This photo was taken at the Echigo Hills State Park, where I used a generous amount of foreground blur to capture the hydrangeas on the stairs in the background. The soft foreground blur gently envelops the entire image, creating a dreamlike effect as the hydrangeas on the stairs stretch into the distance.
| Date & Time | July 4, 2026 |
| photographer | without batting an eyelid |
| Location | Echigo Hills National Park |
| Address | 1950-1 Mitsumata, Miyamoto Higashimachi, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture |
| Photography Equipment | Canon EOS R |
| lens | Canon EF70-200mm F2.8L IS II USM |
| F value | 2.8 |
| suspended solids | 1/500s |
| ISO | 200 |
| Shooting route on the same day | Niigata’s Principal Shrine: Hakusan Shrine →directional marker or indicatorYorii Beach (Niigata) →directional marker or indicatorWithin Niigata Prefecture →directional marker or indicatorFukushima Lake →directional marker or indicatorNiigata Prefectural Botanical Garden →directional marker or indicatorEchigo Hills National Park →directional marker or indicatorHydrangea Park (Tokamachi City) |
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