NikonGear'23
Images => Life, the Universe & Everything Else => Topic started by: Akira on October 12, 2016, 15:58:36
-
On October 12th, Honmonji temple commemorates the passing of one of the most celebrated Buddhist called Nichiren. Each community group of the area surrounding Honmonji offer a "mando", a kind of lantern decorated in a standardized style. The community members marches to the temple carrying their mando.
The ceremony is not funeral but rather quite lively, and mando marches are accompanied by the bamboo flutes and the frame drums.
I've taken it a habit to visit the ceremony every year over the years. Here are some pictures taken at and around Honmonji temple.
All were shot with Nikon D750 and AF-S Nikkor 50/1.8G.
First batch:
-
And this is the second batch.
-
In case you are interested in the ceremony, here is a detailed explanation on the official website of Honmonji:
http://honmonji.jp/foreign/en.html
-
It looks like Easter celebrations in Greece with a few twists of course :)
-
Thanks for showing, Akira.
-
Akira, thank you for this interesting explanation and pictures.
-
Jakov, Fons and Anthony, thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you enjoyed the pictorial.
Jakov, I'm interested in that Greek Easter celebration!
-
I am certain that a Greek member of NG can explain it better. While I was living on the island of Kos I remember that every small local church had their "mando" that was paraded through the streets to the main church where the most beautiful one was chosen :)
-
Jakov, you, probably, refer to the ritual that takes place on Good Friday evening called "epitafios" in Greek. Epitaph is the word in English with the meaning that the term had in ancient Greece, "funeral oration" honoring one or more deceased persons (usually those who fell for the country). For the orthodox church is
now the process of carrying an icon depicting the dead Jesus.
-
Elias, thank you for the detailed explanation!
-
Akira, thanks for shearing. I really enjoyed this series.
-
So do I. Thanks. Beautiful story and images to put us there. I always hard to imagine an event that has been repeated every year for the last 700+ years, there are so few left with that kind of strength
-
Somehow the first moon image stands out, very nice!
-
Somehow the first moon image stands out, very nice!
Yes,
I wanted to ask if the moon has some significance, and I guess is in the description in the article when he talks about the Lotus, the Sun and the Moon. I like very much that first one and also -but a little less :)- the second one.
-
I really enjoy this series Akira - thanks for sharing!
-
Jakov, you, probably, refer to the ritual that takes place on Good Friday evening called "epitafios" in Greek. Epitaph is the word in English with the meaning that the term had in ancient Greece, "funeral oration" honoring one or more deceased persons (usually those who fell for the country). For the orthodox church is
now the process of carrying an icon depicting the dead Jesus.
Elias, thanks very much for chiming in and explaining the special ritual in your country. That sounds interesting. I'm interested in the rituals of all over the world as much as the music from all over the world.
-
Knut, Paco, Erik and Lars, thanks for kind comments! I'm glad you enjoyed the story.
I found the moon look really nice tonight and wanted to use it for some enhancements. I wasn't necessarily conscous about the relationship between the saint and the ceremony and the moon.
The first image is a bit blurry, but I decided to include, because it conveys the liveliness of the event.
-
Very nice photos Akira, one with the moon is my fav. Thanks for sharing the background as well. As always, very interesting to see how similar themes are celebrated in different ways among different culture.
-
Interesting and so colourful. Thanks also for the information !
-
Anirban, thanks for the comment. Glad that you feel the same way as I do when I see your images from India.
Elsa, thanks for dropping by!
-
what a terrific series, Akira, I love these and you certainly get that 50mm to work well.
There are many fine images, but if I had to nominate just one, it would be series 1, #3.
-
Thank you for sharing Akira.
I love the beautiful temple and the explanation about the cerimony.
-
Thanks, Dave, for kind words. I loved the way the moon appeared that day and tried to find the best possible way to take advantage of it.
Aguinaldo, thanks for dropping by. Glad you enjoy the series!
-
FWIW, this is a recorded live camera movies shot at Honmonji.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYv3Q7rSftQ
-
Beautiful series Akira. Impressive ceremonie to attend.
-
Thanks for sharing this series Akira
I think for the second series you had already warmed up and seem slightly better than the first ... or maybe I'm extrapolating to my experiences
How do you like the FF + 50 f.18 combination ? for me is like wearing really comfortable shoes, ready for anything in a very light and nimble gear
-
Chris, thanks for kind comments. I don't like the crowded places, but this yearly ceremony is a great exception.
I think for the second series you had already warmed up and seem slightly better than the first ... or maybe I'm extrapolating to my experiences
How do you like the FF + 50 f.18 combination ? for me is like wearing really comfortable shoes, ready for anything in a very light and nimble gear
Armando, thanks for dropping by. Your observation is spot on. Indeed the posted images are ordered as I proceeded the shooting along the way from the nearby railway station to the temple.
The D750 + AF-S 50/1.8G combo is a joy to use and feels exactly like you describe. I liked the D7000 and AF-S 35/1.8 ED combo that I used, but ironically the D750 + 50/1.8G combo is lighter and less obtrusive thanks to the compactness of 50/1.8G (with or without the hood). My combo is calibrated at Nikon service, and the AF works really well. The ability of AF down to -3EV makes a noticeable difference in this kind of lighting situation.
This humble combo also an excellent embodiment of "limitation is source of inspiration" concept that I like. It helps me save some (much?) money. :)
-
Chris, thanks for kind comments. I don't like the crowded places, but this yearly ceremony is a great exception.
Armando, thanks for dropping by. Your observation is spot on. Indeed the posted images are ordered as I proceeded the shooting along the way from the nearby railway station to the temple.
The D750 + AF-S 50/1.8G combo is a joy to use and feels exactly like you describe. I liked the D7000 and AF-S 35/1.8 ED combo that I used, but ironically the D750 + 50/1.8G combo is lighter and less obtrusive thanks to the compactness of 50/1.8G (with or without the hood). My combo is calibrated at Nikon service, and the AF works really well. The ability of AF down to -3EV makes a noticeable difference in this kind of lighting situation.
This humble combo also an excellent embodiment of "limitation is source of inspiration" concept that I like. It helps me save some (much?) money. :)
I like the description "limitation is source of inspiration"
My D800 and the 50mm focuses in situations where I can hardly distinguish if things are in focus, taking the AF capability down to -3EV has to be a delight to use.
Sometimes I wonder what will be available when the time comes to replace the D800, for my current use, the camera and lenses do the job just fine.
-
A very nice series: I like 2, 3, and 4 best in the first group and 1, 2, and 6 in the second group.
Thank You!
Dave Hartman
-
Sometimes I wonder what will be available when the time comes to replace the D800, for my current use, the camera and lenses do the job just fine.
The lower high-ISO noise, wider dynamic range (especially in the higher ISO range) and the improved AF are always welcome. I would doubt if the higher resolution than 36MP would be of any priority, though.
-
A very nice series: I like 2, 3, and 4 best in the first group and 1, 2, and 6 in the second group.
Thank You!
Thanks, Dave! I'm glad you like some of the images.
-
I also like the moon picture #1 best.
Similar to you being interested in the Greek ceremony, it is very fascinating for someone in Europe to be able to witness this Japanese ceremony so closely.
-
Thanks for dropping in and commenting, Günther.
Similar to you being interested in the Greek ceremony, it is very fascinating for someone in Europe to be able to witness this Japanese ceremony so closely.
That's one of the greatest aspects of a friendly international forum!