Midnight Shichi-Go-San in Bergen Polar Night

Stark fluorescent tubes cast a cold, clinical glow over three children in traditional Japanese Shichi-Go-San kimonos standing near the rugged coast of Nordnes, Bergen. The winter darkness of the polar night presses against the background, where bare branches and scattered leaves skitter across the wet pavement in sudden gusts. The red and white silk of the children's garments creates a vivid contrast against the grey stone and steel of the Norwegian harbor infrastructure. Heavy wool coats drape over the shoulders of accompanying adults, their faces illuminated by the harsh overhead light. The children stand with solemn stillness, their colorful sashes and patterned fabrics detailed against the moving debris of the wind. A reflection of the fluorescent bar stretches across the slick asphalt at their feet.