Passing Strangers in Japan
By Jaakko Saari
31 Mar 2008
Last May, I took my DSLR with a zoom lens and went out to shoot people in Tokyo. Basically I wanted to capture their faces and clothes. I had no intension to "do photography" or take a good photo. I just wanted to watch people.
When I sat down on a bench and saw the people passing, their movements became like a silent dance in front of me. Everyone started to look like a professional actor.
Their characters and silhouettes became so beautiful and I didn't have to do much, except look and shoot. I could truly enjoy this moment. They saw me, but they didn't mind I took their pictures. Instead they seemed almost like they enjoyed it.
This reminded me of the fact that best cameraman is a person nobody pays attention to. You must be natural part of the scenery, blend in, so that people can relax and be themselves. You are just a cameraman doing your job. If you relax, the people will relax too. Same seems to be true for taking photos of animals.
As a photographer, I try to encounter the world as honestly as I can. Bushido, the way of a samurai, means giving the world your sincere effort at all times. I believe this simply means being honest.
This honesty I believe, is the trick for shooting people. You are cameraman, you are not someone they should be afraid of. You are who you are.
Of these ten photos, I mostly like the old man walking with sunglasses. I often imagine what his life would be, how he sees the world, and what kind of stories he would have to tell.
These people became my heroes after I took their photos.
