Night Shooting in Deep Tokyo

[@Ziduche]

A huge city that looks quiet, clean and safe at night. Bicycles parked overnight nicely and not vandalized, decent and polite people. Where else in the world can we see that today? Japan has to be one of the last civilized countries on Earth.

[@EYExplore]

It really is something else. It's one of the major reasons I've decided to make this home over 15 years ago. :)

[@FungusUSMC]

I loved your "The Project" talk, it goes beyond just photography but a good mindset of how to plan your work, career, and life accordingly. Great insight on staying focused on task.

[@EYExplore]

Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it! I was bit shy to talk about it and maybe didn't go into as much detail as I'd like. Though a bit vague, it's a guiding principle for me in my life. :)

[@AlbertoUrra80]

Thanks SO MUCH for naming me, Lukasz, I reeeeally appreciate it!! Its an honor! And dude, you really got nice photos there!!

[@maxanderssonphotography]

👏🏻

[@EYExplore]

My pleasure!! I like yours more though haha. I guess I should have showed it in the video... Maybe next time you're in town we can do a video together! :)

[@AlbertoUrra80]

@@EYExplore I´ll be there in December, January and February ;)

[@EYExplore]

@@AlbertoUrra80 Nice! Let's meet up again for sure! :)

[@johnvienna3422]

Loved the ramen shop with the sign blowing in the breeze. Interesting that they wrote "ramen" both as ラーメン and らーめん

[@EYExplore]

Thanks! Yeah, I wonder how they decide which font to use in this case. There is also a kanji for ramen... Anyway, I think katakana is used as emphasis in this case, kind of like how we use italics.

[@nicholasdavidsmith]

23:02 I’ve been working on a fun little photo project where I find empty car parking areas in Tokyo and take photos of the pay stations, so this was fun to see in the video.

[@EYExplore]

Oh that's great! They are so mooooody in Tokyo. I love photographing them too but I don't do it very consistently. :)

[@linusfotograf]

Love being led around hidden nooks and crannies like this. Tokyo is like a living organism with so much detail

[@EYExplore]

Thank you so much! It really does feel like a living organism! :)

[@helenecook509]

Hi Lukasz so great to find another cool and interesting Tokyo video just as I come back and feel the nostalgia already 😃. It was so funny that I ran across you by coincidence in the Kabukicho alleys last week as I was using your Tokyo map 😄: this is the proof that it's worth the money, ha ha! I also had a great time shooting with Charles. Tokyo is really a paradise for street photographers, thank you for sharing your experience and inspiration tips, guys 😊

[@EYExplore]

Thank you so much!! It was cool running into you at the particular spot! I love those little back alleys! I hope we can meet next time! :)

[@helenecook509]

@@EYExplore I'll surely come back 😀

[@cinevit-sf]

Thanks for sharing your perspective. It has been helpful in reevaluating my own approach to photography and other art projects. Especially when one gets stuck with the process seemingly not going anywhere.

[@EYExplore]

I'm so glad you found it useful! :)

[@michael2968]

ill be in japan in 4 weeks, so excited to go back and visit

[@EYExplore]

Nice! :)

[@gjwhite]

I find that the primary connection between my various interests in passions is that they are all born out of the same set of intrinsic values. In general, aligning your values and your actions will always lead to a pretty enjoyable and contented life.

[@EYExplore]

I totally agree! Values are the foundation for all in life! :)

[@studioROT]

Thanks for another great video, guys! I just bought the book; looking forward to it very much.

[@EYExplore]

Wow, awesome!! Thank you so much! :)

[@adventure_photo]

I watch many street photography videos and often times the photography is boring and just a series of random snapshots. Not the case when I watch your videos. I’m always inspired by the photography and enjoy hearing your creative process. Another enjoyable video, thanks!

[@EYExplore]

Well, thank you so much for the kinds words!! Some days I too feel like I'm just taking a series of random snapshots haha. I think it happens to us all. :)

[@photongl6903]

Totally agree with going to random places and getting some new shots and view things from a fresh perspective. I decided to get shinkansen tickets to Morioka on a whim last November - spent a very fruitful day taking street photos in this beautiful town in Tohoku. The people living in different towns are solving different problems with respect to building layouts and geography and it brings individuality to not just towns but to streets and alleys.

[@EYExplore]

Wow, Morioka! Now that's random hahah. I really wish I had more time to just travel around without any restraint. :)

[@davidpearson3579]

I always enjoy how your philosophy about art includes more than just photography. I like the descriptions that accompany your images on Instagram, always poetic or film script like. Anyway I hit the like button before watching because your content is always great. Thank you. 📷

[@EYExplore]

Thank you so much!! I really appreciate that! And thanks for enjoying my IG posts as well! :)

[@nad12vivo23]

This idea of "The Project" is not corny at all! I sometimes struggle with wondering how all of my various interests are contributing to the whole of my life - But realizing that all of them play a different role in making up the art project that is your life is a healthy outlook and revelation, I believe. Any plans for a session out in nature anytime soon? I echo all of the appreciation for these videos, thanks for sharing!

