I shot this image when I was a new photographer in Tokyo, out wandering the streets getting to know the city, to look for decisive and indecisive moments. An anti-US/ anti-US war on Iraq/ Anti War demo was taking place in Toranomon at the US Embassy, and I was there to have a look for images. An old man had arrived, carrying his crucifix festooned with candles. But the police, eagle eyed as ever for weapons of mass destruction were not allowing it. So they took it. And marched off down the street. With me clicking  furiously beside them.

Fast forward a few years and the image has now appeared in a beautiful book, curated by my good colleague and friend James Whitlow Delano, a fellow photographer in Tokyo. The book, ‘The Mercy Project INOCHI’, is a collection of images by photographers from the world over, including many notable names, from Japan, from freelance world and from the notable photo agencies Magnum, VII, and the likes. Each of the 118 photographers was asked by James to generously donate an image inspired by their take on the word ‘Mercy’, and the book – a collection of those resulting images, has been beautifully designed by Giorgio Baravalle at de MO Design, and published by Mado-Sha in Japan. Importantly and the reason for the project theme, is that proceeds from sales of the book will be donated by James to a hospice in USA for those suffering with terminal cancer, the same hospice which tenderly looked after James’ sister Jeanne when she recently passed away.

The book has a ‘Mercy Project’ Facebook page, and also is now available for purchase via Amazon here, ‘The Mercy Project INOCHI‘. It is a beautiful book with many great images, and importantly it will help generate funds for the hospice. Please buy it for yourself, or for someone for Christmas.