if you see light

if you see light, originally uploaded by apocalypsefictions.

It's not uncommon to see people taking photos of the chaotic muddle of flashing lights on billboards, shop entrances and skyscrapers when out and about at night in Tokyo. The allure of the bright city lights is probably what draws many of us to the place, and other cities as well. Yet once one becomes accustomed to them, the lights lose their appeal: they can seem garish, oppressive and overbearing, impersonal and excessive. At times it seems like the mechanical has replaced life.

Yet there is life here - for once this city was little more than earth, rock and water. Underneath this still remains, and when uncovered, they provide a new lens for viewing the city lights.