Two From Seorak Harbour

 

Seorak Harbour, Sokcho.

Driftwood Caught in Breakwater

Space Between Buildings

 

Between Two Buildings, Jungang Street, Sokcho.

For those of you who care about such things, I used the Classic Negative simulation on my Fujifilm X-T4. I couldn't see the point of the simulation when I first tried it out, but it's pretty good for snapshots when out and about. It is supposedly based on amateur films from 'back in the day' (ugh), but none of the photos I have from long ago have colour casts like the digital simulation. Maybe it's supposed to look like expired film?

Shed and Hill

This landscape appears to be the result of the large forest fire a couple of years ago, but also the victim of commercial and industrial works.

Burnt Ground

 

Yeongnang Lake Area, Sokcho.

Around the Bend

 

To the right of the white line is, I think, a parking area. Odd that the owners of these scooters would park so close to the road, but perhaps they didn't want anyone to block them in with a car. I made the photo because it looks like the leaning scooters are involved in a riderless race.

I set the camera to black and white before making this photo, but it wasn't a good choice. The sky was overcast and grey and there was little contrast. After I got home I switched the film simulation to Velvia on my Fujifilm X-T4 and got better results. The photo is still a bit flat, but at least there is some colour to break the monotony.

The Things That Remind You . . . .

Towels Drying Near Boulders, Sokcho.

Sometimes I see things in Korea that remind me very strongly of scenes I might see in Newfoundland, where I'm originally from. I don't feel homesick, but it's nice to be around something that is deeply familiar. There are many sandy beaches along the east coast of Korea, something that Newfoundland is not known for. What Newfoundland is known for is rocks, and when I see a rocky coastline in my adopted home, it feels comfortable.

   Warm fuzzy feelings aside, I think that rocks are much more interesting to look at and photograph than sandy beaches. Sand brings the tourists and it's bloody hot under the feet in summer. Rocks have crashing waves, interesting formations, and uncleanable towels.

Down at the Harbour

 

There is a famous pavilion called Yeonggeum Pavilion next to Sokcho Harbour. This isn't it. Yeonggeum Pavilion sits on top of a large hill, but this one is down by the water. I can't recall what the name of this one is. People visit the pavilions in Sokcho to see the sun rise. Mad bastards. Better to sleep in.

A bit cliché, perhaps?

A fishing boat heading into Sokcho Harbour.

I don't know who these guys are, but I see them almost every time I visit the harbour. They like buzzing around in their fast stubby boat.

From the breakwater I can see the southern part of Sokcho. It's where most of the new development is happening and most of those apartments are probably owned by people from Seoul and the surrounding capital area. On the left you can see a ferris wheel. It's called, wait for it . . . Sokcho Eye. Where do you think they got that name?

I'm not sure if you can see it in this photo, but the front boat is giving the other boat a tow into harbour.

This is Yeonggeum Pavilion. I can't find any information on when it was built. Maybe it's not that old? I haven't been up there yet, but it's on my list. To tell the truth, I would rather be below looking up at it than in it and looking down on the sea.

Wharf at Cheongcho Lake

 

As soon as I added this photo I noticed that I should have left a bit of space to the right of the apartments on the far right. Damn.

Luckily, it's a raw file and I can adjust it a bit.

Slightly better, but not great. What this photo really needs is a do-over. The next time I'm on the bridge I'll step more to the left. I hope the boats are lined up as nicely . . . .

Mailboxes

 

Myeongju Royal Tomb

(I wrote this almost two weeks ago and then forgot about it. Oops.)

I like to visit the tomb of King Myeongju from time to time because there are few people and no sounds of traffic, spitting, or screaming children (a few of the delights of apartment living).  At the bottom of the tomb site are a number of buildings where the king's ancestors do ancestral rites, probably once a year. There is also a large lot, which provides parking for people visiting the tomb, participating in the ancestral rites, or going up the hiking trail that goes past the tomb. There is a park nearby, but I've never seen anyone in it besides myself. When I visited in August it was mostly grown over.

I made the photos on my Fujifilm X-T4 and used a Kodak E100G film simulation on them in Lightroom. I'm not sure it really looks like E100G (my favourite film until it was discontinued), but it's easy to make decent looking photos with just one click. I'm really bad at post-processing, so I'm grateful for any help I can get.

There are a number of statues at the parking lot level of the site. Royal tombs usually have warriors and scholars. If I remember my history correctly, these were the two main branches of government at the time. Though I might be wrong.

A detail from the statue of the scholar.

Two views of a smaller scholar statue next to the tomb.

The tomb's altar seen through a stone lantern.

This scholar held my bag while I took some refreshment. 

This looks like a statue of a monk. This king lived before the Confucians decided the Buddhists had too. much power and started tearing down their temples and stripping them of power.

A view down the hill from the tomb.

One of the parking lot scholar statues.

And his warrior mate across the way.

The overgrown park.

It's the season for these tiny blue flowers. I wish I knew the name of them. They are my favourite flowers.

When you're feeling fierce and pretty at the same time.

I found what I think are interesting new perspectives of the tomb this time. I'd like to go back again soon before the grass starts to die. I might take colour film this time. I have some Kodak Proimage 100 and I think it'll look good.