Buffalo Wabi-sabi (バッファロー侘び寂び)

Buffalo, NY is a city with a lot of history nestled in an area that is considered the Rust Belt. Walking around Buffalo these are the images that stand out in my mind as a Buffalo Wabi-sabi (バッファロー侘び寂び).

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic concept centered around appreciating the simplicity and beauty of things that are not perfect. Words like: withered, aged, rustic, simple, beautiful, and evanescence are all related to wabi-sabi.

Author Richard Powell sums up it up as, "Wabi-sabi nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect."

To me, wabi sabi photography is about capturing moments of time that reflect solitude, impermanence, and rustic beauty. Wabi sabi teaches me to look at the way the world is and appreciate its naturalness.