Nestled within the enchanting forests of Japan’s Yamagata Prefecture, Kazuaki Koseki enlists the help of woodland companions for his series, Summer Faeries. He describes himebotaru, or fireflies, as “artists who paint light on the forest,” capturing their ephemeral beauty that flickers like tiny bulbs in the night.
In Japan, fireflies are a cherished spectacle during the summer and are typically found near bodies of water. Living in Yamagata, Koseki was eager to witness the local firefly populations in person. Equipped with a detailed map, he set out to discover their habitat. “I drove deep into the forest until the road ended and then ventured alone into the darkness without moonlight,” Koseki recounts to Colossal. After about a half-hour hike, he overcame his instinctual fear of the night and spotted a single yellow flicker of light.
“As my eyes adjusted, the silhouette of the forest began to emerge,” he explains, and soon he was surrounded by a myriad of glowing lights. It was like a starry sky shimmering above him.
Koseki captures these magical moments by taking multiple exposures in a single frame, layering the luminous orbs and intricate flight paths of countless fireflies against backdrops of trees, waterfalls, woodland animals, and distant landscapes.
