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Post by Mark Itol on May 18, 2008 10:45:06 GMT
Hello guys. I was out yesterday with a Japanese friend to climb Mt. Aso, Japan's largest active volcano. I'm not really a wide-angle shooter, but the beautiful view made me want a wide-angle lens (UWAaaaaa! UWAaaaa! ). Here are some of the shots, and I hope I did justice to the beauty of the landscape. The trail from the starting point at the foothill to the observatory (taken from above) One of the two cable cars (which they call as "rope cars") that transports passengers to the observatory. We decided not to take a ride and hike all the way up. Matsuyama-san takes a landscape shot from one of our pauses Picture of me
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Post by Mark Itol on May 18, 2008 10:53:01 GMT
As I don't have a polarizing filter, I tried simulating the effect in Photoshop from a guide a found on the web Image before applying the polarizer effect Image after applying the polarizer effect The paved trail to the crater viewing area (makes hiking easier . The building on the far left is the "observatory," where the cable cars transport passengers to. Another shot of the paved trail. The rock-like structure at the center (along the trail) serves as a shed and resting place.
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Post by Mark Itol on May 18, 2008 11:06:06 GMT
View of the crater from the viewing area. The bottom of the crater is not visible from here, though. On the upper left is a helicopter that offers tourists a ride for a bird's-eye view of the crater (5000 yen for 4 minutes according to Wikitravel). The smoke from the crater has a foul smell and made us coughing after we inhaled some (dangerous). Another shot of the crater from the viewing area. The trail to Taka-dake (dake means peak), the highest summit (at 1592m above sea level) of the five of the mountains consisting Aso. There is a warning at the starting point of the trail that climbers must have sufficient gear. We didn't have sufficient gear, but decided to go and climb. A dead-end sign we came across somewhere along the trail to the peak
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Post by Mark Itol on May 18, 2008 11:18:33 GMT
Here are some shots taken from Naka-dake, one of the five peaks. This was the highest point we were able to climb since the trail to the Taka peak was steep and we didn't have proper gear. Naka-dake. On the foreground are two other climbers. The signpost reads Naka-dake 1506m. Shots of the caldera A telephoto shot of the caldera A group of climbers heading to Naka-dake One of the climbers starting the decent. The caldera can be seen on the background.
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Post by Mark Itol on May 18, 2008 11:19:41 GMT
Shots of the trail go back to the viewing area Thank you for taking time to view.
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Post by Ralf Nabong on May 18, 2008 11:24:04 GMT
Awesome landscape shots.
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Post by Mark Itol on May 18, 2008 11:34:01 GMT
Thanks, Sir Bong.
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Post by Neon Rosell II on May 18, 2008 13:23:24 GMT
Thanks Mark!! for sharing these wonderful shots of a place that I don't know I'll be able to see personally!! And now I can also put a face to your name.
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Post by Romy Ocon on May 18, 2008 13:44:38 GMT
A very unique looking place nicely captured, Mark!
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Post by Mark Itol on May 18, 2008 14:02:10 GMT
Thanks for viewing guys. I was actually thinking of getting bird shots, but to my dismay, I saw not a single bird. Hopefully on the next mountain we will climb I'd be able to take bird photos.
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