[@EYExplore]

Thank you for saying so! I'm glad your share the same outlook! As for a video in nature, perhaps this summer we will get a chance. Maybe Axel and I will go to the beach... :)

[@tanyatokyo]

Great shots as always and it was interesting to hear your thoughts on "the project", I guess I'm still trying to figure that out so it was a good input :)

[@EYExplore]

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@AlexSinclair]

Loved the interaction with those two people in the alley! This was such a good Sunday morning video to watch in bed. Keep up the great work guys!

[@EYExplore]

Nice!! Glad you enjoyed it, Alex! Thank you! :)

[@Leei]

Greetings from Germany. Just got the book and loving it. Keep up the great work!

[@EYExplore]

Awesome!! Thank you much! :)

[@marving1416]

I love the colors and the single light in the dark areas!! ❤‍🔥

[@EYExplore]

Thanks! Glad you like them! :)

[@alhOOO2O]

Beautiful shots as always

[@EYExplore]

Thank you very much!! :)

[@matsuomasato]

Yay finally a new video! I'm been more into photography than ever lately and I've watched all your videos at least twice already 😅

[@EYExplore]

Haha, thank you!! More on the way! :)

[@moncilu]

Always appreciate your one-take videos. Makes me feel like I'm there in Tokyo for a moment. Do you travel much outside Tokyo for work? Would be amazing to see you explore more cities.

[@EYExplore]

Thank you!! Actually, to be honest, there are a few cuts here and there haha, but yeah the walk is more or less unbroken. It's all one area and shot within a span of about 1 hour. I don't travel much these days, but would love to. We did a few video on Hachijojima in 2022, so maybe we'll do some more this year! :)

[@waynerichard]

Thanks for the new video. I know that take some real effort tot produce. Thought provoking, as always. Looking forward to my Tokyo visit and a workshop with your team later this year!

[@EYExplore]

Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it! We're training up an in-house video editor so our production cadence should improve over the summer! :)

[@tabrizihussin4784]

Hope you don’t mind me asking you this question… I’m currently using Nikon D500 partnered with Nikon 10-24 3.5-4.5 for the ultra-wide shots… The pictures are good as long as the lighting is excellent… Thinking of switching to Nikon 14-24 2.8 for a better all around photos regardless of light… My only concern with 14-24 is its bulbous front element that can’t be protected with any filter (using UV filter for my 10-24)… What say you… My other lenses are Nikon 24-70 & Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR2 Just in case, I'm just a hobbyist and love to take candid shoots & scenes... Thank you in advance for your input...

[@warricksmith5178]

Thanks for another thoughtful video, and for sharing some great shots.

[@EYExplore]

Thanks Warrick! Glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@taterandy3958]

Love your videos and the subjects on photography you come up with like this video!!! Well done!!!

[@EYExplore]

Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@luismartins3262]

Hey Lukasz, when you shoot these night scenes with neon lights, do you leave the WB on a particular setting? Thanks for another great video.

[@EYExplore]

Thanks! I just leave WB on auto because I shoot in raw and can edit the white balance later on the PC.

[@martinbreslow1401]

17:58 Green sign P bicycle. I have never seen a sign like that.

[@EYExplore]

Good eye! I think I've seen those but they are not common. :)

[@jamesford_jp]

Oh nice! I was just shooting around there the other night for the first time! Neat area!

[@EYExplore]

Awesome!! Funny coincidence! :)

[@sarcomere1]

How's it going Lukasz? Thanks for the video. Look forward your and Samuel's videos. Are you getting the Voigtlander NOKTON 40mm 1.2 for the Z9? Next release is in June, can't find it anywhere.

[@EYExplore]

Thank you very much!! I've seen the Nokton... looks cool. But I'm shooting with AF so much these days and loving my 28 1.4. But we'll see. I tend to go for new lenses on a whim sometimes. Or maybe I'll pick it up, shoot some vids, and trade it in for something else. We'll see! :)

[@aquilifergroup]

I know what you mean about having different interests. I too am all over the place with regard to my interests. I’m happy with it. I’m through justifying it and I accept that I have a lot of interests and I make time for them when I can

[@EYExplore]

Yes, that is an authentic choice. I'm sure they go together somehow in a way that is unique to you! :)

[@SethinBerlin]

I saw a book of yours today in the CO Berlin in the Amerika Haus and was like hey I know that guy! Well not know, but I feel like I do as you've kinda been my teacher for a few years!

