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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2015-05 (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Canon EOS-6D
Lens: Tokina AF 11-16mm f/2.8 116 AT-X Pro DX for Canon
Date: May 25, 2015
Date Uploaded: May 27, 2015

 Thanks for the votes and comments folks.

This is annual Shinnyo-en lantern floating ceremony held here in Honolulu every Memorial Day. The ceremony started here in 1999 with a few hundred people and now has over forty five thousand plus people that attend (this year 47,000+.) The ceremony is for remembrance and reflection for loved ones that have passed. If you're lucky enough to get one of the individual lanterns, you can decorate it in any way you'd like. If you don't get one of the individual ones, you can also write a short note that's adhered, along with notes from other people, to a lantern...the amount of notes are also limited.

This is the first year that I've been able to attend since I'd normally be working but was lucky enough to go this year. I suffered a major loss of my longtime spouse in the beginning of May and it meant a lot to be able to write out a message and have it affixed to one of the lanterns. I was one of the last ones in line to be able to write out a note so was extremely lucky.

When it's time to release the lanterns, there are thousands of people standing on the shoreline waiting to release their lantern. There are also hundreds of people standing in the water, right off of the shore, to get pictures of the event. I wanted to be far enough out so I didn't have anyone standing in front of me and being in the shot. I was one of the farthest ones out, standing in chest deep water.

After the event, all the lanterns are gathered up, the paper removed and burned at the buddhist temple, and the wood bases are stored to be used again next Memorial day. This event is totally free to attend and the lanterns are free as well.

I'm pretty sure I'll be working as usual next Memorial day so this is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and it came at the right time.


Statistics
Place: 5 out of 157
Avg (all users): 6.7160
Avg (commenters): 7.3333
Avg (participants): 6.5500
Avg (non-participants): 7.1905
Views since voting: 1210
Views during voting: 141
Votes: 81
Comments: 17
Favorites: 2 (view)

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AuthorThread
 06/09/2015 12:47:15 PM
Thanks for comments folks.

Originally posted by tanguera:
A magnificent image of a very moving ritual.

How do they round up all these guys?


There's a rope with floaters strung across the channel farther down the beach and the majority of lanterns gather up there. This year there were over 6,000 lanterns in the water.
 06/09/2015 12:13:47 PM
What a story! Thanks for telling us.

Lovely shot!

Congratulations, Mark.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/09/2015 12:10:25 PM
Great image. The color scheme has a great feel to it. Thanks for sharing the story. Pretty impressive that you were shooting while chest-deep as well. Wonderful way to add closure to a painful loss as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/09/2015 01:28:31 AM
A magnificent image of a very moving ritual.

How do they round up all these guys?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2015 02:54:59 PM
Congratulations!
This was my favorite for this challenge. it is just beautiful, I could feel the deep meaning to this image.
i hope you will print it, so many images never become prints. it is just beautiful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2015 10:06:23 AM
Congrats on HM Mark! A beautiful photo and story. Go Hit Squad!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2015 08:08:53 AM
I knew this had to be up there. Congrats teammate.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2015 07:53:06 AM
Mark, it's a beautiful and touching photo. Congrats on a great finish! GO HIT SQUAD!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2015 06:00:25 AM
Great finish, Mark. Congrats!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2015 03:21:28 AM
Hauntingly beautiful, Mark. Congrats on your ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2015 02:31:23 AM
Congratulations on the front page, Mark. Heartfelt reason, too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2015 12:28:06 AM
Congratulations Mark. So happy to see you back and on the front page as always!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2015 12:16:07 AM
Hey welcome back, didn't finish voting on this challenge so I didn't see this at all, what's the story behind it, looks sad?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
06/07/2015 10:18:00 PM
Still Beautiful. (not voting)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2015 04:39:14 PM
Beautiful and great pov
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2015 10:21:22 AM
Sadly this isn't about those we've lost, it's about commerce and attracting tourists. Well composed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/01/2015 01:16:20 PM
This was my favorite for the free Study. i'm curious what it is about??? Beautiful and obviously with a purpose.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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