Get to know the talented Trope photographers through in-depth interviews, each offering unique insight into their craft. 

Neal Kumar (@nealkumar) has shot images all over the world. He tells us what it’s like shooting specifically in Tokyo and what has drawn him to the city. Neal is featured in the Trope Tokyo City Edition.

Compared to Boston, Tokyo is incredibly expansive and dense... with many more cars on the streets and people on sidewalks and crosswalks. The subway and trains make it so easy to get around such a large city. The neighborhoods each have different vibes. 

Some of my favorite scenes to shoot in Tokyo involved small alleyways, colorful city lights at night, or classic-style taxis. The city is densely populated, which can sometimes make shooting a scene challenging. Sometimes I would shoot the same frame several times because each one captured a different moment of people walking by.

When thinking about my time in Tokyo... some words that come to mind are busy, fast, and tasty. I have many memories of the city, but catching the peak of cherry blossom season in Tokyo was such a treat. With the trip planned far in advance, there was no telling if we would catch the blossoms, which sometimes only last a couple of weeks. There were cherry blossoms lining winding streets in the city, or hanging over a river or surrounding shrines.