We live on a very beautiful world.

Compared to what? That is a very good question that is not easily answered.

However, I have no doubt that if we were able to visit other worlds, ours would certainly be among those that are the most beautiful.

Capturing a slice of nature, a moment in time in which the true beauty of the moment is represented in all of its glorious color, texture and intensity, is daunting to say the least. 

This is the ultimate challenge of every nature photographer. The goal of composing and capturing a photo is to evoke a relationship and an emotional response in the viewer.

"Monochrome" is an ambiguous title.

As you can see, more than one color and shade are represented here. Some photos warrant a sepia tone, some a basic 256-shade of grey palette and others selective muted colors.

But in each case, the colors and shades of the photo are captured and adjusted in order to suggest to the viewer that the main theme of the photo is the subject itself and that color only distracts from that theme.

Sabi can be well-illustrated in monochrome captures.

Wabi and Sabi

Flowers are the organic crystals of nature. Each is perfect in its imperfection and yet is still as beautiful as the next.

Sometime a whole field of flowers  can capture their beauty, but often just a single representative bloom is more than enough, and sometime more effective, in demonstrating this wonder of nature.

Wabi is what is captured here.

Wabi and Sabi

People from far and wide all have unique characteristics. While it is true that there are people from some cultures who can tend to get on one's nerves more than others, I have yet to find a culture that is not innately friendly.

Meeting these people at every corner of the globe has truly become one of my life's most precious treasures.

Panoramas are the photographer's attempt at capturing the wide expanse of beauty that is laid out before them. But a panorama in itself can be tiring for the viewer to look at - there is just too much to see and take in at once. Often, by the time the eyes move from one side of the scene to the other, any emotion that has been evoked becomes muddied and confused.

I therefore like to take a more "artistic" approach to panoramas. Many of these are Hockney-inspired mosaics of images left at different aperture settings. I believe that this lets the eyes treat each tile as a separate image while interpreting the scene as a whole in a natural way.

I also just think that it looks awesome.

Macros provides the human eyes with a scene that is usually visible, yet overlooked in its miniscule-ness. It provide a window into the world of the small and the extremely small.

There is great beauty to be seen at this scale and each macro photo I take gives me a sense of awe.

This is one of the most exciting forms of photography for me.

Night photography id challenging, both with and without a flash. Long hours of waiting for the right conditions and the right moment, long shutter speeds, bitter cold...all present challenging conditions and test patience.

But occasionally the rewards can be most gratifying. 

Japan is one of the most photogenic places on Earth. Period.

I've been taking photos in Japan since 1985 and it still never ceases to amaze me with its diversity and culture that permeates every aspect of society.

Spend some time in Japan. Trust me. The home of Wabi and Sabi.

Wabi and Sabi

The city.

In all of its hustle and bustle, great scenes can be found. You just have to search for them.

Look high, look low, look behind you. There will always be a shot there somewhere. If a scene captures your eye for some reason, most likely there is a fantastic photo just waiting for the right angle and the trusting eye.

"Industrial" is a term that I use for the man-made. Objects that were created to serve mankind.

Industrial is also the home of Sabi if you train your eyes on where to look.

Wabi and Sabi