Top 9 Photography Insights I’m Taking into 2025
Last year was a game-changer for my photography practice — I exhibited, experimented, and learned from other photographers — technically, artistically, emotionally. Here are the top 9 things I learned last year that I’m taking into 2025.
Komorebi 木漏れ日
Filmed on 4.18.2024 in Tokyo, Japan entirely on handheld Ricoh GRIII.
Komorebi 木漏れ日 means sunlight through trees in Japanese — a moment of light that will happen just once and never again, just as with the ephemeral nature of street photography. This concept inspired me to make this work.I find Ricoh GR cameras quite filmic and cinematic, though I don’t often see people using them for video. It’s my favorite camera and I thought: Why not make a short film on it?
Music is my own Equinox (2023) recorded as J1L on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Cherry Blossom Trains in Tokyo
Recorded in Tokyo, Japan in April 2024.
Video includes scenes from Meguro River, Nakano, Edogawa, the entire length of Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line), and more. 🌸
[Instructional]
How to Make a Photography Zine
Make an 8-page mini photography zine from one sheet of paper.
[Instructional]
How to Make a Short Film on Ricoh GR in 1 Day
Romanticize your everyday life! Wouldn't it be satisfying to make a short film in one day? I did just that earlier this year with my Ricoh GRIII pocket camera. This tiny and mighty camera is famous for being a beast of a street photography and "everyday carry" camera, but not so much for its video functionality. I love its filmic and cinematic qualities, and challenged myself to make a "day in the life" film of my day on April 18, 2024.Here's how you can do it and how I did it.
Behind the Cover: Tokyo Metro
The story behind the music and cover art of my 2022 track "Tokyo Metro."