kyoto through a foggy lens: humidity, light, and lost moments

i've been dragging my camera through kyoto's narrow alleys all day, and the humidity is winning. it's 17.4 degrees celsius out there, but feels like 17.2 with 77% humidity-my lens cloth is soaked before i even start shooting. pressure's at 1015, whatever that means for my gear, but i'm just trying to catch the light before it disappears behind these paper-thin clouds.

i grabbed a coffee at this tiny spot near *Pontocho, and the barista whispered, 'if you want real street photography, go to the market at dawn.' i heard from a local on Yelp that the fish market auctions are insane at 5am, but i'm not a morning person, so i'll probably miss it. Check out this Yelp list for early eats.

the weather's been playing tricks-one minute it's drizzling, the next, the sun slashes through the alleys creating these dramatic shadows. i love it, but my gear is not happy. i read on DPReview that humidity like this can ruin your sensor, so i'm babying my camera like it's a newborn.

last night, i stumbled upon a tiny izakaya in the backstreets of Gion. someone told me it's where all the maiko go after work, but i didn't see any-just a bunch of salarymen singing badly. the takoyaki was worth it though. TripAdvisor has reviews, but they're all in japanese, so good luck.

if kyoto starts to feel too quiet, Osaka's just a short train ride away with its neon chaos and street food that'll change your life. i heard a rumor that the best okonomiyaki is at this place that only has three stools-bring cash and patience.

i'm just shooting film, so every click counts. the light here is soft, diffused, perfect for portraits, but i keep getting distracted by the details-a wet lantern, a stray cat, the way steam rises from a manhole cover. it's all messy, and i love it. someone on a local board like Kyoto's official site warned me about the crowds at fushimi inari, but if you go late afternoon*, the crowds thin and the light gets golden.

back to the streets.