I Enjoy Taking Photographs,

and looking at the work of others,

   in the late 1800s to early 1900s Eliza Scidmore traveled extensively across Asia, writing, photographing and publishing several books, all photos by Eliza Scidmore courtesy National Geographic, as an aside Scidmore's hand-colored photos were some of the first ever published by National Geographic magazine,

 She was one of the only women photographers employed by National Geographic and would later become the first woman board member of the magazine,

  Japan was of particular interest to Scidmore, who visited numerous times and captured everyday life in Japan over 100 years ago,

 although Scidmore passed away in Switzerland in 1928 where she had moved in her later days, as a sign of respect for her affection toward Japan she was buried in Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery,

  Her legacy lives on through her photographs but also through Washington DC’s annual Sakura Matsuri, (so put Saturday 4th. April in your diary for this year!),

 which exists only because of Scidmore’s efforts to plant Japan’s cherry blossom trees, which she had grown to love so much, along the Potomac River,

 what a fascinating insight to the world of Japan,

 all of those years ago,

 and that they have been preserved for future generations, I wonder if the descendents of the people in these photographs will recognise any of their great grandparents in these?

You can see more of her photographs at National Geographic, what a stunning collection.