As the world becomes increasingly obsessed with capturing the perfect Instagram shot, one Japanese designer has stumbled upon an unlikely source of inspiration: a multi-storey car park on an ordinary street corner. Takeshi Aruga's captivating photograph has gone viral, and it serves as a timely reminder that beauty can be found in the most mundane of places.
Aruga, a furniture designer based in Okegawa, Japan, was walking home from a dermatologist appointment when he chanced upon the PAPA Ageo shopping centre. The blue sign board outside the car park, typically used to display messages for drivers, caught his eye, and just behind it, a red box added another element of contrast to the scene.
The designer's keen eye for composition is not new; in fact, it stems from his background in furniture design and making. He highlights how the various colours within the scene created a striking balance, which he further enhanced with minor edits using Lightroom and Snapseed mobile applications.
Aruga attributes his passion for photography to recent circumstances that have prevented him from creating minimalist furniture, lighting, or three-dimensional sculptures. Instead, he has channelled his artistic energy into capturing images, allowing him to continue exploring his love of design through a different medium.
For Aruga, the photograph serves as a testament to the idea that 'beautiful places' are not always a product of special circumstances, but can be found in the everyday spaces we traverse. His message is clear: wonderful experiences and happiness exist in the most ordinary of locations, waiting to be discovered by those with an eye for beauty.