Have you ever met someone for the first time and instantaneously clicked with them?
That's how I felt when I met Kirari and Jack in Tokyo - they were both down-to-earth, welcoming and outgoing. There was not a single awkward moment during their shoot which made the day go by like a breeze.
Keepin' it casual
My vision for this engagement shoot was to keep it casual - strolling together around Tokyo and have fun along the way. As I stand behind them and letting them do what feels right, their personalities and relationship dynamic shines through. It's nice to see how they interact and hear how sweetly they talk to each other while I swoon behind the camera.
The entire time I spent with Kirari and Jack was relaxed and it felt like we were just hanging out. They were showing me around their city while I was snapping pictures of them along the way. Covid forced them into a long distance relationship - Jack had to come back home to America while Kirari stayed in Japan. A grueling couple of years maneuvering through a pandemic all while balancing a long distance relationship. But there was a type of assurance between the two like they knew that it was only matter of time until they would be reunited once again.
Meiji-Jingu
We met up in the afternoon in front of Meiji-Jingu, a massive shinto shrine located in Shibuya. The shrine is a popular spot for both tourists and locals alike- a place where wedding processions and other Japanese traditional rites of life can be seen. It is surrounded by a massive manmade forest situated right in the middle of Tokyo. While walking past the entrance towards the shrine, there were many sake barrels displayed that served as offerings to the shrine - it was the perfect backdrop to begin
their engagement adventure in Tokyo.
Takeshita Street
A vibrant pedestrian street in Harajuku with an array of cafes and restaurants, colorful fashion boutiques and cutesy accessory shops. With so many desserts to choose from, it was paradise for sweet lovers like me. We saw a long line of people waiting in front of a crepe shop so naturally, we had to give it a try.
Tokyo Neighborhood Streets
Tokyo is a mix of ultramodern and traditional. The populated metropolis is filled with modern amenities surrounded by skyscrapers, but tradition still shines through wherever you visit. The city is filled with historic temples, serene gardens and teahouses hidden behind narrow neighborhood streets that transport you to the past. As much as I love visiting the tall, neon-lit buildings in Tokyo, the cozy shops, with colorful bright lights, lining the neighborhood streets is what drew me in. Kirari guided us into this street that was tucked away from the busy and crowded area of Shibuya - there was a burst of colors from the shop signs and buzzing of locals surrounding the food stalls.
We ended the night chatting away, hanging out and in good fun. It was perfect!
