For fans of fairytale-like flowers, the Ashikaga Flower Park in Japan’s Tochigi prefecture is a must-see. The park boasts more than 350 different flowering wisteria trees, including a massive (and highly Instagramable) one that is over 150 years old. The impressive tree is a centerpiece for the Fujinohana Monogatari Ofuji Festival which takes place until May 22, 2022. During this time, the park is illuminated and allows visitors to enjoy the trailing florals in a whole new light at night.
Japanese photographer Ryo Tajima specializes in floral imagery and ventured to the festival to capture the breathtaking beauty of the famous wisteria tree. Tajima approached the tree from a point of view that’s different from how many people photograph it though. Rather than showcasing the long vertical flowers from a profile view (in which they nearly touch the ground), Tajima stood underneath the purple canopy and held his camera at a 90-degree angle. The result, he noted, looks like fireworks.
The display does indeed resemble a fireworks celebration. Tajima used a fish-eye lens that caused the flowers to radiate from a central point; the blooms closest to the center look like fireworks that just burst while the flowers in the background look like they are trailing towards Earth.
The photographer’s picture not only showcases the brilliance of wisteria trees, but it also demonstrates how a simple shift in perspective allows us to view a subject in a new and refreshing way.
Photographer Ryo Tajima takes awe-inspiring pictures of wisteria trees.
The photos showcase the trailing blooms during the day and when they're illuminated at night.
Ryo Tajima: Instagram | Twitter
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Ryo Tajima.
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