The light of Tokyo

Following two magnificent Assouline volumes on Paris and New York, photographer Jean-Michel Berts turns his lens to Japan in The Light of Tokyo. This stunning collection is a tribute to the grandeur of urban architecture–the blend of the modern and the traditional–at the peak of daybreak. The evocation is romantic, ethereal and empty of any trace of human movement. In an almost unworldly reflection through photographs, Berts captures the very essence of the area, from the parks and gardens to the Buddhist temples and shrines. With patience, Berts unravels a mood of mystery and timelessness of a city reborn after the destruction caused by war and natural disasters.
About the Photographer

Despite a promising scientific career, Jean-Michel Berts chose a different path – to become a photographer. With his first Rolleiflex, he became sensitive to the effects of light. Since the eighties he has worked as a still life photographer for several well-known cosmetics and perfume brands. While involved in this field, he pursued a body of work with a more personal focus, called City Portrait. To achieve this unique rendering, it took him more than one year of work and research.