2018 Ginza, a photo from Tokyo, Kanto

Photographer's Note

From my last post, fast forward 9 years to my last brief visit in Japan in 2018.

Ginza is a district of posh shops and restaurants. The main attraction for a photographer are, I guess, the neon lights at dusk. But it is also full of fascinating details, including restaurant signs, shop windows and street art.

As soon as I noticed this mural I knew I had to include a real person in the photo too. It looks like a quick snap, but any of you, who does this sort of street photography, will know that it’s a waiting game, that sometimes brings results and sometimes… not so much so. But I think, in this case, I was lucky. I had taken a few photos I was not so happy with and then this lady appeared. She could be a slightly older version of the painted girl looking through the shop window.

I hope it can be classified as an example of Nothing Special. :-)

Two more photos from Ginza in WS.

tyro, jhm, pajaran, alvaraalto, Royaldevon, COSTANTINO, worldcitizen, CLODO, ChrisJ, PiotrF, bukitgolfb301, macjake, maloutim ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

holmertz (83444) 2019-11-02 1:26

Hello Kasia,
That's a very clever mural. It's so well done I didn't even at first notice it was a painting. I just wondered why you had bothered to take a photo of a girl looking at her phone. That's not so funny any more! ;-) Then I read the note and had a closer look... Yes, of course the curious girl needed a complement, and you could hardly have found anyone better than this big sister of hers. The painting is almost too good to be part of a Nothing Special (look how she almost lost her right shoe!), but all right. It qualifies. And I like the photo from inside the shop too.
Best wishes,
Gert

tyro (29026) 2019-11-02 1:30

Hello Kasia,

This is a wonderful example of trompe l'oeil - and so convincing that I immediately thought the girl peering in the shop window was real (and the window real also!) until I read your interesting note!

But how much more wonderful is your photograph because you have not only caught that well executed and artistic illusion, but also the "real" young lady as she examines her mobile 'phone.

A technically perfect photograph with fine light and colours and taken with perfect timing. And, sorry to disappoint, but I do think this photo is actually rather special!

Excellent!

Kind Regards,

John.

abmdsudi (81706) 2019-11-02 1:58

Hi Kasia
Great candid image, makes one wonder what she is conscious of or what is happening on her cell phone? with something of interest in the background too. How did we ever manage without our cell phones...
Excellent street shot.
Best regards

jhm (191543) 2019-11-02 2:02

Hello Kasia,

I am agree with Gert, it's so well done I didn't even at first notice it was a painting.
An excellent composition also nice presentation.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

alvaraalto (38784) 2019-11-02 3:40

Hello Kasia
Three beautiful photos of this district in Tokyo,
The photos give a good impression of the area and its residents.
Especially the main photo with the trompe l'oeil show behind the modern young lady who, how could it be, looks at her smartphone.
excellent observation.
Have a good weekend, groet Rob

Royaldevon (64476) 2019-11-02 5:21

Hello Kasia,

I was completely fooled by this shot!
Not only did I think the young girl was real, I loved how she was slipping out of her shoes.
This is amazing street art!
You did well with your wait!
The new lady to the scene, matches well and she is perfectly placed to give balance to the painting.
Well done!

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

rychem (68081) 2019-11-02 9:05

Ten mural jest super, swietny pomysl, zestawienie z zywa osoba to nic dodac nic ujac, tak ma byc :), brawo
Ryszard

COSTANTINO (93577) 2019-11-02 9:32

Hello dear Kasia
at first I thought that the girl behind is alive
but then looking at it carefully I understood
that this was not a real person and you
wanted ti include a real person in the photo too
you were a lucky photographer indeed because you
captured this moment perfectly
regards
Costantino

worldcitizen (12762) 2019-11-02 12:27

Hello Kasia,
Your patience and persistence paid off. You captured a young woman who compliments the mural very nicely. It's a fun painting, too. It looks like the little girl is wearing her mother's high heels. :-)

GyurMaster (16698) 2019-11-02 14:39

Hello Kasia,

After the master of nothing specials qualified the photo, I have not much to approve! Joking apart, its a nice gem, you observed it very well. I like WS 2 as well, it would sell as an independent photo!

