By mid-May, Cassidy had already been in Tokyo for two months. Throughout that time, she had seen the inside and exterior of her parents house in nearby Chofu, a grocery store, and a convenience store or two. Basically, Cassidy's time in Tokyo has been nothing the rising university senior thought it would be. When the University of California stopped offering classes on campus due to COVID-19 concerns, Cassidy decided to leave Berkeley and head to Japan to quarantine and socially isolate with her parents. Here in Tokyo she could finish up her remaining course work online, spend time with her loved ones, and have a change of scenery. But even though Cassidy had made it to the Japanese capital, she wasn't able to explore Tokyo in the ways she had hoped. During the last days of Cassidy's visit, the Tokyo government lifted the state of emergency. With her canceled-now-rescheduled flight to California a few days away, Cassidy decided to wanted to see something in Tokyo before heading out and decided that she wanted to book a portrait session to document the outing. I met Cassidy at our chosen location right on time and, before getting started with our session, we took the time to debrief our experience with lockdown. For more than two months, neither Cassidy or I had been around anyone other than our own families (as most in Japan have done all that they can to keep themselves and others healthy) and were both a bit weary to be back in "civilization." We discussed how surreal it felt to be in the city where, it seemed, life was starting to move forward with the "new normal." For ninety minutes, I took Cassidy on an abbreviated tour of Kichijoji, one of Tokyo's most vibrant neighborhoods. The area is full of cafes, boutique stores, artist enclaves, and Inokashira Park (one of the most beautiful green spaces in Tokyo). Close to her accommodation, Kichijoji was a great location for us to meet by bicycle and would serve as the perfect alternative to other Tokyo locations that would require train rides and other unnecessary worries associated with traveling during the pandemic. Throughout our session, Cassidy and I were successful by keeping six feet of distance from each other and the crowds that, here in the world's most populated city, are hard to avoid. We only took our masks off when we felt safely distanced. Basically, we eased our way back into some sense of normalcy. I was grateful to Cassidy for making our outing so enjoyable; full of laughs and great conversation. Working with Cassidy was the first times in months I felt like myself. While we were careful to observe recommended protocols, there were times during our session that I forgot about COVID-19 and the collective trauma we have all experienced. In the end, I couldn't have asked for a better afternoon as a photographer in Japan and was elated to be back behind the camera after an extended break. Are you searching for a portrait photographer in Tokyo, throughout Japan, or beyond? If so, reach out today to begin planning your individual, couples, or family photography session. More Portraiture on the Blog
|
TABO PHOTO
Blog Categories
All
|