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"The camera serves as your eyes and hands - and
the E-1 suits me to a tee."
After graduating from college, I worked as an assistant at a rental studio for
a year. There, I was able to refine my film processing and black & white
shooting techniques. Then, after working as the assistant to a professional photographer
for four years, I started freelancing at the age of 26.
My ambition was to become an artist. One of my teachers once said to me, "Focus
on one theme for at least 10 years. Only by devoting yourself for this length
of time will you be recognized as a full-fledged photographer." I have continued
to bear those words in mind until this day.
At first, I took photos for articles and interviews in regular magazines. But
I'd always liked taking snapshots out on the street,and continued to do so out
of personal interest, calling myself a 'street photographer'. It's only in the
past two or three years that my street photos have started appearing in photo
magazines, though.
I actually wasn't very keen on digital cameras at first, but in 2003 I tried
a digital compact that provided much better results than I'd expected. I've always
believed that photos should be taken in a casual, fun way. Well, at one point
it became necessary for me to get a digital SLR for a particular job. And while
I was deciding which one to choose, someone from Olympus happened to recommend
the E-1.
Well, when you're taking snapshots on the street, the camera serves as your eyes
and hands - so it has to fit you just right. The feel in your hands as you release
the shutter is another important consideration, and I like the way the E-1 feels
and sounds very much. With 100% viewfinder coverage, rugged construction, and
dust reduction, everything about it suits me to a tee.
These days, I take most of my photographs with Olympus digital cameras. The E-3,
the successor of the E-1, offers even higher specifications and resolution, making
it possible to capture the ultra-fine tonal gradations that are needed to produce
superior quality monochrome prints - something that is ordinarily difficult to
do with digital cameras.
The photos shown here were taken with the E-3. For "Move", I used the
built-in image stabilization, and for "Net" I switched from color to
monochrome to emphasize the lighting. "Rhythm," which shows excellent
shadow detail, is also another of my favorites.
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