Cinematic Tokyo: Colourful images of Japan that merge old traditions with modern life

The thing that strikes you the most when you visit Tokyo, or indeed anywhere in Japan, is the stark contrast between the country's heritage with the throbbing pulse of modern-day life. That's what Dutch photographer Stijn Hoekstra captures perfectly in his series, Cinematic Tokyo.

All images courtesy of Stijn Hoekstra

All images courtesy of Stijn Hoekstra

He was visiting Tokyo last November to shoot a documentary about Azuma Makoto, a flower artist. He was lucky enough to book some extra days to explore some of the city. He explains: "I always try to take a cinematic approach in my photography, resulting in different perspectives and cinematic colour grading.

"If I see a nice corner, or the sunlight creates a perfect moment, I wait until there is the perfect subject to get in my frame. The only way I'm able to get what I want is to have a lot of patience and of course some luck."

Based in Amsterdam, Stijn describes himself as a "freelance cinematographer and photographer". In his spare time, he enjoys a healthy dose of street photography. Discover more of his exciting work on Behance or via his website: www.stijnhoekstra.nl.

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