A Japanese girl prays at Nanzenji Temple

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A Japanese girl sits on an old rail line in eastern Kyoto.

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A tall and willowy Chinese tourist poses for me in Nanzenji Temple.

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Hikaru (left) and Yuri are high school students from another prefecture in Japan. They were on a two day trip to Kyoto during their winter break. They had come to this disused rail line to take photos for their Instagrams.

They were both wearing traditional kimono which they had rented from one of the many rental shops in the area.

I hadn't been been having a good day. This was the first time out with my new 40mm pancake lens and I was trying some wider angle environmental portraits. However, I was just messing up all my shots. Environmental portraiture is much harder than it seems! I was on my way home when I noticed people taking photos on this old rail Incline. I took a slow walk up and met Hikaru and Yuri as they were sitting and chatting on the rail.

They looked cool so I asked if I could take a photo of them. Luckily they were already sitting in this position so I just crouched down and took a couple of quick shots, trying to get the rail in the background.

They were quite young so I didn't bother them for long. I just asked a couple of questions in English and then went on my way.

I am experimenting with a more filmic look in this photo. Their yukatas were quite subdued in colour so I felt it suited more subdued tones overall. Also it just didn't work so well in black and white.

This picture is my twenty-first submission in the 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at 100 Strangers Flickr Group page www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/

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Two girls enter Nanzenji Temple through the main gate.

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