Deeply rooted in Zen Buddhism, wabi sabi is a philosophical aesthetic at the heart of Japanese culture. It is the recognition that there is beauty in imperfection and in things that are in transition— nature is always changing, as are the things we make. Impermanence surrounds us. The uneven, unexpected, and asymmetrical patterns found in nature are all expressions of the wabi sabi aesthetic.

It invites us to see beauty in the natural cycles of life— far from, and opposite to, the attraction to things new and shiny. It is an appreciation of the old and worn, the weathered and fading that has a kind of soulful beauty.

Photography can celebrate these transitions, capturing a freeze-frame moment in time. Here are some of my favorites.