One of my BEST interactions - watch how he lights up! 🇯🇵 #streetportraits #strangerportraits

I met Hiroshi on a rainy afternoon in Kyoto, Japan. He was wearing a dashing blue pin-stripe suit, with a black umbrella. I told him I thought he looked great, and he responded with: “Me?!” 😳 I don’t know how common it is for people to give compliments in Japan, but as soon as I saw his smile, I knew it was long overdue. I asked if I could take his portrait, and he graciously said yes. 🙏 Speaking of which - his smile, wow!! As soon as I saw it, I KNEW we had to capture some smiling photos. Smiling on-camera can be quite vulnerable for most people. But I told him it was okay. “It’s okay to laugh and smile with me. I’ll do it too.” I’m glad he trusted me enough to take my direction, because his smile was magnificent and capturing it was one of the highlights of my trip. Thank you, Hiroshi, for letting me take your portrait. 🙏 — 📝 Technical Notes: I used the @sonyalpha A7CII here with a 50mm 1.4 GM lens. I also always use the Glimmerglass 1.0 filter to help smooth out the highlights and give skin a more flattering look. #streetsnaps #streetportraits #streetphotography