Digital Photo Pro - USA (2020-02)

In those paintings, it’s where
the artist uses a minimal
amount of black ink to convey
the subject matter...
I generally prefer suggestion over
description, black and white over
color and winter over summer.
For me, Hokkaido is a paradise on
earth, a constantly transforming
visual haiku. The starkness of Hok-
kaido’s winters accentuates an aware-
ness of the elements and one’s imme-
diate environment. The reduction of

sensory distractions—leafless trees,

absence of color and eerie silences—

all encourage a more concentrated

and pure focus on the landscape.

In addition to the Japanese aes-

thetic, what and who are some of

your other influences? You men-

tioned Atget a moment ago.

I’m a product of a European tradition,

and I adored the early masters, and

still do, including Eugéne Atget, Bill

Brandt, Mario Giacomelli and Josef

Sudek. These photography giants,

along with the Americans, including

Ansel Adams, Ruth Bernhard, Harry

Callahan and Alfred Stieglitz, have

greatly influenced the way that I see

and photograph.

I suppose they are all romantics at

heart, particularly the Europeans, all

concerned with photographing a feeling

as much as documenting external reality.

With all these photographers, I

actively searched out places they pho-

tographed, their camera angles and

Ile de la Cite, (Merci HCB), Paris, France, 1992.

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