The book illuminates specific ideas, rules, and aesthetics unique to Japanese culture that were previously little known in the West. Contextual Insight:
Photographers like and Daido Moriyama have often written about the quality of light at the end of the day. In his essays, Sugimoto often reflects on the "ancientness" of light. For him, capturing a sunset is not about the calendar date, but about connecting the modern viewer to the same visual experience a human might have had thousands of years ago. His writings suggest that the setting sun is a time-travel device, blurring the lines between past and present. Post-War Shadows and Rebirth setting sun writings by japanese photographers
In the following exploration, we examine the writings and visual philosophies of Japanese photographers who have used the setting sun to define their art. The Philosophy of Mono no Aware The book illuminates specific ideas, rules, and aesthetics
Setting Sun: Writings by Japanese Photographers is a landmark anthology published by For him, capturing a sunset is not about