As a (somewhat) life-long photography student, I have looked at and studied literally thousands of photographers and artists. Everything from the mundane, to the mildly exciting, to the downright shit. But then every now and then a photographer comes along that re-asserts my faith in Art Photography.

Asako Narahashi is one such photographer. I came across her work a while ago while researching photography from Asia. Her photographs are quite simply beautiful, and present a fantastic view of Japan which I haven’t encountered before, with the idea that Japan is drowning. It is a claustrophobic environment, loud and bright, yet muzzled. It portrays emotion that wants to free but is held back and covered.

The images from the series ‘Half awake half asleep in the water’ are C-Prints, taken with a Nikonos 35mm waterproof camera. Narahashi floats chest deep in the ocean off of various coastal sites in Japan, while facing back towards the shore. She watches the waves of the ocean, rather than using the viewfinder.

Photograph by Asako Narahashi, from the series 'Half awake half asleep in the water'

Photograph by Asako Narahashi, from the series 'Half awake half asleep in the water'

You can view more of Narahashi’s work, and the full series for ‘Half awake half asleep in the water’ at the website, here. You can also buy the book on Amazon

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