Quiet Tokyo

Tokyo, being a bustling metropolis, surprisingly has some spots that are incredibly quiet and serene. walk the quiet streets of any suburb outside of Shibuya and Shinjuku, and you'll be surprised at being able to listen to your own thoughts. the temple grounds also evoke a zen-like feel, not only in the horticulture and landscaping, but the general hushness leaves its visitors at peace. for all the insanity that is the Tokyo subway system, the bright neon lights, blaring speakers, and chaotic streets of Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, and Akihabara, it's no wonder the Japanese take their time to envelop themselves in the tranquil of the shrines, bookstores, and that little walk through the suburbs before one has to jam themselves in the subways. i personally love the contrast - it makes Tokyo such a dynamic city.

Nightcrawler: Tokyo

never in my life have i returned to the same foreign country within the span of a single year. it is no secret to the people i know that my initial visit to Tokyo was indeed one filled with astonishment, gratification, revelations, and unfortunately too short-lived. a second trip was eventual, however it was only the issue of when it would occur. wanderlust took over, and there we were touching down into Haneda International Airport, scrambling into a local cab and getting literally lost in translation.

the neon lights of Tokyo reflect upon the taxi's windshield, we turn a corner and a familiar sight comes into view. the Shibuya crossing remains as busy as ever - thousands of Tokyoites scrambling across the street and dispersing into hundreds of directions. the lanky dudes in swanky coats, their sweet darlings hanging onto their arms keeping up in their high heels. this is the Tokyo i always envision in my imaginations - the infinite lights, the indefatigable people. the organized chaos, and the kombinis that never close. we disembark outside our hotel and make our way to the reception, greeted by an elderly receptionist who struggles a bit with his English, but was fairly able to comprehend our queries and requests. he comments on how we got ourselves the big room, when in fact it is probably three fourths the size of my room back home. hardly a problem - it is Tokyo, after all. i am back in Tokyo, and i am glad to be back.

Purple Reign

one fine afternoon i stumbled across an online article that highlighted photographs of African war children taken with the Kodak Aerochrome. the purple hues intrigued me immensely - landscapes of green were replaced with purples, adding an otherworldly feel to the photographs, as if the sight of militia children bearing AK-47s isn't already alienating enough. given that the Aerochrome doesn't exist anymore, i chalked it up as a passing peculiarity. then Lomography went ahead and introduced the Lomochrome Purple XR, though by that time i figured it was near impossible to procure a roll here as the film scene had long dissipated.

well, i did manage to procure a roll during my second trip to Tokyo last January (of which i've yet to blog, but we'll get to that someday), although i've yet to finish that roll (i'm ashamed to admit that the amount of photowalks i've gone on this year has taken a complete nosedive, but that's also for another day). in absolute boredom and simply for shits and giggles, i googled a simple infrared photoshop guide and processed some of my photographs. the results came out rather intriguing - perhaps not as intriguing as the remarkable shots of the militia children, but it'll do until i actually finish my roll of the Lomochrome Purple XR. also, the reworking of old photographs is an incredibly rewarding process - of which i (once again) hope to discuss elaborately in the near future.