Caucasian photographer Reylia Slaby had always felt like an outsider in Japan, even though she was born and raised there.
She told My Modern Met, “While I had a lot to be thankful for growing up in Japan, being Caucasian made me a glorified visitor. My home was not fully my home because of how I looked.”
Fortunately, her project titled ‘Tales From Japan’ helped her to cope with the complicated emotions she was feeling.
“The beginning of this project was like a breath of fresh air, and it began to open doors in my mind and heart that I never knew were locked. It helped me deal with an aching pain I had always carried with me but never fully understood why”, the 21-year-old said.
Through her photo series, she hopes to capture the quintessential beauty that is Japan and convey an inspirational message that ultimately “true beauty will always be found within themselves”.
Check out more of her work here.
Scroll down for more pictures from ‘Tales From Japan’.
[via My Modern Met, images via Reylia Slaby]