8th April 2023: The first shot I took after arriving in the UK

This is the first shot I took after arriving in the UK.
In spring, blossoms reminiscent of those in Japan — cherry trees and almond flowers — bloom beautifully across the country, appearing in parks, along streets, and in quiet corners of the city.

About a week into my new life here, I finally began to feel settled enough to look around and take in my surroundings. I found these almond blossoms in a small field near the hotel where I was staying temporarily, and decided to photograph them.

With their long stamens swaying in the breeze, shooting them with a 60mm macro lens proved more difficult than I expected. I ended up with many failed shots, and in the end, this was the only shot that came into focus.

Still, each time I pressed the shutter, I felt myself drawn deeper into the subject. It reminded me how much I truly love taking photographs — and how photography has a way of making the world feel both familiar and new again.