Portrait Sessions in Japan by Seattle Artist/Photographer T. Mellon. Specializing in Natural World Kimono Portraiture for Seijin Shiki, and Shichi-Go-San
Born in Seattle Washington. T. Mellon has lived in Alaska, Nevada, Oregon, California, Hawaii, as well as Mexico, and has been living now in Japan for more 14 years nestled at the edge of Tokyo and Yokohama where the mountains and ocean are easily accessible. Gravitating always towards the ocean and mountains, nature was his playground as a child, and where you can still find him more often than not, now with camera in hand.
Offering high end prints of the scenery of Japan, he gravitates toward Nature, but has a keen appreciation for the beauty of Kimono set against the beautiful backdrop of Japans nature, and old world heritage architecture sites. Portrait sessions for those visiting Japan are available, but advanced notice, deposit, and communication is necessary as Kimono’s must be of high quality and properly fitted. We can help with this! In addition because we print locally in Japan using very high quality Japanese papers such as washi, known for it’s longevity and quality colors, we are often able to hand deliver prints next day or send them onto your next hotel during your travels in the land of the rising sun, as the Japan postal system is highly efficient.
From Todd Mellon –
Since I grew up around nature, and spent allot of time in the ocean and mountains, I think it made me keenly aware without even really knowing it how nature and light flow together from sunrise to sunset, and even throughout the night as I often camped, or simply drove to peaks, or the middle of the desert to enjoy the stars or moonlit landscapes. I mean, I often am walking and simply stop as light does something beyond words to the scenery I am moving through. it can be huge over a vast landscape, or it can be the smallest little details, but It’s always been there with me, and I think more than most I just am captivated and want to stay and see how the light plays out. Because the moments are usually short lived, but sometimes what started as just a nice little bit of light changes to something extraordinary. It’s brought me to this place where now when I see these moments which I always felt lucky to be a part of, but sometimes it felt sad to know I was the only one that would ever know these moments existed, but now I am able to capture the moments, and share them with the world. It’s something I’ve tried to do always with my camera, but only recently has the resolution of modern camera’s returned to that of film. So I am finally able to see the details the way I remember them, because often in the past I would share an image I captured and receive praise, but I couldn’t help but say “the picture doesn’t really do it justice”. Now I don’t feel the need to say it as I feel I am capturing the best images of my life, and people are able to truly see what I saw. Of course it’s always best to be there in the moment, but it’s simply not possible for many to travel to Japan and see the first light of Fuji on the new year, or fireflies over rice fields. I am able to do that pretty much in my backyard, and if it’s only for my eyes, it’s an honor, but to share these moments of light across the globe and bring the light into peoples homes.. well like the light itself, it’s without words, but the feeling is great.