Flower Power

Apologies for the fact that this blog seems to turn into an online botany class from time to time, but there are certainly petals a-plenty in these parts. It's fueled by the fact that I've got myself into an ongoing photography competition with the guy who runs networks and IT. As you do...

The first challenge was photographing the Luminarie last December, but to be honest, every photo I've ever seen of the Luminarie looks pretty much the same, and unless you're using a pinhole camera, or painting it with poster paint using your feet, you're going to be there or thereabouts. I think I was hard done by though, losing out in a very close office poll. Foolishly I chose to play the art card, rather than the tried and tested method of a grinning daughter under an arch, which would have definitely sealed the female vote.

Then I was absolutely slammed by some pretty impressive blossom pictures by the indefatiguable Inamura-san, who travelled the length and breadth of the island to capture almost every strain of sakura known to man (for which he also bought himself a new lens, I later learnt. Grrrr..).

So, it's May, and azaleas - or tsutsuji - are my weapon of choice. Sorakuen Garden has a stack of them, it's just round the corner, and it's only 300 yen entrance fee.

There is still some dispute over the this, but I reckon I won the Battle of Tsutsuji, for the simple reason that my picture has a bee in it. And that's something that independently moves about, and is stingy and mildly threatening - ergo, it's a much more challenging composition. Inamura-san won't have any of it though, and has challenged me to a June duel - hydrangeas at dawn! Watch this space...