In the Suzuki Museum

3rd Place - Melissa Clark - North Bethesda Camera Club

This photo was taken in the D.T. Suzuki Museum, in Kanazawa, Japan several years ago while I was on a wonderful photo trip led by the incomparable Sam Abell and his talented second-in-command, George Nobechi.  Suzuki was a Zen Buddhist philosopher whose writings were influential in introducing that philosophy to the West. The museum is very simply designed with clean lines and open spaces to encourage reflection in visitors. Abell and Nobechi had given us some background information about Suzuki, and the minute I saw this man absorbed in thought, I knew I wanted to capture his calm, contemplative demeanor. I framed him in the space to include the small vertical window to the right, which shows the exterior. I knew from the outset that I wanted the final image to be in black and white.  (And no, in response to the judge’s comment, this wasn’t a posed shot!).