Kajo Koen (Y-18)

There are around 1,500 Somei Yoshino cherry trees planted in Kajo Park in Yamagata. This image is one of many people’s favorites and among William’s signature pieces. It took a 40-minute exposure to make. William said that he sometimes wanted to extend the moment to capture the layers of light and the flow of the time, which he believed created richness and depth. If you look closely, you may notice a whitish figure in the middle of the path, a trace of two ladies who were walking there during the exposure. As long as people keep moving, they won’t be registered during 40-minute exposure. It is interesting to know that William was capable of creating such a serene and beautiful spring morning scene without capturing people in the image. We are given a sense of being embraced by nature through the long arch of soft pink blossoms spreading from the magnificent trunks of the cherry trees.