Faceless Buddha

Faceless Buddha, image from the Kyoto in Spring Series

Adashino Nenbutsu-Ji: A temple where there are hundreds of stone and faceless Buddhas [located in the outskirts of Kyoto Japan]. These mark the graves of nameless men and women who died penniless or forgotten centuries ago.
It was just outside the gates of the cemetery of the Faceless Buddhas, low and to my left, I caught the underside of a fern. It was vibrant green with red jagged edges. A gust of wind afforded me this view which otherwise would have gone unnoticed. When I looked at the fern from above it was drab and of no concern - it was the underside, aglow from sun that stood out.
I took my camera, knelt down low and proceeded to photograph the wind swept fern, as it blew across the viewfinder, stone Buddha and sky in the background.
The wind continued to lift the fern, sweeping it across the stone Buddha - a Buddha in relief on a slab of stone.
It was at this moment when I truly saw the temple grounds - noticing detail, shadow and juxtapositions. Before this I was blind - looking for a picture that I did not see.

Excerpt from Moleskin Travel Journal