I happened up on that terrace that overlooks Harajuku the other day. I normally don't go up there, it's kind of too touristy for my tastes. But, it does have a nice view. And, it does provide you a little bit of insight into the reality of reality of modern day Tokyo.
 
I can't really tell you why I went up there? It all just kind of happened.
 
Anyway, a lot of people go up there to take photographs. And, I guess it's a good backdrop, if you want to have Harajuku and/or Tokyo to be seen as your background setting.
 
When I was up there, I noticed that there was this Chinese young lady. She was totally dressed to the nines. She wore this sleek, and very tight-fitting dress. In her mind, I could tell, that she really thought she was embracing some sort of advanced fashion style. Certainly, this is not the fashion style embraced by the young Japanese females of Tokyo. Their style is much more abstract. And, dare I say, much more cool. This young lady's style was more reminiscent of 1940s something. Something… I know not what?
 
Anyway, she had her friend taking photographs of her. I guess it was to post on her Instagram or wherever the Chinese nationals poster their stuff.
 
I know that the Tokyo locals are fairly upset about the massive Chinese influx that has happened into Tokyo over the past few years. Pretty much since the end of the pandemic, Tokyo has been overrun by Chinese nationals that have somehow found their way off of the mainland and into the streets of Tokyo. Whether you're in whatever big city in Japan you are in: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, wherever… You will see a lot of these people wandering the streets and/or taking photographs of themselves. It's a cultural happening. A cultural happening that locals really do not like. But, like in all things life, modern and evolutionary, what can you really do? To once again quote that great song, “Nothing can change the shape of things to come.”
 
Anyway, and back to the subject line, this girl was having her friend taking photographs of her. I just happened to notice that the photographs this girl was taking of her friend were just horrible. The woman had no sense of photographic composition. None whatsoever. They were just terrible snapshots, at best.
 
Normally, I never intercede into anybody's anything. It's just not who I am. But, I don't know, something hit me. I decided I should perhaps give this woman a suggestion on how to take a better photograph.
 
Basically, what I did is that I suggested that she kneel down and shoot the woman from a lower position. Shooting her upwards. This is just a really simple photographic technique that any Street Photographer or Professional Photographer understands. By kneeing down, you make the subject look so much more grand.
 
The photographer girl, she immediately started listening to what I was saying and tried to shoot the photographs from the lower position. The model, however, didn't dig my scene. I guess??? Though the photographer girl did take a couple of pictures in that fashion, and they were much better than what she was previously doing, the model girl told her to stand back up and shoot her straight on. I watched as another shot or two was taken. Again, equaling just a horrible photograph. At least she (hopefully) got a couple of good shots out of the shoot from that lower positioning.
 
You know, in life, there's just some people that don't want to listen to the obvious truth. I think we've all met them. Many of us have interacted with them on a personal or professional basis, as well. It's all just kind of stupid. Somebody is offering you a ticket to a better reality, yet you refuse to take it.
 
This is just something to think about as you pass through your life. Every now and then, somebody's going to come into your existence, and point you in a better and/or more positive direction. You can listen to them. You can take their advice. Or, you can make the choice not to listen to them. Your choice.
 
On one path, your life is going to become better. On the other, it's either going to just remain the same or get worse.
 
At the end of the day, it's your choice. One choice seems very obvious. Yet, I have encountered so many people, throughout the many years of my life, that just do not listen to the obvious truth when it is presented to them. How about you?
 
You can listen or don’t have to listen. You can take the advice or you can stand strong in your own preconceived beliefs. Your life. Your choice.  
 
Think about it.