Best Wishes,
Gy

lousat (121153) 2019-11-02 15:59

Hi Kasia,i don't think that this isn't something of special,the catch-eye painted in background in this composition is great! Beautiful capture with the bonus of the girls chatting,and 2 nice WS too,obviously i prefere the fish restaurant..ehehe...have a nice Sunday and thanks,Luciano

Nicou (188656) 2019-11-02 23:58

Hello

Double personnage dans cette image superbe cette dame au natel dans la rue et en fond ce dessin sur la façade avec le fenêtre quelle vue et captage superbe
Nciou

CLODO (42483) 2019-11-03 1:28

Hi Kasia

A good mix of real and fake, it's always rewarding to having a link between the 2 subjects, the scene does not last long and you have to be ready to shoot. Well done!
Cheers
CLODO

ChrisJ (152580) 2019-11-03 3:53

Hello Kasia,

The mural on the bg wall is terrific. Good sharpness, color and framing and the girl at right fidgeting with her cell phone adds a more contemporary mood. Tfs!

PiotrF (42878) 2019-11-03 4:13

Czesc Kasiu
Twoje podroze maja wybitnie fotograficzny charakter, z aparatem nie rozstajesz sie jak widze na krok a moze po prostu patrzysz na swiat kadrami i jak piszesz czekasz na chwile aby sie wlasciwie skomponował.
Tytułowe zdjecie takie jest, choc gdyby była to inna pora roku byłaby wieksza szansa na krotka spodniczke modelki i kompatybilnosc z muralem :)
Ciekawa prezentacja z tego miejsca
pozdrawiam
Piotr

bukitgolfb301 (53382) 2019-11-03 18:21

Hi dear Kasia

I frequently go to Ginza, but I cannot undesrtand where is this place in Ginza, hahaha. That decoartion might be already changed---. Anyway your keen inspiration remains so sharp where you are. Great comparison of this lady with paiting, so much witty image from you.

All the best and have a good day! Takero

Silvio1953 (191437) 2019-11-04 7:01

Ciao Kasia, lovely composition with woman at phone and original murale, wonderful colors, fine details and splendid clarity, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

macjake (92641) 2019-11-06 4:40

Hi Kasia
Gert pretty much took the words right out of my mouth.
I thought for a moment or two as well, that the mural in the bg was real. its almost as if the mural is the younger child version of the main lady in the fg :) Patience paid off for you here. fun shots with excellent results
cheers
Craig

BennyV (30480) 2019-11-09 4:59

Hi there Kasia

Superb nothing-special kind of shot, urban life as it is...but with some great artwork in the bg to make yet a subtle difference. My wife has just started studying Japanese, moving Japan higher up on our list of countries we want to visit , so...

Benny

Hellcat (24) 2019-11-14 4:43

Hello Kasia!

This kind of murals show the Japanese playful spirit..hard to imagine this in any other place where it would not look a little strange,but here....Yet there is tension and contrast between the atitudes of the girl in the mural, eager to experience the world and the so- self-absorbed attitude of the phone girl.I walk down the streets here home and if not careful I get bumped into by all kinds of youngsters/kids that are somehow glued to their cellphones , they look on those tiny screens while around them, life happens.Sometimes I see little accidents happen, dogs being tripped over and dumpster cans and other people also.There was a time when we used to look around... (damn, I should not be speaking, I almost had a big accident looking through the periscope of my D100 while trying to frame something and I almost flattened a small dog dragged arould by a huuuuuge lady that gave me the prompt stink-eye).

emka (139436) 2019-12-02 23:22

Cześc Kasiu.

Mam trochę zaległości do odrobienia. Fantastyczny mural w połaczeniu z rzeczywista postacia. Czy długo czekałaś? Nawet kolory sa dopasowane. Cierpliwość sie opłaca (ale mnie jej brak :)). A okno jest rzeczywste, czy namalowane?

Pozdrawiam serdecznie

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