The majority of my Tokyo photos are of old places or people in a rapidly changing urban environment, but when looking for a particular image the other day, I noticed some shots that struck me as similar, but at the same time also different. A few I posted when they were first taken. Most of them, however, haven’t been shown before. At least not in the current versions anyway.
It could be the memories I have of each scene, or simply the natural passage of time, but either way, they do seem to have a different feel. Somehow much more dated, rather than merely older subjects in contemporary settings. The reason, perhaps, why I initially didn’t bother doing anything with several of them, and only now, after a number of years, have they become more appealing. Not nostalgia as such, but just something about them that seems to speak of a time before they were actually taken. The fashion perhaps? Less smartphone use? The slightly different colours my previous Leicas produced? A combination of all three more than likely, with some other stuff thrown in for good measure.
None of which, it has to be said, fully articulates my feelings, but hopefully that jumble of words made at least some sort of sense. I also hope that whatever it is about the photos isn’t just felt by me. So with that said, here they are.
Sean says
This is an awesome collection. Gotta love the guy photographing you with his old cellphone! 🙂
Lee says
Thanks a lot. That was a funny moment. Phones have changed a fair bit since then eh?
Steve says
There’s some serious stink eye in some of these shots! 😉
Lee says
Yeah, there is. I do like eye contact in photos. Such moments often result in some interaction afterwards as well. Thankfully almost always of the pleasant variety too.
scruffy says
Love those looks! Some of these look somewhat familiar. There’s been a few times recently I’ve commented on a photo and then in the following days I’ll realize I’ve seen it before and even aspects of my comment were things other viewers commented on in the past. Weird how. memory works…or doesn’t work, ha ha.
Lee says
Thanks a lot, it was interesting going back through them. And yeah, I couldn’t agree more about how the memory does and doesn’t work. Mine is generally awful, but invariably if it’s connected to a photo I’ve taken, I can remember where, roughly when, and if I was alone or with someone else. Yet without a photo, it’s all too often a complete blank…