Stills

One always associates Pandas with China so is this a doubletake? This is a difficult photo to critique. The emptiness and minimal nature of the lines is filled to some extent by the Panda with its pot (stealing the honey?) and go a long way to forming the basis for an appealing picture. There are also some awkward elements like the top triangle and the right hand side trying to edge into the picture (even if there is some balance of the hanging flower pot with the one by the bear). On balance this doesn't quite hit it aesthetically and the bear doesn't quite carry it all.

As to getting down to bear level - you could be the next Attenborough!
 

In a strange way I find that the smallness of the Panda helps it to dominate the image. It is al so somewhat incongruous sitting on the side of the road.
 

This reminds me of one of those travel series photographs, you know, when someone takes a duck around the world and photographs it in every town.

I know it isn't but that thought is in there now and I keep wanting to scroll to the next image to see where it has been.

This image makes me smile, I don't know how much of that is to do with the above.
 

Unlike Colin and John, I don't read the bear as a happy thing. Doesn't it look rather forlorn sitting there?

The use of geometry is superb, but I wish the wall was a bit darker. I can see detail there if I tilt my screen way off axis, but doing so I lose the rest of the image.
 

Been away on vacation for a week. Spent some time in the Hiroshima area. Hopefully have some work to display here from the trip over the coming weeks.

Auspicious: I revisited this site last week and took some panda level shots. Once I've tidied them up a bit I'll put them on my site.

John: Not a honey pot but a china pig that you put smoke coils in to keep the bugs away. Obviously it doesn't work on pandas.

Rex: This is yet another narrow Tokyo road. Immediately over my right shoulder is a busy railway line. The row of buildings that form the backdrop here are very small (i.e. room for half a dozen people max) drinking establishments. They offer various musical themes though - one being a jazz bar, one being a rock music bar etc. This part of Tokyo is very popular with the early twentysomething fashionistas.

JohnJo: There was a younf Tokyo photographer that took a small toy around on his travels and published a book with the resultant work. A unique publication but one that has since been flogged to death with variants on a theme.

matt: The panda is out in all weathers. One my recent trip back to see him he's looking even more bedraggled. The rain is not good for its fur. There is detail in the wall (I hope the print when done picks this out)

Thanks all for taking the time to look and comment.
Guy
 

I know that Colin is somewhat averse to text accompanying a photo but this photo somehow says more now that I know what those buildings house - definitely a place to know about! Equally, knowing about the pot offers an insight into a different culture. I look forward to Hiroshima.