Connect Four

I begin this particular presentation with an ancient form of weaponry.

They wedged rockets into the small cylindrical holes, lit them, then presumably ran away.  It's a miracle that one survived, given the wooden nature of the construction.

I certainly wouldn't want to be the chief 'post operation,' visual inspector.  Not for all the tea in china.  Come to think of it, that's probably what they were fighting for.

So I tried experimenting with different in-camera options while I was shooting.  I had the opportunity to use an entry-level SLR afterall, so I wanted to tinker and see what happened.

Obviously, I can't do highlights, so I've lost yet more in this picture; but I must admit that I carry a certain fondness for this extremely warm picture.

I haven't seen many like this, and while it's probably an acquired taste (hence why so few examples exist) I am bemused as to why there should be so little interest in this particular colour scheme.

Thoughts, anyone?

This is the neutral colour scheme I predominantly used during the days' shooting.

It's the same entrance shrine thing, but with a decidedly lacklustre aura.  The picture above reminded me somewhat  of Lord of the Rings, so maybe I just have a fondness for unrealistically ethereal imagery.

I know two of the chinese characters on this shrine by the way.  One means door, another middle, and the third I've no idea.  Door something middle.  Door God Middle?  Door Sunshine Middle?  Door Oranges Middle?  Who knows.  (Obviously someone does, just not me.)

I was somewhat enamored by the chinese characters, so took incrementally closer pictures of them.

There's no other reason for me to include them here than, and I apologise for this, I feel this blog should be at least some way indicative of my overall shooting habits, so I need to include enough that it is proportional to the number I took overall.

That probably doesn't make sense to anyone but me, so I apologise.

Door, something, middle.  In that order.

There's not a lot more to say on this particular topic.

It's pretty though right?

It smacks of Asia too, which is nice in a country of macdonalds and KraZe burger.

The americanisation of this country is total, whereas Japan is only partially exploited.  Long may Japan hold out.

I like the perspective of this one.

Last one of the writing I promise...




(I made sure it was very small!)

I love drawing the traditional and modern together.

The best way to do this is zoom in to the maximum extent of your lense, and pull the background closer to the foreground.  The elements in this picture look quite close together, but they couldn't exist further apart.

Isn't photography fun!

Taking photographs is, but listening to a deranged lunatic isn't, so let's move on swiftly!

I don't know what this ugly little fellow is, but I assume he's guarding the temple at the top of the steps.

The warm colours are useful here, because they bring out detail that was lacking from the neutral colour scheme I used in other pictures.

He's got some awesome teeth on him.  He doesn't even look particularly menacing, as is common for these gargoyle type constructions.

I was of the opinion that a face like that needed extra attention, so here it is.  It's really well made, and while obviously modern, I'm told it is a faithful replica of something that would have been present some years ago.

Presumably some foreign army took them home.  Which one is a good question.

Korea has changed hands a number of times, and it's this history that makes the people so wary of Japan, despite them being less of a threat than their northern neighbours.  I think it also helps that North Korea has the word 'Korea,' in the name, despite being a completely foreign country.  Actually, it's more of an alien country than foreign.

This is a comparison of neutral and warm colour tones.

Which you prefer is up to you.

I wondered whether I should place the warmer variation on top, to give it priority; I then wondered whether anyone would care, so put them back this way round.

A large amount of the site was being renovated or reconstructed, so I was somewhat disappointed to find myself unable to enter some of the smaller buildings.

Most are easily entered, and unlike Japan, photographs are usually allowed.

I always wondered why photography was banned in these kinds of places.

A day in the life of a pot.

There were half a dozen urns around this particular building.  In Japan these were usually used for incense burning, but those examples were either indoors or covered, so I doubt this urn is used for that.

I can honestly say that I have no idea what it does.

I just felt like mentioning what other examples of such pots do...

I took this one, much to the hilarity of a few Korean tourists walking past.

I was laying down, using my bag as a headrest.  This is a position I've noticed a lot of dockworkers adopting, around ten PM, after a particularly harsh day of work and drinking.

Often I'll get in from late night shopping or meeting friends, see a worker lying down in such a position, then I'll head out the next day to see either the same man unmoved, or a pile of detritus blown up against him.  Imagine someone being snowed in, like a scene from a typical cartoon, but with coffee cups and coke cans.

I find myself taking the morally ambivalent road and laughing; more often than not.

I think the wives here drive the men to such stupid acts.

But more on that  another time!

I'm going to end this particular presentation with some pictures of a present I got from one of the students.

 Nail clippers, believe it or not.  I think I need to improve my finger based hygiene, on the evidence of this present.

The interesting thing comes from the picture however, as it is a famous Korean picture.  There are some partially nude women in the foreground (It's difficult to see from this photo) and a couple of men hiding in the bushes.

Bearing in mind this picture is the Korean equivalent of a raunchy Italian renaissance picture, I find it incredible that they would sensor anything on this picture, but apparently they do.  You lose the entirety of the bottom, which is the nude part - comically however, you also lose the peeping Toms in the top left.  The picture must look more like a half drawn 'paint your own,' type affair than a national treasure, after the censor is finished.

'Certificate of World Best Product.'

'Made in Korea.'

Modest much?