Super Extra Natural: Emily Shur chronicles 12 years of travel in Japan

Visiting the place 15 times over many years, she has taken thousands of photographs, developing a visual tribute that celebrates Japan, its people and its culture.

Now transformed into a book, Super Extra Natural!, which contains a collection of images taken in Japan between 2004 and 2016. As the introduction reads: "What began as a one-time getaway possessing no agenda beyond experiencing something new expanded into a long-term body of work that has resulted in over 15 trips to various parts of the country. However, these images are not just a documentation of place. They are explorations of an unspoken connection; a state of mind that has become its own version of a getaway."

Emily was born in New York City to an auditorium full of nursing students and grew up in Houston, Texas. True story, apparently. She attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University with a major in Photography and graduated with the Artist Award for Creative Excellence.

She has exhibited her work in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, London's National Portrait Gallery, and as part of Humble Art's 31 Women in Art Photography group show. Her images have been published in various collections including Milk and Honey: Contemporary Art in California, Photographers' Sketchbooks, and eight editions of American Photography.

Emily currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband in a 114-year-old house. Discover more at emilyshur.com.