Day One in Kyoto

When I landed in Japan I vaguely knew the love for analog photography was still ever present. At that point it was a mild interest, something I thought I'd show my son. It felt like a novelty.

I'm not sure if it's an official designation, but Shinjuku at least feel like the film capital of the world. More than a dozen camera stores are scattered within a square area just west of Shinjuku Station. There I purchased my son his first film camera, a Kodak Ultra F9 Film Camera.

This was a cheap, modern film camera. Nothing special. But after a few shots, my son lost interest. To his credit, he like vinyl records and other analog media... this just wasn't his style. So I took it. Passing the camera back-and-forth when I saw something film worthy.

My son and I shared the camera, so it's hard to remember which were mine and which were his. He'll remind me that my favorite shot, of the taxi, was his. But it's how we saw Japan. A mix of new things that might seem common but were different to us. The trains, the kei trucks, the buildings, the mix of old and new.

These are far from great photos, but they hold a special place in my heart as it's the beginning of several things. First, my journey through Japan. Second, reigniting my love for photography.