Normally a post includes a small description below the image; all captured by myself at some point in the past 5-6 years. Part of the fun of having a blog is experimenting with not only the blog but the photos as well. Through this whole process I’ve re-discovered the thousands of photos taken and spent time editing, reviewing, and re-imagining what the image meant at the time. Sometimes the thought is simply gone and it’s just a photo but others have small memories attached.
With that being said this is a short post giving a little insight into what might on the surface appears as a simple photo.
Tokyo at sunset. Sixteen hours of travel including connecting flights, commuting, trains walking plus the sixteen hour time change. An entire day gone. Exhaustion upon reaching the hotel and looking out on a city of almost fourteen million people. Simply getting to the hotel felt like an accomplishment given the culture and language barrier, the two train rides, and ten minutes of walking from the station. The clouds this evening were hiding the hidden gem that is Mt. Fuji which would make appearances on occasion.
The photo was taken on a tripod making use of a brand new neutral density filter purchased days before the trip. The beautiful photos I’d seen taken using the filter were nothing short of phenomenal. There were really no expectations though. Over the course of the trip it became clear that the adjustable filter wasn’t the ideal neutral density filter but it gave me a glimpse into this new world of photography and will likely lead to additional fixed filters.
Exhaustion, a new world, inexperience and what turned out to be a nice clear photo of the sun setting on a new city and an amazing trip. Almost 900 photos later and I’ve only touched the surface. Although a few photos were edited on the fly providing glimpses into the trip this was the first photo opened and edited in more depth. The start of the second trip through memories and stories of a new culture experienced through my eyes.
Mindful Lifter 