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Submitted: January 17
Image Size: 796 KB
Resolution: 1280×1100

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Make:NIKON CORPORATION
Model:NIKON D3
Shutter Speed:1/250 second
Aperture:F/2.8
Focal Length:85 mm
ISO Speed:900
Date Taken:Jan 14, 2013, 3:57:58 PM
Software:Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Windows)

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S E I J I N S H I K Iby =burningmonk

Photography / Urban & Rural / City Life

Monday was coming-of-age day in Japan. It's a ceremony during which people who turned 20 last year celebrate their adulthood. The girls wear kiminos like this. But the snow really put a damper on things.

(I really gotta stop shooting people from behind!)

Critique by *StereoLime Jan 17, 2013, 6:22:45 PM

Content wise, this is a visually stunning piece. A woman wearing the traditional dress while carrying a purse in a cluttered alley sends a remarkable message. In Japan, many old traditions are fading away. And yet, here we see the persistence of an age-old ceremony in a modern society. This sort of juxtaposition makes for a gripping image. Seeing her walking alone in the snow after what was a major occasion can also be interpreted as a metaphor for loneliness in the cold, adult world.

The alley has a lot going on, but its composition allows you to focus the woman quite well. However, I find the bright neon colors and lights in the upper left corner very distracting. You could simply change it to black and white. And if the woman blends into the background, you could add color to the kimono.

Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful piece with us.

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~Motise Mar 16, 2013 Digital Artist

This photo is amazing, i love it! Pure art!

=burningmonk Mar 18, 2013 Photographer

Thank you very much!

~Motise Mar 18, 2013 Digital Artist

Youre welcome, keep them coming haha love your gallery!

*kombinat Jan 21, 2013 Hobbyist Photographer

really beautiful picture

=burningmonk Jan 23, 2013 Photographer

Thank you!

*kombinat Feb 4, 2013 Hobbyist Photographer

~Fuyou-hime Jan 20, 2013

This photograph is very beautiful. I really like the lighting and the framing. Your photographs always have the strong feeling of a story to them, I'm really drawn into them.

But I must say, her kimono is soooooo confusing! First off, her obi bow is in the front! People assume (erroniously) that a front-tied obi is the sign of a "working woman", but actually it used to be the regular fashion for married women in the Edo period and then fell out of fashion as obi, and thus obi bows, became too big and thus too difficult for the regular woman to use while doing chores. A front-tied obi has basically been an impossible fashion choice for well over a century, but it has been working its way back into haute couture/experimental fashion photoshoots. I never see it outside of that context, and this is the first time I've seen it on the street rather then on a model. Furthermore, her kimono collars are pulled down really low. If it wasn't for the fur shawl, we'd probably be able to see her shoulders. That's also done in non-traditional costumes (like cosplay) and experimental fashion, but it's hard to pull off since the kimono's not designed to be worn that way and there ends up being a lot of unattractive excess fabric on the back and sides (you can see how it was tucked in on the upper arms). The fact that she has it so neat and trim is really amazing, it definitely took some effort!

This is certainly not your traditional Seijin-shiki ensemble!!!!

=burningmonk Jan 20, 2013 Photographer

Thank you! And thanks for the analysis. It's always interesting to read as I really don't know very much about kimono. You mentioned that it's not a traditional seijinshiki style, so I think this might be what's in fashion at the time. I saw a number of girls wearing kimono similar to this one, and they always have a fur shawl. I'm not informed enough to notice the details, such as where the collar and sleeves lie. But they all seemed to have been dressed this way last weekend. Thanks again!

~Fuyou-hime Jan 20, 2013

Fur shawls are actually pretty standard for winter furisode (and thus Seijin-shiki) and have been for decades, but if all of the girls were dressed as daringly as this woman was then that would be very amazing! Seijin-Shiki is one of the only occasions most girls will have in their lives to wear really expensive and glamorous furisode (some parents will buy a furisode for their daughter's Seijin-Shiki, but a lot rent it), so they tend to be rather traditional about it. It would be great if more girls decided to be really fashion forward about it. There have been signs in kimono fashion lately that show that more and more women are looking at kimono and seeing a viable clothing option rather then a traditional costume. I keep hoping that this isn't a fad and that kimono are working their way back into closets.

=burningmonk Jan 25, 2013 Photographer

Now I wish I had taken a closer look, or more photos.

But as you mentioned, I think kimono are becoming a bit more popular with young women, as I do see them sometimes. But this is more common in ritzy neighborhoods like Ginza. However, for the most part, older women tend to wear kimono on a regular basis. Do you think one big factor might be cost? It seems that a kimono is really expensive no matter how you handle it (renting vs buying). The only way it might be easy to get one is as an heirloom in the family.

I do agree that it would be cool if more woman wore kimono. It would certainly add an exotic element to my photos.

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