Sleepless City Streets of Rainy Tokyo Nights Lit by Electric Neon Signs

Tokyo at Night by Liam Wong

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By bringing his background in art direction to his photography, Liam Wong is able to capture the vivid streets of Tokyo in a manner that's uniquely his own. It's hard to believe that Wong's photography journey began just 3 years ago when he picked up his first DSLR prior to a trip to Tokyo. The resulting photos of Tokyo at night were a viral sensation, and now Wong is back with a new set of photos to capture the magical neon nights of Japan's capital.

By day Wong works as Ubisoft's youngest art director, creating the visual identities gamers see in games like Far Cry. Just as he looks to design meaningful aesthetics in the virtual world, Wong photographs Tokyo in a manner that pulls out its details and creates a moody, menacing feel. The rain-slicked streets cast light across the photographs, a mix of warm and cold colors coming together in a surreal fantasy.

Looking at Wong's photographs, the scenery appears to be ripped from a video game. In fact, one can almost imagine background music humming as Wong moves along the dimly lit streets, racking up points with the snap of a shutter. Wong's oversaturated Tokyo is ready for action, as anonymous figures lead us into the compositions, taking us somewhere that could be menacing or magical. That's the beauty of his photographs, they tell a story without saying a word.

Prints of Wong's photos are available via his shop on Society6.

Liam Wong is known for his incredibly evocative photographs of Tokyo at night.

Tokyo Photography by Liam Wong

Tokyo at Night by Liam Wong

Tokyo at Night by Liam Wong

Tokyo Photography by Liam Wong

Tokyo Street Photography by Liam Wong

Tokyo Photography by Liam Wong

Photo of Tokyo by Liam Wong

Wong, who works as an art director for video game publisher Ubisoft, began taking his photography seriously in 2015 after a trip to Tokyo.

Photo of Tokyo by Liam Wong

Photo of Tokyo by Liam Wong

Tokyo Photography by Liam Wong

Tokyo at Night by Liam Wong

Tokyo Photography by Liam Wong

He quickly developed a large following on Instagram after his first photo series went viral, pushing him to continue his photography.

Photo of Tokyo by Liam Wong

Tokyo Photography by Liam Wong

Tokyo Street Photography by Liam Wong

Tokyo Photography by Liam Wong

Photo of Tokyo by Liam Wong

Tokyo Street Photography by Liam Wong

Liam Wong: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Society6

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Liam Wong.

Related Articles:

Photographer Immortalizes Vibrant Neon Streets of Hong Kong and Tokyo

Photographer with Insomnia Spends Nights Wandering the Empty, Neon-Lit Streets

Stunning Color Street Photography Captures the Spirit of Modern Tokyo

Visually Pulsing Photos of Tokyo at Night Show the City Saturated in Neon Lights

Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Staff Editor and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book "Street Art Stories Roma" and most recently contributed to "Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini." You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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