A Geek in Japan

This has been the first year that I have taken more pictures with my iPhone than with my “traditional” cameras (Nikon D800 and Fuji X100). I don’t know if it’s laziness or that the difference in quality between a photo taken with a 2kg Nikon D800+24-70mm and a smartphone weighting less than 200 grams is much less than years ago.

These are my best pictures from instagram judging from the number of likes, which it doesn’t mean that they are good pictures per se. I have selected all the pictures from last year with more than 400 likes.

Before living in Japan I didn’t have any interest photography, now it is my passion. My interest started back in 2005 after seeing in action two great Japanese photographers taking pictures in Shinjuku: Moriyama Daido and Nobuyoshi Araki. I didn’t know it at the time, but they were and they still are two of the greatest Japanese photographers ever. I was fascinated by how they merged into the crowd with their little cameras. There was something about the passion they showed that captivated me.

I’ve been trying many types of photography during the years. Even though I like taking all types of pictures I’ve found that what I enjoy the most is doing the same as Araki and Moriyama: walking the streets and capture moments and people. I like the feeling of capturing a very unique moment on the street: a gesture, a group of people talking, leg shadows merging with neon lights reflected on rain water.