Grand

Taking into consideration that I only had 2.5 days in Abu Dhabi, I made sure that at least I can visit its number one tourist attraction – Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. This could make my first visit in the Middle East memorable.

Lakes

In 2012, I reached the summit of Mt. Fuji, Japan's tallest mountain. It was one of the highlights of my stay here in Japan, though I don't have any plan to climb it again. However, I had plans of visiting the five lakes surrounding Mt. Fuji. Luckily, there was an available Fujigoko (Fuji five lakes) photo tour at the start of the year. The one day tour costs from 8,000 - 12,000 yen depending on the travel date. 

The Fuji Five Lakes (富士五湖, Fujigoko) were formed hundreds of years ago by lava flows which dammed up rivers during Mount Fuji's multiple eruptions. more here

Colorless

Most of my photos are in color. Most of them are vivid, vibrant and loud and only a small percent of my photos are in black and white. At times I feel that these colorless photos have lots of stories to tell and are more accessible to relate to. Maybe because colors can be distracting and may lead your eyes away from the story. Life itself is basically black, white and grey. Splashes of colors depend on our palettes.

As Ted Grant says : “When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in Black and white, you photograph their souls!” 

Of course, I will still continue taking photos in color and may convert some of them to black and white.

Colorless

black coffee with milk

stains on the sink, polka dots

snow falling outside

 blur of city lights

two transparent umbrellas 

separate train routes

 a flickering bulb

hums of leafless trees, footsteps

on empty car park

 three-colored rainbows

 in grey, black, white paradise

of color-blind spirits

 /totomai 

Even though I have thousands of colored photos, I decided that my first photo book, “Filtered Precipitates”, to be in black and white. 

This is a special post in reply to a special prompt in D’verse. Can’t wait to read the poems and hope that my photos serve as temporary muses. 

 /totomai 

2015/01/20

Adulthood

In Japan, every second Monday of January is a national holiday to celebrate the 成人の日 Seijin no Hi or Coming of Age Day. Twenty-year-olds don kimonos (female) or suits (male) to welcome adulthood.

Chase

Because I and my friends were going to celebrate the New Year away from our family and loved ones, we decided to do it differently and that was to chase the sun - the last sunset of 2014 and first sunrise of 2015.

Routine

37. Today. 

I just finished reading the book "25 Lessons I've Learned about photography life" by Lorenzo Dominguez. It was given by a friend in 2012. In one of the last chapters, the author talked about a realization while living alone -

While living alone, waking up alone, going out to take pictures alone, eating alone, being alone, I became much more aware that I was not alone, that apart from other people, the world was full and overflowing with, with beauty in motion.

And that brings me to reflect on my life here in Japan. Yes, I am living alone and felt that I have already made the necessary adjustments in order to survive in a foreign land. After all, my seven-year stay is more than enough.