Himeji – Through Lightroom 3 Beta

Details: Delicate Sakura bloom before the majesty of the Himeji Castle.
Nikon D70s with Nikkor 18-200mm | 130mm, 1/90 @ F8, ISO 200

I am still playing with Lightroom 3 Beta. Although I am STILL not happy with the speed, browsing through many photos can be an absolute nightmare, However I am thoroughly enjoying playing with the adjustment tools.

I started looking for a good book on the topic of Lightroom, and came across “Lightroom 2 Adventure” by Mikkel Aaland which you can find in the book shop of this site (links to Amazon). The book gives a hands-on approach to Lightroom with the beautiful shots inside the book taken on location in Tasmania by 18 of the worlds great photographers.

Here is another shot of the wonderful Himeji Castle. I was lucky enough to live in Himeji for a year, and my apartment was just behind this beauty. Following is a description of Himeji translated into Japanese.

姫路には封建時代から残されている国宝で、ユネスコ世界遺産地でもある姫路城があります。始めに砦が14世紀に建てられました。その後、何世紀にもわたり数々の藩が徐々に城を拡大していきました。そして、1609年に現在の姫路城が完成しました。姫路城は戦争や火災、地震などで崩壊した事は一度もありません。有名な武士である宮本武蔵は、しばらくの間住居を姫路に置きました。姫路市は約50万人の人口を持ち、兵庫県で神戸に続き2番目に大きな都市です。
Translation:
Himeji is home to Japan’s most beautiful surviving feudal castle; Himeji Castle which is both a national treasure and a UNESCO world heritage site. In the 14th Century, a fort was first built on the current site. Over the centuries, various clans who ruled the region, gradually enlarged it. The castle as it stands today, was completed in 1609. Himeji Castle has never been destroyed either by war, fire or earthquakes. The great samurai Miyamoto Musashi also made his residence here for some time. Himeji has around half a million inhabitants and is the second largest city in Hyogo Prefecture after Kobe.