First light, first shoot, first of many.

This was how we opened our two-week Tokyo spring campaign in 2024 — with a sunrise shoot in Asakusa that was as cold as it was beautiful.

Ernest & Miki braved near-freezing weather that morning, wrapped in spring layers while waiting for the light to hit the old temple grounds. That same cold spell was also the reason sakura season came late that year. But the wait was worth it — that was literally asahi 朝日 sunlight hitting the Asahi billboard.

The moment we wrapped, I went straight into edits — these photos were used just a few days later during their wedding dinner slideshow. It was the kind of quiet flex that doesn’t call attention to itself, yet still moved the room. I was told the Japanese guests weren’t used to seeing engagement photos like this — moody, cinematic, unscripted. But they understood.

Sometimes a single shoot carries the tone for an entire campaign. This one did.

//
Moody, cinematic couple portraits from Ernest & Miki’s engagement shoot in Asakusa, Tokyo — April 2024. Captured by redsheepphotocinema and @_elsewherelse using Leica Q3 and SL2 at sunrise. A destination session rooted in subtle storytelling, natural light, and emotional restraint.