Mads and I (Mariana) dream a lot and we work hard to make them come true in the real world (As people say: No pain, no gain - Traditional wisdoms exist for a reason). One of them was to experience Japan and doing one (or more) photo sessions.

This photo session was not only a professional achievement but also a personal one - Challenging ourselves on unknown ground and working with what surrounds us, making each day a different one. This day was no exception - We were still adapting to the Japanese weather, and we happened to have the first warmest day of Spring in this photo shoot. We are very lucky to have crossed paths with people like this couple (By the way, go watch them in Tokyo Vice series on Netflix), or like Mina, one of the most lovely people and an excellent professional.

The role of actors was left aside, and the love that this couple showed us was much more than we expected (and if they acted, it was very well done!). Accomplices in love, photographing them came naturally, the most difficult part was actually dealing with a crowd inside the temple and how to capture it so that it seemed that the two of them were alone there. How? Laying down and seeking for new and different angles other than the ones people usually tend to see.

I (Mariana) collect loose quotes from movies I watch or conversations I have and that I keep collecting in my chaotic cell phone notes because I have unlearned to live with my physical notebook. I have here a note that I once wrote “It is crazy that we live in this technologically, advanced world and everyone’s so disconnected from all of it. We’re socially inept generation. I’m in a room full of 300 people but I’m on my phone. So technically, I’m alone” The world is chaotic and people live too fast and without time for anything. Photography has helped me to slow down and to find connection again with people. Today maybe I'll buy a new notebook.