Spring blossom in Cambridge

As many of you will know in Japan there is a long tradition of what is called “hanami” (花見), flower gazing or viewing and, over the centuries, this has inspired many poets, painters and photographers to produce some of their finest work. At the heart of this activity is an awareness of and meditation upon the impermanent and transient nature of all things. 

One of the people who inspired me to pick up a camera myself was Lee Friedlander and, in 2006, he published a book called “Cherry Blossom Time in Japan” which contains black and white photographs taken during four trips there during the late 1970s and 80s. When it was published I quickly got hold of a copy and regularly take delight in leafing through its pages, not least of all in this season of spring.

My own photographs of blossom-time in Cambridge do not, of course, reach the high-bar set by Friedlander but they do at least represent a visual record of the places where I have been undertaking some of my own meditations upon the impermanent and transient nature of all things. So, in the hope that they will encourage a similar meditation in you, and give you some enjoyment at the beauty of spring blossom, I paste a few photos taken over the last couple of weeks. 

All photos taken with a Fuji X100F 

Just click on a photo to enlarge