Japan has been the country of the year for 2015. Having shot in there only once ever before, we already have three shoots this year and one more may happen before the year ends. And it is always a welcomed trip, it is one of my favorite countries in terms of… just about everything -the culture, the people, the food, the weather, and most definitely for shoots. The country is diverse enough and interesting enough to do so many things and still keep it fresh.

We start our Japan series with the pre-wedding shoot of Claire and Mark in Himeji. Seen at random by Claire in the internet, she declared even before she got engaged that she will have her pre-wedding shoot there. Understandably, Himeji is stunning, especially during the cherry blossom season. Additionally, while you can see Japanese castles in most major cities in Japan, it is said that the Himeji Castle is the biggest and most intricate of them all. Just between the blossoms and the castle, there are endless vistas for great photographs already. But in Himeji, you can also find Mt. Shosha. It may not ring a bell right away but this place is famous for the extensive scenes shot here for Tom Cruise’s movie, The Last Samurai. We, of course, shot in all these locations and albeit some really strict rules they put in effect and the piercingly cold weather, we felt that we were able to come up with shots that are not just truly unique and captivating but very much representative of Japan as well. Thanks to Claire and Mark for braving everything and making everything possible. :)

So please do enjoy this first of Metrophoto’s Japan series.