The Story Behind the Image: Ikebukuro Minimalism
Location: Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan
Date: 2002
Camera: Canon 630
Film: Kodak T-Max 400
Lens: 24mm f2.8
When I first began shooting photos, I had no idea how light and shadows can make or break a photo.
Understanding light came first.
But shadows came later – and by accident.
This photo made me realise how great shadows can be in an image.
This shot was taken in the middle of the day in Tokyo at Ikebukuro station. Below the frame of this shot is chaos. People everywhere, rushing in all different directions.
I would park my bike here every day, and on this day, I had my Canon 630 with a roll of Kodak T-Max 400.
I put a red filter on the 24mm 2.4 lens and took a shot of the building, hoping the lines would make for an exciting black & white, street photography image.
When I got the roll developed, the shadows would stand out the most, and I was hooked.
Since then, I have been chasing shadows as much as I am chasing light.
