this shot.

When that Mejiro, posed for a split second in the cherry blossoms, I was ready.

It turned out to be, not such a bad day, for the old guy, after-all.

Camera: Pentax K3

Lens:  Pentax 300MM with 1.4 converter -- Focal Length 420MM

Exposure:  f/6.3   f/1250   ISO 100

Location:  Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Latitude: 26.454

Longitude:  127.921

Date and Time:  FEB 28  2016   4:36PM

Mejiro Chirping in Cherry Blossoms

These Birds Love the Sakura Flowers

 

The best time to catch Japanese White Eyes is when they are in these trees.

After Cherry Blossoms disappear, the birds become more skittish.

Flocks of them, migrate to the pine trees, searching for bugs to consume.

During sakura season it seems, they remain stationary a bit longer, visiting these flowers.

This photo was captured in a tree, not far from my office.  See: 16 Steps for more.

Camera: Pentax K3

Lens: Pentax 300MM + 1.4 converter  Focal Length 420MM

Exposure:  f/7.1   1/800   ISO 400

Location:  Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time:  FEB 16  2016   1:46PM

Bird in Cherry Blossoms on White Background

This Doesn't Happen Everyday

 

 

This photo was taken not far from yesterday's 16 steps position, only at a higher elevation.

So, maybe there were 40 steps involved, in getting up on the roof over my office.

The Mejiro (Japanese White Eye) is a fairly fast moving bird.

Luckily, it stopped for a split second in front of a white background, with plenty of sunshine.

That gave me a chance, to crank the shutter speed way up into the thousands.

Camera:  Pentax K3

Lens:  Sigma 50-500MM using a 1.4 converter.  Focal length 700MM

Exposure:  f/9  1/4000   ISO 200

Location:  Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time:  FEB 17 2016  3:42PM

16 Steps to Get this Bird in Cherry Blossoms

Mejiro in Sakura

 

 

It's not that I'm going to write all sixteen steps down for reading.

That's just the number of steps, I had to walk outside my office door, to take this shot.

Camera:  Pentax K3

Lens:  Pentax 300MM + 1.4 converter  Focal length 420MM

Exposure:  f/7.1   1/800   ISO 400

Location:  Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time:  FEB 16 2016  1:46PM

Rain Can't Stop Cherry Blossom Lovers

Wet and Breezy on the Mountain

 

 

Just to keep everyone informed, another trip was made up Mt. Yae, yesterday.

Luckily, Map It Okinawa Dude was driving; that's too far of a hike, for me.

The higher up that ear-popping mountain, you go, the colder it gets.

Wind blowing and rain falling make photography more challenging than usual.

 I figured it would be a good idea, to jump out of the car and snap a few photos.

Here's an image taken from almost the exact spot, I stood at, two weeks ago.

The shot couldn't be duplicated because, too many vehicles were coming up the road.

Standing with a tripod, in the middle of the street, can be dangerous.

 These young ladies, were out there in the rain, taking pictures and, doing selfies.

They saw the old man, with a furry face and posed for me.  Good girls.

 Where a Pentax camera, come in handy, is when it's raining outside.

Other than, keeping raindrops off of the lens, I didn't have to worry about it getting wet.

 The cell phone, I use is water resistant, too so, I snapped this photo.

The folks at the camera store know, I put their stuff through some rough tests.

They should send me free stuff and, see if it can be broken. I'd do a bang-up job for them !

 The trees, sort of blossomed sporadically, this year and, I wouldn't say they are at full bloom, yet.

Maybe it's fifty percent at full bloom, at this point; there are lots of barren cherry trees.

 It would have been, much more enjoyable, up there on a sunny day.

Maybe in the next weekend or, two the whole mountain will busting out in pink flowers.

Some of my camera-shooting friends live up there in Motubu.

They should do like, I do.  Sneak out of the house before the women wake up.

And, spend the whole day, snapping photos of cherry blossoms.

When, there's no blue skies, to add to the scene, I climb high and shoot down into the valley.

The colors and contrast make an interesting scene, I think.

Once my clothes were soaking wet and I was half frozen, it was time to get out of there.

Do you, love cherry blossoms enough, to visit them in the rain ?

