Tokyo hit me all at once — neon, motion, sound. But long exposure changed the pace of everything, turning crowds into atmosphere and chaos into something almost gentle. This is what happens when you stop trying to keep up and start letting the city reveal itself.

The camera doesn’t respond to beauty the way the eye does. On Maui, that truth becomes obvious fast. For photographers, it’s not just about finding the scene—it’s about learning to see differently. Slower. More deliberately.

Before I leave for Tokyo, I’ve been thinking about the difference between long-form and short-form study—between deep familiarity and fast clarity—and how each shapes the way I photograph and teach. Whether it’s a workshop in Maui or a night shoot in Shinjuku, it all comes back to one thing: learning how to truly see.