Tulips! part 2 - The Extravaganza Continues!

There is so much tulip beauty in Yokohama that one post can't cover it all so here's the second post! This time I've separated the images by the day the picture was taken and what camera gear I used on that day.

April 3rd - Sigma Sd Quattro camera and Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 DC "Art" lens:

The tulips are everywhere.

When the sun light hits them from a certain angle they look like lanterns glowing in the evening.

White with a tinge of yellow - glorious!

Soft pastels - what would Claude Monet think of all this?

Color and luminance - it's all here.

By-the-way, I am thoroughly enjoying this camera and lens combination.

A fellow tulip enthusiast.

This is the greatest show on earth and as I said last week the park is open to the public - it's free!

This picture reminds me of the song "Softly As I Leave You"
Softly, I will leave you softly
For my heart would break if you should wake and see me go
So I leave you softly, long before you miss me
Long before your arms can beg me stay
-- Antonio De Vita / Hal Shaper

April 5th - Sony A7II camera and Voigtlander 50mm f2.0 Heliar Classic VM lens:

Another day, a different camera set up, a million tulips and counting - let's go!

An attention seeking tulip.

Yokohama park is truly amazing.

Trying to see things from a different angle.

Another tulip trying to standout on its own.

The Voigtlander 50mm f2.0 Heliar Classic VM lens is fantastic. I should use it more often than I do.

Taking a break, need a bite to eat. China Town is only a 5 minute walk away where there are plenty of street vendors selling all kinds of tasty things to eat.

Okay, back in the land of tulips.

This shot was taken in Minatonomieruoka Park on the other side of China Town. There are a lot of parks in Yokohama; this really is a wonderful city.

April 8th - Sony A7II camera and Voigtlander 50mm f3.5 Heliar LTM lens:

Wow, this is the first time for me to use the Voigtlander 50mm f3.5 Heliar LTM lens and it is really painting a beautiful picture for me.

There's more to looking at tulips than looking at tulips... there's people too!

Tulips playing in the sun and dancing with the wind.

This is unbelievable; I need to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.

The park attracts the best people.

This is a place where strangers act like friends and everyone has a smile on their face.

Not only is there a smile on everyone's face there is a camera in everyone's hand.

After leaving the park I passed by this fellow enjoying a smoke by the Ookagawa river. I thought it would make an interesting street portrait.

April 11th -  Sigma Sd Quattro  H camera and Sigma 85mm f1.4 EX DG lens:

People might think I'm strange for visiting this park so often, I'd think I was strange if I didn't.

Now I've got "Tiptoe Through The Tulips" playing in my head. It was inevitable.

There are also tulips planted along the avenue that leads to Yokohama park.

It rained early in the morning.

Some of the tulips have bowed to the force of mother nature.

They bow but they do not break.

Under the shade of the trees the ground is still wet.

It seems like the variety of tulips is limitless.

One pink tulip stands alone.

A couple of bonus shots taken on April 9th with the Sony A7II camera and Zeiss Biogon T* 28mm f2.8 ZM lens:

Flowers make life better!

Thanks for stopping by!
Mike


More bonus shots!

Tulips! Tulips! Tulips! 2018 Edition (part 1)

They're back!

Every year the city of Yokohama plants tulip bulbs in Yokohama Koen (park) and when they start blooming it's the greatest show on earth. The pictures in this post were taken on April 2nd, 2018 with a Sigma Sd Quattro camera and a Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4 DC "Contemporary" lens.

The tulips in Yokohama Koen are a part of Yokohama city's "Garden Necklace".

The "Garden Necklace" is a celebration of the beauty of all kinds of flowers that the city plants in various locations all around the city.

The "Garden Necklace" lasts from March 24th to June 3rd. The official website (in English) for this spectacular event is here Garden Necklace Yokohama 2018

If you are in the area and plan to visit I suggest that you bring your camera and also pack a lunch. There are plenty of places to sit and enjoy a meal in the midst of all this splendor.

If you're a guy that wants to impress your girlfriend this is the place to bring her. There is no admission fee to enter the park; it's open for free to one and all.  It's the ultimate cheap date!

If you're already married and have children bring the family. There's a small playground for toddlers in the park. And, most importantly there's a clean public restroom in the park too!

Who doesn't enjoy strolling around a park full of tulips?

This is the one event that I look forward to every year.

One need not have an expensive camera to get good pictures here.

Most of the people that I see in the park are taking pictures with their phones.

However, if one does have a decent camera I recommend to bring it.

The weather is perfect, the flowers are beautiful, the people are happy.

A lot of the nearby office workers come here on their lunch hour to eat their lunch.

There are also a lot of restaurants that serve lunch specials nearby. And, Yokohama Koen is less than a 5 minute walk from China Town.

The nicest people visit the park.

If one reaches a saturation point with all the splendor in the park it's also a short walk to many other places.

The waterfront is  just a few blocks away.

Enjoy the view from Osanbashi pier.

There's aways people watching.

Back to the park.

When I decided to move on it was as if the tulips waved goodbye to me.

About a twenty minute walk from the park is the Ookagawa river.

On this day the cherry blossoms were still in pretty good shape. The atmosphere along the river is enhanced with a cold beer.

Vendors set up temporary bars along the river.

Plenty of vendors sell food too.

Take the shot!

The blossoms are starting to thin out now but they'll be back again next year.

Thanks for stopping by!
Mike


Bonus shots!