Shoji

This is a window, this is Mr. Smith..... no, we're not back to school, just this is a Japanese traditional window, the woodden frame that hide it, is called shoji, they can slide sideways to access the window. The thin rice paper soften the light and tone down so much, so even in summer you feel a cool, soft sensation and in winter isolate from the cold outside (a little).

Never brights rooms where found in traditional dwellings in Japan, an other reason for this, is the famous discretion of Japanese people, but especially the appreciation of intimacy and simplicity of shadows.

This was my second trip to Japan, this time in winter, December 2004 till January 2005 and the first digital reportage, with my new Kodak DCS Pro14N with my trustworthy Nikon lenses.

After staying in Japan and living in a traditional Japanese house, in a traditional way, eating traditional Japanese food (and drinking too), I started to appreciate and understand soft light (for my work). Previously I was more into cinematographic light, using spotlights, hard directed light, now my life has changed, my understanding of life and the way to see it and to expreess it. I'm catched by subtle tones, light softly melting into shadows, with no pain, no discussion or fight between light and shadow, just talk to each others, understand that there will be no light without shadow and viceversa. If you don't understand what the hell I'm talking about .... probably you don't like photography or paintings or literature or good food .... or women.