God Bolts

Shooting into the sun often produces this kind of refraction called "God Bolts" by some. I shot into the sun at Labrang to make an HDR, but found this image with "globules" extending from the sun to the head of the person passing by. Different filters accentuate the bolts. "Lighter" will give a sweeping set. "Maximum Black" gives a more temperate set shown here.

Boots (in Color)

Here is a case where it is hard to give up color!

Boots Outside, Praying Inside

Philosophy College, Labrang. The occasion called for the best in adornment. These wonderful boots were left outside for the services within.

Philosophy College Court

This is the outer court of the very well-appointed philosophy college. On this morning nearly a 1,000 monks could be heard praying inside at about 11:30am.

Entrance Expanse, Single Monk

Given the competition for space, the vast open areas of the Labrang are impressive and clearly intentional.

Rapid Pilgrims

Pilgrims make a 3k circumambulation of the Labrang Monastery complex and they do so at good speed. Here they pass the GongTang Chorten in their clockwise movement.

PS5 Red filter tweak.

Alone, White Walls

Here is simply tried to find a pleasing compositon of cool, white walls and a single monk.

Walls and Wind

The Monastery lodgings fan out around the main buildings.

Walls Like Tunnels

The "yellow" filter has some good effects, opening up the sides while still preserving contrast.

Monastery, Shapes

Used the "red" filter with some tweaks for this one.

From Town to Monastery

The clear air was filled with smoke in the mornings, cooking and other fires, even incense in the Monastery itelf, which is to the left (west) in this picture (maximum black).

Labrang Monastery

At nearly 10,000 feet, the air was quite clear and intense at mid-day. I'm interested how these bright and saturated images translate into Black and White

Apartments, Perifery, Bodi School, Xi'an

There is a wonderful walk around the edges of the Bodi School. Here are some apartments not far from the main gate.

Check Facebook, Also...

I may have some images on Facebook that don't appear elsewhere, on this Blog, or Picasaweb or in the Xinjiang Ver. 3 Blurb book. So feel free to find me, Jim Manley of Claremont, CA on Facebook.

Bodi Garden by Moonlight

Actually, by sunlight on a murky day using HDR. Adjusted yellow in the BW conversion.

Jincui Templei

HDR; worked with yellow in BW conversion.

West Lake: Boatman

NW part of West Lake in Hangzhou. A murky day, but the color program and the BW conversion helped put some snap into this.

The Lotuses: Black and White Version

A soft image with still perhaps enough contrast. Used PS CS5 BW conversion.

Hangzhou: the Lotus Brewery - Color

The HDR Color Version