Yebisu Garden Place Tower in hot summer
I pondered whether to photograph Yebisu Garden Place Tower in the summer. Well, I’ve been there, but usually in the cooler months. But I wanted to show you the view from the observation floor during typical hot daytime weather.
The results from these pictures were mixed that I took on 30 June 2022. As the sun was in the west, the areas towards the east were well-lit. Lucky for me, that was in the direction of Tokyo Tower and Roppongi Hills. They looked good in the afternoon.
But, in the north and west, the sun was relatively high in the sky. There was also haze. Conditions were poor. This was normal for Yebisu Garden Place Tower in summer. Everywhere in Tokyo is the same.
Shooting towards the sun is problematic. It is hard to get the correct exposure. The cityscape will be in shadow, and the sky will be bright.
You need to find a way to balance them. One way of doing that is with bracketing. Take an underexposed photo and another overexposed. Then using Lightroom or Photoshop, combine them. It works so well. YouTube has many good guides if you don’t know how to do it. Look for videos about “exposure bracketing.”
If you struggle to get good photos in summer, I advise you to shoot with the sun behind you. That will keep your subject well-lit. The sky will look bluer too.
By the way, I discovered one problem with Yebisu Garden Place Tower. Most observatories have maps on the windows. They give you a guide to know what buildings and landmarks are in view. This place doesn’t. So, if you are unfamiliar with Tokyo, you might be lost.
Why should you photograph from Yebisu Garden Tower Place?
- It’s free!
- There are no large buildings near. The view has no obstructions. You’ll get a good idea of the layout of Tokyo.
- Even in bright afternoon daylight, Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Tower look great.
Conclusion
Summer poses problems for photographers, especially during daylight hours. But the haze and brightness won’t be unique to only one place. It will be citywide.
So this article isn’t only about Yebisu Garden Place Tower. It is more about photographic conditions and how to approach them during that season. Yes, the sky can be hazy and bland. But you can get good photos if you know how to handle them.
Yebisu Garden Place Tower in hot summer photo gear:
Camera body: Fujifilm X-T3
Fujifilm Lenses: XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR and XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS
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External related websites:
- Yebisu Garden Place Tower (official website)