The most captivating human stories often occur at the intersection of chance and choice, where destiny propels us toward uncharted places and obsessions. As John Lennon wrote poetically, "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans."
David's Story
Photographer David Behringer's journey from the plains of East Texas to the gritty jumble of Nagoya was not the original plan. He traces this path to a chance encounter with a colleague who faced a similar fate—being laid off amid an economic downturn.
"What are you going to do? He asked her.
"I guess I'll teach English in Japan," came the reply.
And so David decided to do that too.
Tempered by curiosity, he set off for Japan. To his surprise, David found new excitement behind the lens of his camera. He was tantalized by what he could capture on streets crammed with barcode salarimen, rainy neon-lit alleyways, and mama-chari-infested sidewalks.
He was hooked.
As his skills grew, he dedicated himself to immortalizing the ephemeral sights and the fleeting images he uncovered. He developed techniques to explore street, landscape, and abstract MACRO photography.
But what began as an unlikely career move turned into a full-blown obsession with his camera.
Two decades later, his work is prolific and is featured in the first NAGOYA BUZZ Online Exhibition.
Nagoya as Muse
With its quirks and contradictions, Nagoya seeps into David's visual storytelling. From moody street scenes to trippy abstracts, his photos capture the essence of everyday Japanese life, albeit with a sardonic twist.
And what makes Nagoya his muse? It's the underdog of Japanese cities, lacking the glamour of Tokyo or the cultural cache of Kyoto. But that's precisely its charm for David—a city waiting to be painted on his unique canvas.
Yet, photographing Nagoya isn't without its challenges. With no iconic landmarks to rely on, David must dig deeper, finding beauty in the mundane and making photographic magic out of the ordinary.
A Love Letter to Nagoya
His creative process reads like a film director's storyboard, with each shot meticulously crafted to draw viewers into his world. And while he appreciates validation from his audience, David shoots for himself, finding solace and therapy behind the lens.
But his work isn't self-indulgent. It's a love letter to Nagoya, showcasing its hidden charm to the world. The unlikely romance persists, and David's exploration of light and color in the city's streets continues to evolve.
Nagoya's rainy evenings sparked David's MACRO photography journey. These images reveal fantastical landscapes hidden in puddles and reflections, reminding us that sometimes, the camera sees what the naked eye misses—a lesson in perspective for aspiring photographers.
And his advice to them?
Dare to be different.
In a world saturated with clichés, find your unique voice and make your mark.
After all, isn't that what the creative process is all about?
NAGOYA BUZZ Online Exhibition
David Behringer: Street Photography
David Behringer: MACRO Photography
See more of David's photography on his Instagram account: elusiveilusionz
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