[@EYExplore]

That's awesome!! Glad the book is out there in the wild. :)

[@paulm8157]

Enjoyable post, thoughtful (if fuzzy😊) theme. Black outfit for night work - intentional? Cool alley, cooks, and steamed glass eatery shots. (Steam from cooking condenses on cool glass - more so for steam nearest cooking source.) “Project” IMO includes planned and random events that make up a lifetime. Can’t “engineer” all aspects to a given objective. Cheers!

[@EYExplore]

Yeah, it was a little fuzzy haha. It's something I wanted to share but never wrote about. I find if I write about these topics first then I can speak about them more lucidly. Black outfit because it's winter and those are my winter clothes haha. :) You certainly can't engineer everything that happens in life, but you can make room for those organically occurring things.

[@michaelgannon2358]

2, 2, 4 haha great quote dude :)

[@michaelgannon2358]

. . . And noodles

[@EYExplore]

Haha, yeah I think about that scene all the time when I'm ordering lots of food. :)

[@EYExplore]

"Good noodles" also makes me think of a little scene in The Matrix. :)

[@Fromatic]

As someone said the one shot (kind of) really works well, and with the photography and your topic of discussion today I had to double check the length of the video when you wrapped up as it only seemed like 5 or 6 minutes had passed

[@EYExplore]

Oh that's awesome! Glad to hear the video is engaging and time flies haha. :)

[@allen.9]

hey lukasz, i was wondering which private workshop you recommend for night street photography in tokyo. i like the "Tokyo Cyberpunk Streets" one but I was hoping to do a private workshop so I can invite my friend along.

[@EYExplore]

Hi! So the cyberpunk one is shared indeed, but the price is per booking, which is 1 or 2 people. However, other people might also book, for a total of 6. For a totally private session that's also 3 hours and at night, we have this one: www.eyexplore.com/adventures/tokyo-photo-workshops/tokyo-omakase-street-adventure/ Now, the concept here is that you entrust us the with the course, but of course if you specify you'd like to do night street photography, we will totally do that! :)

[@allen.9]

@@EYExplore oh cool! I was checking out the omakase workshop and really liked the concept, so honestly, I might just book that one. But I’m not in Tokyo until late June so I still have some time to decide :)

[@jagerardi]

I'm the opposite of having a project- When it's time for street photography, I grab the GRIII, head to downtown Savannah, and make random turns until I decide to park and walk around. No set rules, I let the photos take themselves when the spirit moves me. Of course, it's easy in Savannah: the entire downtown are is one large National Historic District, so there's always architecture, and the night life areas give me the benefit of being ~250 years old, but has the lights and signage of modern times. ..Joe

[@EYExplore]

Cool, but that kind of project is not what I was really referring too. I don't mean a photographic project. I meant that everything you do in life is part of a project... that is you and everything you create. :)

[@duncanthorn6338]

I noticed with a lot of your settings you have -EV settings, on some as much as -2.3 EV with auto iso. Do you set your aperture and shutter speed, and then dial in the EV until you see the exposure you want rather than accepting the auto iso the camera sets?

[@EYExplore]

Precisely! Basically, I don't mind much what the ISO is exactly, so I prefer to use the EV set the exposure relative to the camera's meter, which is usually pretty accurate. Having said that, I do always keep an eye on the ISO and will adjust shutter/aperture accordingly to force the camera to change it. For example, if the camera sets ISO 400, I know that decrease the shutter one stop, say from 1/100 to 1/50 will cause the camera to lower the ISO by 1 stop, from 400 to 200. I am also picky about the 320-500 ISO range as that is where the Z9 switches between it's two native ISOs. If I am close to this range (basically around 400) then I would rather just be over it, say 640 or 800. That actually results in less noise and more dynamic range when consider editing (often lifting the shadows).

[@duncanthorn6338]

@@EYExplore Thanks for the detailed reply, much appreciated. Maybe demonstrate that in a video as well. Keep it up!

[@EYExplore]

@@duncanthorn6338 I've covered something similar before, but you're right it warrants a new video as I've changed how do things a bit. I've added it to the to-do list! :)

[@Azeemmerchant]

[@EYExplore]

Thank you! :)

[@xaccix]

I hate everything! But I love your Vidoes!

[@EYExplore]

Haha, thank you! :)

[@ElevatedThreat]

You never seem to get approached or challenged by the shop owners, as to why you are taking pictures of their alleyways or shops. Does this not happen, or are the people there just not bothered by it?

[@EYExplore]

I've had this happen like two times in 15 years. People just don't care because it's not a big deal. No one is being harmed by a random bozo (me) taking a few pictures for a couple minutes. Why make a fuss about it? :)