Checklist: Sakura Photography Tomorrow

5 Things to Remember

 

 

Normally, you wouldn't catch me going back up north during cherry blossom season.

Some guests want to go and shoot photos so, I'll be getting ready.

Before leaving the office, I decided to make this checklist, to remind me of a few items.

1. Weekends are the most crowded days for people and traffic. Don't go unless you have to.

2. Weather forecast: 70% chance of rain. Bring an umbrella and waterproof jacket.

3. A stepladder puts you above the crowds.  Bring one.

4.  Japanese White Eyes (Mejiro) love sakura (cherry blossoms). Bring along a big, fast lens. 

5.  If it rains all day, take Teru Teru Bozu off the mailbox and, throw him away !

Plum Blossoms on Mt.Yaedake

Who Would Have Thought ?

 

 

A true flower fanatic could go crazy with the cameras, up on that hill.

There are cherry blossoms and plum flowers starting to bloom, at the same time.

It's a shame, I didn't bring along the Garmin GPS gadget yesterday.

Knowing, a bunch of folks will want to know where these plum blossoms are, bothers me.

I'm not that good, at giving highway directions; there's more important stuff on my mind.

It's sort of rare, getting to see these plum flowers blooming, around here.

The season for viewing them probably, only lasts a week or, so.

That tree wasn't in full bloom, yet.  Look at all the unopened flower buds.

 Up on that mountain named Yaedake, you might find the plum blossoms.

Look for these cherry trees with the red and pink flowers, hanging on them.

And, position yourself, where you imagine, I was standing while taking this photo.

Then, turn around and, walk about a quarter mile down the country road.

The trees with white plum blossoms, are down there, on the left, somewhere.

Flower Photo: Cherry Blossoms on a Rainy Day

Mount Yaedake

 

 

A quick tour to check on the sakura (cherry blossoms) was made today.

Full bloom is probably a week or so away but, tourists are arriving, anyway.

The next, two weekends, it's guaranteed, traffic on the mountain will be heavy.

My estimate:  Maybe 20-25% of the trees are blossoming not, much more.

Tents are set up and the Sakura Matsuri, on Yaedake begins tomorrow.

And, some crazy weathermen are predicting snowfall on Okinawa next week !

Don't expect to find me, going up that road, until after the place thaws out !

Camera: Pentax K3

Lens:  Pentax 18-250 at 250MM

Exposure:  f/6.3   1/30   ISO 100

Location:  Mt. Yaedake, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time:  JAN 22  2016   1:47PM

 Related Post: Cherry Blossoms on Mt. Yaedake in Okinawa

Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) Blooming in Kin Town

Don't Get Your Underwear in an Uproar

 

 

Somebody heard my complaint about all the rain yesterday.

The weather took a turn for the best and, got me outdoors, where I belong.

Before leaving the house, I told the wife, I had two big articles, to work on.

So, I probably would be in the office, all day today.  And, she said, "No you won't.

If the sun shines all day, you'll be out with your cameras, walking." 

So, that's what I did.  The plan was, to shoot birds at the Kin Dam.

Along the way, I saw the first few cherry blossoms, just below the Kin Bridge.

The lens being used was a Sigma 50-500 with a 1.4 converter so, I could reach out 700MM.

That's how this photo was taken.

Here, I selected one blossom, with some cherry bark in the background.

It sort of, makes the sakura and flower buds, stand out for you.

Unlike many other cherry blossoms, ours face down towards the ground.

Up in the northern parts of Japan, the blossoms face up towards the sky.

It would be difficult to estimate, what percent of the trees are in bloom.

There are more important things, for me to do than, count  trees and flowers.

For people sitting around, twisting their underwear, I can tell you this:

Along the way, I only stopped to take photos at three trees.

 The other 100 or so, cherry trees look, something like this !

Sometime in the next few weeks, there will be a Sakura Matsuri at this location.

That's a Cherry Blossom Festival, for the English speaking audience.

Some of my friends, will be playing in a live band, at that event.

Not sure of the date and time, yet but, I will let everyone know, as soon as I can.

There will be plenty of liquid refreshments, entertainment and dancing, going on.

That's be a good time, to get your underwear in a uproar !