I don’t think about what camera I should use that much. I just pick up the one that looks nicest on the day
-- William Eggleston
If you want to change your photographs, you need to change cameras. Changing cameras means that your photographs will change. A really good camera has something I suppose you might describe as its own distinctive aura.
-- Nobuyoshi Araki
Cameras are wonderful little contraptions.
By making photographs, they are tools with which one can express their personal taste and private sensibilities. At the same time they physically exist as expressions of these same concepts. The relationship one has with their cameras affects their approach to making a picture.
People who shoot film simply do because they choose to, and the Photo Culture of Tokyo is full of film camera users. When I meet them out on the streets I ask to photograph their camera, and usually post it here the same day. All of the photos were shot with a Ricoh GRDII. I trust that this irony is not lost on anyone.
These photos are meant for sharing. By all means, re-blog away. Clicking on the images will present you with a version 900 pixels wide to further enjoy.
I also take other kinds of photographs as well.
Contact / メール
tokyocamerastyle (a) gmail.com
Shinjuku
Nikon F3T
You’ll no doubt recognize the Fujifilm stickers on the floor- this is indeed Shinjuku’s Yodobashi camera. (yeah I was in this part of town again today)
Shinjuku
Polaroid SX-70
Shinjuku
Nikon F3 (pristine!)
Shinjuku
Leica MP with 35mm Summicron
note that the black chrome on the lens barrel has been worn off through years of use.
Shinjuku
Leica MP with 35mm Summicron
Since the first shot was blurry he set the camera on a table telling me that he had used this lens for 30 years. The black chrome has been rubbed away through so much us and it looks like the aperture ring was also replaced at some point. He said that this lens used to be on an M4-2 which is now all worn out. I can only imagine.
Shinjuku
Pentax 67II with 105mm lens
Shinjuku
Pentax 67TTL with 90mm lens
Shinjuku
Today I ran into my pal Noyan with his Lumix with a very old lens affixed with a homemade adapter. He takes a lot of pictures.
The Domke F3 isn’t just the greatest camera bag ever created, its awesomeness extends to hold 40 rolls of Fuji Super Presto. That’s right, these rolls roll two deep. It also held 10 more rolls in a plastic case, my Leica, my GRD, an electronic dictionary, a book for the subway ride, and a notebook. The Domke F3 is all kinds of capable. Backpacks are for high school, not cameras.
I’ve been shooting this 1600ASA film exclusively over the past month or so. Even overexposed about 2 stops it is still fairly easy to print and the look and depth of the prints are amazing in person. My photo paper of choice is Fuji Rembrandt G2 and believe me, hot Fuji on Fuji action is well worth the price of admission.
Shinjuku
Olympus OM-1
You can see he has a copy of Nobuyoshi Araki’s Sentimental Journey reprint in his hand. Good man. That is a great book to learn from.
