KURAGARI

Walking in the Night Forest.

Even though the moon lit up the sky, twinkling stars filled the whole sky, and the dark forest was still in the night.
I lose all sense of distance, and I cannot be sure if my eyes are open or not. I only hear my own footsteps that I firmly set down on the ground. The sound of my breathing fills my ears.
Lighting in my left hand, camera in my right hand, I continue warily walking forward into the dark forest.

I can sense someone’s eyes looking at me from somewhere unknown. So I stop and shine my light into the darkness. It is a deer. Its presence, standing there, is imposing. The deer is looking over at me. It seems to perceive my fear. Slowly my anxiety begins to ease and I begin to feel accepted into the nighttime forest. I focus my camera on the deer and on the dark forest. I can feel myself becoming a part of the forest.

After the deer left, and I am alone again in the night forest, the fear comes back again.
I hold the light and camera up, and again walk deeper into the forest, walking in the night forest