The Sense of Distance Unique to Each Moment

I often take an evening stroll with my film camera in my pocket because I love the evening light. I don't decide what to shoot; it's more of a reactive process. I used to live in New York, and once, while walking through the city in the evening with my camera, just as I do now, a person dressed entirely in pink ran past me. That scene was incredible, and I walked around with my camera at the same time, hoping to see that person again, but they never reappeared. With the sentiment of "I wish they were there," I created a series of works titled "Wish You Were There." I've taken the pink figure and pasted them onto street scenes from different days, or increased their numbers. As I edit, I discover various meanings in the work, but I also do it simply because it's fun.

The series "STRANGER IN PARADISE" is comprised of photos taken during my first two years in New York. It depicts people and places captured by myself, a stranger, in a city where strangers from all over gather. I believe it captures a "sense of distance" that I could only have captured at that time. Looking back now, life in America was often tough, with many things not going smoothly, including communication in English. However, the encounters with fascinating people and the culture were stimulating, and I believe I had a wonderful time thanks to the help of many people. I'm curious about what I would feel if I went there again now.

Speaking of which, once, while walking in the city, a newspaper reporter approached me and asked me to photograph an old woman who was rescuing turtles. When I went to her house, it was a terrible environment, covered in excrement. It was such a chaotic situation to shoot, but as I intensely concentrated on taking pictures, towards the end, there was a moment where the affection between the old woman and the turtles seemed to become visible. It became a photograph that I truly love. At that moment, I felt like I had gained a better understanding of how to perceive things, or rather, how to connect with something through the camera, as if I had gotten a little closer to understanding "ma" (space/interval).

Response and Adaptation

In my work, I strive to do the obvious things, and of course, I want the people I work with to be happy. It's simple, but I want to be well-prepared and able to respond flexibly to whatever happens on location.

I interact with jazz musicians, and one of the characteristics of jazz is improvisation. I've heard that even these incredibly talented players practice diligently every day for years. That's why they appear to respond both consciously and unconsciously to what happens on stage, and even seem to enjoy it.

I have nothing but respect for them, and I hope I can also capture moments in such an optimal state.

I watch movies, read manga, and books—I consume a variety of media. But too much consumption can lead to saturation, so I try to balance outputting and then taking in new input. Also, recently I've been playing basketball and swimming, trying to stay active. In my case, photography can be physically demanding, so I think my body is important. I'd like to keep shooting for as long as possible.