Longmen Grottos in Luoyang

<p>The Longmen Grottos located at 12km south of Luoyang City. Longmen Grottos is one of the finest Buddhism sculpture in China. There are about 100,000 statues within the 1,400 caves, ranging from an 1 inch to 57 feet in height; 30% of these Buddha statues was carved in Northen Wei Dynasty, 60% in<br>

Tang dynasty during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian. The centerpiece is the giant Vairocana Buddha in the Fengxian temple</p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17754527-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1436" height="608" /><br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17754514-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1450" height="967" /><br>

A buddha in the Bingyang Cave<br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17754512-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1450" height="967" /><br>

Buddha in Bingyang Cave</p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17754518-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1450" height="967" /><br>

Big buddhas in the center Fengxian Cave<br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17754517-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1450" height="967" /><br>

This is the centerpiece of Longmen Grotts, the Vairocana</p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17754521-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1450" height="967" /><br>

Side view of Vairocana</p>

<p>Leitz ElmaritR19 +Canon 5DMII</p>

 

<p>Fascinating series, well done! My favorite is, "Big Buddhas in the center Fengxian Cave," nice angle and perspective. Though not necessarily uncommon, I'm still amazed by the level of detail in these large, somewhat ancient sculptures. Thanks for posting!</p>

Excellent photography and commentary. Thank you.

<p>Thanks</p>

 

<p>Great photos! Thanks for documenting and sharing. (^_^)</p>

<p>Always wanted the Leica 19mm when I had the R series, but could never afford it. Glad to see you're putting it to good use. Clearly a very interesting site to visit.</p>

Very nice work. Speaking of wide lenses, I've been using the Voigt. 15/mm ASPH on a full-frame digital and I'm having so much fun with it it's hard to go back to a more standard lens.

<p>Robin, I rember you have a Carl Zeiss Distagon 18mm ultra wide angle lens, it is an excellent lens, a shade wider than the R19. The coverage angle given in lens data sheet refers to diagonal corner to corner, but people don't take photo, tilting camera that way.<br>

In landscape mode, the Zeiss Distagon 18mm has a edge to edge angle of exactly 90 degrees.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Tony, your Voitlanger 15mm is ultra ultra wide angle, you must have great fun !<br>

I too, use the wide angle R19 most of the time</p>