Almost a year ago I took an unforgettable trip to “the land of the rising sun” with my mate Ben and his friend James. Ben, aka “Cityshriker”, was on assignment for his first book “Tiny Tokyo”. Look out for it early next year! Ben’s work employs tilt shift photography – using selective focus of an elevated landscape to simulate a miniature scene.
Ben and I have been collaborating over the last few years on various projects. You might have seen Melinda + Andrew’s wedding that we shot together. Photography can sometimes be a lonely place and having someone to share the journey has been both rewarding and comforting. Feeding from each other’s energy can push you into realms that you wouldn’t otherwise reach. Japan has always fascinated me. When Ben invited me along for the ride, I leapt at the opportunity.
What first struck me about Japan was the extreme kindness and honesty of the people. It’s unlike anywhere I’ve seen in the world. It almost bordered on strange! People chasing after me to return coins that I dropped. Strangers accompanying me for kilometres when I got lost and asked for directions. The beautifully designed and color-coded rail system, that runs like clockwork. And the amazing food! There’s a lot to love about this country.
My time in Tokyo with Ben and James was spent scaling buildings and bridges or any other structure that gave an elevated perspective for aerial shots. Other highlights were a helicopter ride over the city and breakfast at the Tsukiji fish market.
After a week I left Ben and James, and jumped on the Shinkansen for short trips to Hakone, Kyoto and Hiroshima, where I got to do some exploring of my own.
by Michael Renga