the world

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Japan | Tuesday, August 17, 2010 | 5 photos

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The man with the sharp metal hook and colored plastic bags tied to his belt flies out of my camera’s view on his important mission. With the ring of his old brass bell the auction begins. I stand speechless among the shouting men who dart left and right, some on foot, some driving electric carts. The highest bidders drag their newly purchased tuna (sans heads and fins) across the damp cement floor of the warehouse. Strangely, there is no fishy odor; only the smell of wet and cold coming off the hundreds of icy-steaming frozen tuna all around me. It’s surreal. This is Tokyo's fish market, where Japan’s famous sushi makes it first stop on its way to the palate of the world’s discerning dinner. An off-beat place where a culture takes shape before my very eyes. A chaotic choreographed dance like nothing I’ve ever seen before.
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My passion is to see and photograph. I’m moved by how religion shapes the way people interact; how history and nature define culture; and how architecture and art testify to the aesthetics of a people. As a photographer, student and global citizen I want to learn as much as I can about our world and share my lessons with others.
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Focus.