I took this photo of the skyscrapers in West Shinjuku last week when the big typhoon was heading our way. It felt very eery. Kind of reminded me of Gothom City...I wouldn't have been surprised to have seen a bat-signal in the sky.
As for the typhoon, it seems to have been downgraded to an extra tropical cyclone in the Sea of Japan (or East Sea) this afternoon. It has left behind much damage to Western Japan, especially the prefecture of Wakayama. There are various reports but as of this morning there were 27 people dead and 51 people missing across six prefectures. Many more houses have been lost or damaged. My heart goes out to the people who have lost loved ones or their homes.
We have typhoons every year and I would have guessed that we're a country that is well prepared for typhoons. But we are also a country that has many mountains and soft land. And the ground can only take so much rainfall. I can only hope the thousands of people who are still stranded without electricity from landslides or flooding are rescued soon.
I can't help but feel like this year the world has seen more natural disasters than any year before. I'm not sure if I feel this way because Japan was one of the affected countries or because of the fact that we have so much information now that it just seems like there are a lot more disasters happening. But whatever the reason, I really feel like we all need love and peace more than ever.
I wonder if I can bat-signal for this as well.
Cool Batman reference. This shot needs no help though.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Kaori, there definitely does seem to be a lot of natural disasters this year, it's very worrying, hopefully the planet is not getting fed up with the dreadful way we treat it and showing it's displeasure. Meanwhile what a fabulous image, the greys and blacks with the lights on in the skyscrapers make for a stunning imagine. Great work.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking Tim Burton when the photo came up.
ReplyDeleteBut oh no, 27 dead. I guess we can only prepare for that which we can expect. As we're failing to respond to global warming (my country, most particularly), we have to start thinking of natural disasters on a larger scale.
That is a very eerie photo, very atmospheric. Japan has certainly had more than its share of disasters this year.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that the world is seeing more disasters, but I think two things are contributing to that perception. First, more and more of the world is heavily populated, so natural disasters are more likely to have dreadful impacts. Second, 24-hour news and ready access to cameras and video recording mean that the disasters will be more covered than ever before. After all, disasters bring ratings!
What a great NIGHT photo of those skyscrapers!
ReplyDeleteAdd the financial disasters to the natural calamities and the upcoming anniversary of 9/11 that's all over the radio and you've got me thinking that I don't even want to see skyscrapers anymore, however brilliant the photo...
ReplyDeletewow
ReplyDeletedaily athens
People were always dying around the world. It is that now we know it.
ReplyDeleteWow! I love the perspective on this one!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for all the suffering there has been in Japan of late. Certainly better times must lay ahead!
Beautiful night shot and great composition, wow!!
ReplyDeleteThis photo looks like it could be on the cover of a magazine! I love that you chose to turn it black and white. That really accentuates the perspective and does make it look very foreboding and Gotham City-like. - I know what you mean about all of the natural disasters. This past year I have come to realize just how fragile our hold on this world really is. I've been praying for all the people who have been touched by these tragedies that God would bring them through it and that they would be stronger as a result so that good will triumph over the bad.
ReplyDeleteLOL! I just looked at your photo again and realized that it is not black and white! Which makes it even cooler to me and the sky looks even more menacing to me since that is exactly how it looked. YIKES!
ReplyDeletespread the love dear. ^0^
ReplyDeleteGotham city is in the air for sure.
this is a nice almost b*w shot effect.
love the drama.
That is an eerie shot Kaori. We had a tropical storm here over the weekend, but it was mostly a rain event. There was a little wind, but not much and I only have a few branches down in my yard.
ReplyDeleteI can't add anything more to what's already been said. Ditto PerthDaily. And Ciel makes an excellent point. Your night shot is very moody.
ReplyDeletePS. Natural Disasters Up More Than 400 Percent in Two Decades.
ReplyDelete"But whatever the reason, I really feel like we all need love and peace more than ever."
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
Love and peace to the people in Wakayama and Kansai.
Yeah, I thought there are more natural disasters too.
ReplyDelete