Author: mirat

When walking through Chinatown in San Fransisco, I was reminded of the old film photos of China my family members would show me. Specifically, the abundance of red and gold accents and the bustling streets. Given that I haven’t had the chance to visit China for myself yet, Chinatown is the closest I can get to the experiences my family members documented and continue to cherish. I wanted to tell the story of my Chinese heritage through this image, and I specifically wanted to replicate the old vibrant, warm, and grainy photos from my family.

With this photo, I aimed to capture the beauty yet simplicity of flowers blooming in the spring. I chose to photograph cherry blossoms as they perfectly encapsulate the fleeting nature of springtime, as their season only lasts a mere two weeks, if that. Originally, I was unsure how I wanted to show the flowers, which made it was hard to decide whether to photograph a single blossom or an entire tree. I landed on a small group of them on a branch, with full trees blurred in the background to show detail yet still include the blossoms’ sweeping presence.

Strangers carry the reality of the unknown in daily life, so I wanted to capture the feeling of unknowing in this photograph. This man on the street is dressed in a suit with a briefcase, but from the outside we don’t know where he’s going, we can only guess. Maybe its work, maybe school or home. There is physical distance shown as the viewpoint is far from the subject, and the window the photo is taken behind becomes a barrier — a metaphor for the emotional distance between the subject and the viewer.

With this image I wanted to show the aging of cultures and how old traditions, beliefs, and values have been carried through the years. The statue at the Todaiji Temple in Nara Park represents the concept of aging through its enduring, centuries-long presence. This statue stands as a symbol of resilience and wisdom despite the weathering effects of time. People continue to worship as this statue and practice their traditions that have been passed on for generations. This represents the beautiful side of aging that can often be over looked by people and society who are conditioned to believe aging only exists as a negative process.