Umbrellas, Tokyo © Harold Davis

When it comes to photographic technique, sometimes simple is good. I photographed these umbrellas on the street in Tokyo in a light rain on a overcast but bright autumn day, handheld at 1/160 of a second, f/4.5 and ISO 400. There was no post-production involved other than a little adjustment in the RAW conversion.

Getting to Kyoto late in the afternoon, I checked into my hotel. Next, I proceeded to wander with my camera. In November, the sun set early and found me along the banks of the Shirakawa River. Somewhere between a canal and a river, and bounded in a stone channel, one-way streets ran along either bank. I set up my tripod on one of the stone foot bridges that crossed the Shirakawa, and shot the peaceful urban landscape as ducks played in the water.

Shirakawa River, Kyoto © Harold Davis

Gardens in Japan are almost never just about nature. The key point in a Japanese garden is how the natural elements interact with structural and human elements.

Isuien Garden, Nara, Japan © Harold Davis

The style of Isuien Garden in Nara is specifically to use extrinsic elements—landscapes and structures  that are outside the domain of the garden—to enhance the garden itself. My image echoes this stylistic idea by including only the reflection of the temple in the pond, in addition to the stone footbridge and natural reflections.

What better time to consider the spiritual side of things than at the beginning of a new year?

Hiking the ancient Kumano kodo trail on the Kii peninsula in Wakayama prefecture in Japan, involves a spiritual quest where walking itself is part of the pilgrimage. And the views themselves represent a spiritual and dreamlike landscape.

Weather on the Kumano kodo

During a short break in the very wet weather, from Hyakken-gura—a lookout high on the trail—I shot this panorama of the Kumano Sanzen Roppyaku Po—which translates to “view of 3,600 peaks of Kumano.” When the wind gusted, rain splattered my face and my camera lens and tripod, so it was pretty hard to make notes to keep track of the positioning of the frames in the panorama. It was wet and cold. I had to work hard to keep myself—and more importantly—my camera dry. But I realized that the weather was a part of the spiritual scenery that makes the Kumano kodo so special. And as Ansel Adams put it, “You can’t capture a clearing storm without being out in the weather.”

Peaks and Panoramas

I don’t think there are actually 3,600 peaks—it’s important to remember the role of metaphor in life, particularly when you are on a pilgrimage—but as you can see there are certainly quite a few mountains. You can click here, or click on the image, to view it wider than it is shown here.

Panorama of the Kumano Sanzen Roppyaku Po © Harold Davis—Click here to view larger

This is a high-resolution panorama, shot in 10 separate sections with my 36MP Nikon D800. The final, full-size processed file measures 12,256 x 4,747 pixels at 300 ppi.

A Fusion of Old and New

This special edition panoramic archival pigment print is presented on the fantastic Kozo washi made by Awagami on Shikoku Island. The Awagami Mill has been making this paper for generations.

The print measures 24″ wide by 11 3/4″ high (the image size is 20″ X 7 3/4″) with generous 2″ margins. It is hand-signed and inscribed in pencil on the bottom margin. This is an elegant collectible print, handcrafted in my studio, that will add the spiritual essence of the Kumano kodo landscape to any environment.

For a limited time, we will ship one of these unique prints to you, packed flat and insured, for the special price of $675.00.

To order your Kumano Sanzen Roppyaku Po panoramic print, or for more information, please click here to contact my studio. Larger sizes are also available, please inquire.