I stumbled into this beautifil picture on my Instagram feed. Thomas Ripoll Kobayashi made it and it took him about 10 months.
It is titled Tokyo Bar Alley and it’s made in Unreal Engine 4. For me it does reflect synthwave vibes, the lights, the composition and the signs somehow make it retro and recent at the same time.
I’ve never been in Japan, in fact I thought it’s a well-made photo. There are more images in Kobayashi-san’s profile and quite a lot blurs the difference between photo and render. This one definitely tips the scale in favor of a photo.
It’s beautiful. Not only the artistic values are great but the whole picture just “smells” like a piece of Japan - and I’ve never been there.
He explains that he was inspired by Masashi Wakui who is a well-known Japanese photographer. His pictures are also breathtaking, in fact I remember seeing them but it’s nice to put a name next to the photos. He is also on Instagram (and everywhere else too!) so the next Instagram Spotlight already has a guest.
Check out Kobayashi-san’s other pictures too, they’re great!