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Jul 12 2017 12 Comments

Faded Japan — a photo series

Over on my Instagram account, I now almost exclusively shoot Japan’s faded and crumbling buildings. As subjects I find them genuinely fascinating, but aside from the abandoned buildings connection, it’s also a very different discipline to photographing people. They are all iPhone shots too. And in the square format. So it’s a nice change of both pace and practice.

Some scenes, however, are better suited to a more conventional 35mm shot, so over time I’ve been collecting (and occasionally posting) the resultant images. And below, having now accumulated enough for a set, is a small selection of them. For me, there’s both a beauty and quiet melancholy about such structures. Something that hopefully appeals to others too. If it does, the full series of over 40 photos is now on my portfolio site. More specifically, here.

old faded Japan

old faded Japan

old faded Japan

old faded Japan

old faded Japan

old faded Japan

old faded Japan

old faded Japan

old faded Japan

old faded Japan

old faded Japan

Categorized: Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kim says

    7/12/2017 at 1:38 pm

    Great series, nothing quite like the faded back streets of Japan.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/12/2017 at 8:53 pm

      Thank you. Yeah, I totally agree. Fascinating places to walk and explore.

      Reply
  2. Denton says

    7/12/2017 at 2:34 pm

    These are very cool! I really appreciate the different side of Japan you show us. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/12/2017 at 8:55 pm

      Thanks. That’s really nice to hear. Always good to read that other people get something out of things I personally find fascinating.

      Reply
  3. cdilla says

    7/12/2017 at 5:41 pm

    What a great display of dilapidation. I had hoped to get some work done this morning…
    I love the green rocket launching from this photograph…
    https://leechapman.photos/the-faded/hxqccqqxm14ekuyyeuz207216awg3s

    Bah.. I’m going to get lost in these for hours.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/12/2017 at 8:57 pm

      Cheers! That’s really good to hear, even if it did cost you some productivity time!

      That particular house is incredible, isn’t it? Heaven knows what it’s like on the inside…

      Reply
  4. David Lowe says

    7/16/2017 at 8:54 pm

    I could be mistaken but that last photo looks to be that dilapidated hambai opposite the equally run-down Seibu Yuenchi Amusement Park. Am I Right?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/16/2017 at 10:15 pm

      You are. Well spotted!

      I’ve passed it loads of times, but seen it open just the once. A long while ago now though. Strongly suspect I never will again…

      Reply
  5. kikuhouse (Joanna) says

    7/18/2017 at 8:47 pm

    I really love this series, having started painting these scenes over the last couple of years – there is such sadness and a reminder of transience in all of them – I always think about what they would have looked like when just built and at their peak. Thanks for sharing them on Instagram and via your portfolio. Wonderful.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/18/2017 at 9:18 pm

      You are very welcome. Always great to hear you like them so much. That’s a lovely description, and it perfectly sums up how I feel about them as well.

      Reply
  6. Arisa says

    9/13/2017 at 10:02 am

    Wow it is very similar to some other photographers eyes as well. Who inspired you to look at faded with different perspective?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      9/13/2017 at 5:04 pm

      Nobody to be honest. This side of Japan fascinates me, so it was only natural to start photographing it.

      Reply

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