The last tree of Momiji is still wearing a light coat of red leaves, withstanding the cold climate and the harshness of the waterfall. Its delicate beauty is the last memory of this autumn, before the snow will cover the naked branches.

I took this shot in a cold and humid day of early December 2013, in the beautiful Meiji-no-mori natural park of Mino, near Osaka. To capture the flow of the water I used a rather tight aperture value of f/8, that granted anyway the right amount of bokeh to separate the momiji from the background, while keeping a decent level of details of the waterfall.

EXIF: Pentax K-5 + smc K200 f/4 – 200mm – 1/2s – f/8 – ISO200

The Hokata Mountain is one of the many astonishing scenery of Japan that deserves to be admired just once in our lifetime. I spent an amazing day going hiking from the beautiful Taisho pond to the Kappa bridge, enjoying the spectacular views of the Chubu-Sangaku National Park. The nature there shows itself in all its magnificence: at the highest altitude, the thick and luxuriant forest leave space to the rocky peaks, which are sculpted by the winter’s ice. The air is thin and fresh and the fragrance of the trees and the river makes the enjoyment of this paradise an unforgettable experience.

This is a blending of three shots with 2EV of difference one from another. To keep the color intensity of the sky and the forest, I used the Kenko Zéta EX Circular Polarizer on my old loyal Pentax smc K 24mm f/2.8

EXIF: Pentax K-5 + smc K 24mm f/2.8 – 24mm – 1/15s – f/11 – ISO200

This is a shot taken in September 2013, during my trip to Mt. Fuji and nearby. Going by car to the highest reachable place on Mt. Fuji, I missed the sunset just for few minutes, but luckily I found a vantage point from where I had the chance to capture a “view of Japan”. The blue hour never looked to me so enchanting and it’s been hard to stop staring at this view and take a shot with the camera.

I’ll bring inside me forever the beauty of Japan and I hope that you too may glimpse at least a fragment of this beauty through this photo.

EXIF: Pentax K-5 + smc A 50mm f/1.2 – 50mm – 1/15s – f/8 – ISO160

The freezing water of Minoh falls hits the black rocks in an incessant natural sculpting, shaping them like an artist and making them shine like precious jewels. The uncountable number of steps and jumps that the water does before flowing into the pond is a beatiful view and creates a unique atmosphere.

I took this shot with my old, loyal Pentax smc K 200mm f/4 tele, a lens built in 1975 that never stops to amaze me. The B&W conversion aims to emphasize the contrast between the crystal clear water and the deep black rocks, in a dramatic and exciting sight.

EXIF: Pentax K-5 + smc smc K200 F4 – 200mm – 1,3s – f/8 – ISO200

On the shore of Motosu-ko, the small boats pulled back from the water let the lake sleep quietly. The mighty Mt. Fuji, stroked just by a little soft cloud, placidly looks at one of his ponds, in a warm afternoon of stillness.

EXIF: Pentax K-5 + smc K 24 mm f/2.8 – 24mm – 5s – f/11 – ISO160

In the calm afternoon of the traditional village, before the sunset, a butterfly lays suavely on a stem of Susuki grass. She basks at the last rays of sun, enjoying the beautiful view of Mt. Fuji, before flying away to find a shelter for the night.

EXIF: Pentax K-5 + smc K 24 mm f/2.8 – 24mm – 1/320 – f/5.6 – ISO160

A path inside the Sagano Bamboo Forest.

EXIF: Pentax K-5 + smc M 50 mm f/1,7 – 50mm – 1/250 – ISO100