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Dec 27 2014 23 Comments

A few favourite photographs from 2014

Once again, regardless of the ups and downs of everyday life, photography has been a wonderful constant throughout the year — a source of exploration, creation, and on the odd occasion when things actually work out, genuine contentment. How many hours I’ve spent out and about, and how many miles I’ve covered, I couldn’t even begin to calculate. The only definite answer is a lot — an awful lot. But every minute and every step has been worth it, if only for the people I’ve met, and the places I’ve seen.

And below, as the title suggests, are a few of my favourites from the past 12 months. Some chosen simply for the results, others for what they mean personally. They aren’t in any particular order either, just divided into colour and monochrome. Oh, and clicking on any image will take you to the original post should you want to know more.

A selection that neatly wraps up Tokyo Times for 2014. So, until the new year, when normal service will resume, all the very best for 2015!

Tokyo old lady story

Tokyo poverty

Louis Vuitton Tokyo high-end and homelessness

Tokyo

Japanese drunk

Gritty, drunk and aggressive Tokyo

Tokyo

small cozy Tokyo bar

old and dirty Tokyo bar

Tokyo shrine in the snow

the neck of a Japanese geisha in Kyoto

Tokyo Skytree sunset silhouette

Japanese ultra-rightist nationalist

outdoor drinks in timeless Tokyo

old and small Tokyo bar

Japanese woman feeding a pigeon

Japanese kimono looks

Categorized: Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tyler says

    12/27/2014 at 12:05 pm

    Exquisite job Lee, looking forward to your photographic successes in 2015

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/27/2014 at 3:19 pm

      Thanks a lot. Very kind of you.

      Reply
  2. jim says

    12/27/2014 at 11:13 pm

    Yeah, good choice of images. Nice mix of color and b&w

    jr

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/28/2014 at 9:48 am

      Cheers! Not sure why, but colour won out this year.

      Reply
  3. June says

    12/28/2014 at 5:02 am

    It would be difficult to choose a favorite, even a few, from your photos. They are all wonderful, thank you for sharing them.
    Looking forward to more great images in 2015!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/28/2014 at 9:50 am

      Thanks a lot, June. You are more than welcome. It’s always interesting going back through the last year, brings back a lot of memories.

      Reply
  4. Linda says

    12/28/2014 at 10:23 am

    I’m so glad I found your blog. Happy new year!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/28/2014 at 4:04 pm

      Great to you hear you like it!

      Reply
  5. Hans ter Horst says

    12/28/2014 at 5:07 pm

    It has been a great year, Lee!
    I especially appreciate your constant challenging of the typical yet completely incorrect image of Japan that is held by even people who visited Japan.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/28/2014 at 8:58 pm

      Thanks a lot!

      Yeah, the typical/stereotypical image of Japan does still persist, and like you say, even by people who have been here. By some who actually live here too, which is much harder to understand. But I guess in many cases, people see what they want to see. I often get the impression that anything deviating from the accepted view (particularly if it’s not an especially positive one), isn’t especially welcome either…

      Reply
  6. Taki says

    12/29/2014 at 1:12 am

    Hey Lee,
    Check out this link if you have time.

    http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/photos-merge-londons-ghosts-christmas-past-n274916

    Taki

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/29/2014 at 1:23 am

      Thanks. Yeah, saw that. Really interesting. Amazing how much things have changed, isn’t it?

      Reply
      • Taki says

        12/29/2014 at 9:28 am

        Yes, I love the feeling of change with familiarity

        Reply
  7. Rowena says

    12/29/2014 at 2:44 am

    I enjoy your photos very much! It is very interesting to see Japan through your view. Thank you and looking forward to see more in 2015!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/29/2014 at 11:38 am

      Thanks a lot. Very kind of you to say so. Good to hear you enjoy my take on Japan.

      Reply
  8. Coli says

    12/29/2014 at 11:39 am

    Hey Lee have a wonderful new years holiday. These pictures bring back lots of memories for me too as a follower of yours. I’d have to say 2,3,4,5 are my favorites here. Thanks for always sharing your part of Japan. Such a contrast from mine. 良いお年を

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/29/2014 at 11:47 am

      あなたも良いお年を.

      You are more than welcome. Lovely to hear you get somehing out of them. Interesting how different our experiences are too. Same country, rather different worlds.

      Reply
  9. Norbert says

    12/31/2014 at 11:53 pm

    Great selection, Lee; evidently you’re wrapping up another photographically rewarding year. Always enjoy looking at your consistently high-quality work.
    Best wishes for a great year 2015!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      1/1/2015 at 2:21 pm

      Thanks ever so much, Norbert. Very kind of you.

      You too. Hope 2015 is a good one!

      Reply
  10. Dave Powell says

    1/1/2015 at 12:56 pm

    Awesome set of images! I really like the one of the guy walking out of the train station. Happy New Year!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      1/1/2015 at 2:24 pm

      Cheers. You too. Hope it’s a good year for you.

      I was waiting for him to come out of the station. Him and his nationalist pals had set their truck up outside to blast everyone with their nonsense. And luckily, he exited the ticket gates just where I waned him to do.

      Reply
  11. Valérie says

    1/5/2015 at 6:18 pm

    Some beautiful pieces you have here. That grandma under the shutter (my favorite post actually), a father and his son at their worst (?) dining spot, great mood of that tiny and cosy bar, that bar owner and his genuine smile, the girl feeding a pigeon, and these two pictures of places, simply, that you made magical (that shrine under the snow is a so quiet image). Thank you ! You are part of the people giving me the will to shoot more.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      1/5/2015 at 10:52 pm

      Thank you very much. Great to read your comments, and even better to hear that my photos help get you out shooting more. That in itself makes everything worthwhile.

      Reply

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