It is unfortunate that social media renders every beautiful motif accessible to the masses! The cherry blossom avenue seven years ago:
Batis 85 DSC02979-2 by stm geist, auf Flickr
The cherry blossom avenue today:
Batis 135 DSC00297 by stm geist, auf Flickr
Peire wrote:
That is why I rather search for the places where hardly anybody goes.
Seven years ago, I had the avenue nearly to myself. In the years that followed, I yearned to return during the cherry blossom season and experiment with various focal lengths. Unfortunately, something always intervened. The desire to capture the beauty of cherry blossoms has now faded! Yesterday, the crowd was so dense that the path was barely visible. Everyone had a smartphone in hand, poised for a selfie... What has happened to humanity in these seven years?
But at least the cherry blossoms are more beautiful than ever, and the visitors are all wearing complementary colours. No Iridescent yellows, for example!
rob_ww wrote:
But at least the cherry blossoms are more beautiful than ever, and the visitors are all wearing complementary colours. No Iridescent yellows, for example!
It got even better. I was standing at the end of the cherry blossom avenue. Since I didn’t want to see all the people anymore, I just turned the camera around. There was a lady in a cherry blossom dress standing under a cherry tree, taking selfies the whole time. Later, she came up to me and tried to start a conversation, but that didn’t improve my mood!
Schwarzlicht wrote:
Seven years ago, I had the avenue nearly to myself. In the years that followed, I yearned to return during the cherry blossom season and experiment with various focal lengths. Unfortunately, something always intervened. The desire to capture the beauty of cherry blossoms has now faded! Yesterday, the crowd was so dense that the path was barely visible. Everyone had a smartphone in hand, poised for a selfie... What has happened to humanity in these seven years?
Aside from the awful no-good ruinous infestation of humanity enjoying themselves in such a beautiful place - how dare they!! - I think these photos reveal my preference for the more dynamic perspective lines and tree spacing from the Batis 85mm over the 135mm in a tree tunnel setting like that.
Schwarzlicht wrote:
Seven years ago, I had the avenue nearly to myself. In the years that followed, I yearned to return during the cherry blossom season and experiment with various focal lengths. Unfortunately, something always intervened. The desire to capture the beauty of cherry blossoms has now faded! Yesterday, the crowd was so dense that the path was barely visible. Everyone had a smartphone in hand, poised for a selfie... What has happened to humanity in these seven years?
I saw the Zeiss Loxia image thread was archived so posting a few here using the 21mm and 35mm Loxias from a very colorful sunset that lit up the clouds vividly a couple evenings ago.
ILCE-7RM5E 21mm F2.8 lens21mmf/11.01/30s100 ISO-1.0 EV
ILCE-7RM5ZEISS Loxia 2/35 lens35mmf/13.01/5s100 ISO-1.0 EV
ILCE-7RM5ZEISS Loxia 2/35 lens35mmf/13.01/5s100 ISO-1.0 EV
ILCE-7RM5ZEISS Loxia 2/35 lens35mmf/13.01/5s100 ISO-1.0 EV
Douglas L wrote:
One way that may mitigate the issue somewhat is to get there at sunrise, before the crowd show up. Doesn't always work though.
Seven years ago, I was actually there in the mornings and evenings. The lighting had its charm both in the evening and in the morning. I liked it best in the evening when the blooms were only lightly illuminated from the side.
This was captured early in the morning (in front, a woman lies on her stomach to photograph a dog. Seven years ago, there were no flip screens, were there?) The second was taken in the evening. Both images were shot with an 85mm focal length.
Full on easter animals in the Burch household. Woke up to ducks (I don't live within a half mile of water) and a rabbit hanging out in the front yard this morning. The rabbit couldn't be bothered to get in the frame with the ducks, although my Golden was sure trying!
- I think these photos reveal my preference for the more dynamic perspective lines and tree spacing from the Batis 85mm over the 135mm in a tree tunnel setting like that. 
