I've been busy with school for the past couple of months and I haven't really been working on the blog. I promise to share my experience about school so that I can digest the firehose of information and actually reflect on what I have learned.
So anyway = ) here is the second part of Ume Kayo's Television Interview. I really find her photography refreshing, fun, and light. Compared to war and conflict photojournalism, Ume Kayo's photographs are an antidote, in my opinion, for all the wrong that the world has experiened. So here is the English translation of her interview. Kindly search my blog if you want to see a group interview with Kishin Shinoyama, Ume Kayo, Rinko Kawauchi, and Yurie Nagashima. = )
VIDEO 2
00:00
Interviewer: You have a lot of photos… I picked some of my favorites.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: So let’s see them.
Ume Kayo: OK.
Interviewer: There’s nothing happening but this is…
Ume Kayo: Oh this one? You really are something… great.
Interviewer: Really?
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: What’s happening?
Ume Kayo: I like this one too.
Interviewer: Ok.
Ume Kayo: I was walking by the hospital.
Interviewer: Hospital?
Ume Kayo: Yes. I went there and looked in the room and it was like this. I thought it was interesting so I took a photo.
Interviewer: All of them are really paying attention to something.
Ume Kayo: Right? That made me wonder what’s happening.
Interviewer: Yes, yes. They must pose like that unconsciously.
Ume Kayo: It’s kind of like they’re sexy idols.
Interviewer: Yes. They are not thinking and not ready for anything, so you could take a picture like that.
Ume Kayo: Right.
00:56
Interviewer: So I heard you came here before.
Ume Kayo: Yes, I was telling my friends that I really wanted to see you. So my friends and I came to see this show.
Interviewer: Oh, really?
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: There’s usually an audience?
Ume Kayo: Yes. So we were in the audience with a lot of old ladies around my mother’s age. And I saw you and got so excited. I could see Kimimaro Ayanokoji (Japanese comedian) too.
Interviewer: So he was the guest for that day?
Ume Kayo: Yes. I was really excited. What was really surprising was that you kept your energy high from the beginning to end.
Interviewer: Oh, really?
Ume Kayo: Yes. You have great strength.
Interviewer: I think I’m average.
Ume Kayo: Really? We were saying you were awesome on the way home. And also we took a picture.
Interviewer: Oh, we did?
Ume Kayo: Yes. With Kimimaro, with you, with the ladies in the audience and my friends.
Interviewer: Yea, yea. And were you in that too?
Ume Kayo: Yes, I was.
Interviewer: That’s good.
02:00
Ume Kayo: Yes, that’s one of my great memories.
Interviewer: That’s great.
Ume Kayo: Yes, it really is.
Interviewer: We always invite some audience members in here and take pictures with guests for them to take it to home after we film the show.
Ume Kayo: Yes, right.
Interviewer: That’s good.
Ume Kayo: Yes. I was really happy. But I never thought I was going to be here as a guest, I thought it’s some kind of CG or something when I saw myself on the screen. Just me.
Interviewer: But why did you want to meet me?
Ume Kayo: Why? Umm…I was seeing you on TV all the time and… I don’t know. I like you a lot.
Interviewer: Well…
Ume Kayo: There are lots of people who like you.
Interviewer: You think so? Then say hi to them for me.
Ume Kayo: My friends are watching together now too.
Interviewer: Oh, really? Then tell them I said hi.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: I’m happy to hear that especially from young people.
Ume Kayo: A lot of my friends like you.
Interviewer: Really?
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: That makes me happy. I’ve been working on TV for 57 years but that still makes me happy when I hear someone talks about me like that.
Ume Kayo: My sister is also here today.
Interviewer: Really? Oh, that sister who kissed your grandfather’s head?
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: Oh, ok. I like your clothing today.
Ume Kayo: Today is a big day for me so I ran to a shopping mall and got these.
03:14
Interviewer: I don’t know which shopping mall but it must be a nice one.
Ume Kayo: Really? I’m glad to hear that from you and I’m getting sweaty at the same time.
Interviewer: And your stockings are very, umm… bold.
Ume Kayo: Bold!?
Interviewer:I can tell who’s walking from far away.
Ume Kayo: Haha, can you?
Interviewer: And that’s great. Your nails are yellow too…
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: Do you like to do it?
Ume Kayo: Oh nails? Yes. I color my nails but I don’t really put make up on. I have it on today only because somebody helped me. I’m happy about that.
Interviewer: You look pretty.
Ume Kayo: Oh, thank you very much.
Interviewer: Ok then let’s see another photo.
Ume Kayo: Oh, that’s right. I’m feeling hot.
Interviewer: Are you ok?
Ume Kayo: Yes.
03:58
Interviewer: How can this boy do that?
Ume Kayo: Ok, this is the photo when I went to an elementary school and…
Interviewer: Is that his tongue? Can he do that with his tongue? I’ve seen some people who can do that but I don’t know how.
Ume Kayo: He proudly showed me.
Interviewer: Yea?
Ume Kayo: I don’t know how to do it though. I can’t do it.
Interviewer: I can’t either. It’s wonderful.
Ume Kayo: I felt the same way.
Interviewer: It’s a good photo for him to see when he’s older.
Ume Kayo: I think so.
Interviewer: He can think back about what he was doing when he was little.
Ume Kayo: I think maybe he didn’t know what this photo was for when I took it.
Interviewer: Cute. How about this?
04:28
Ume Kayo: This is, um… it’s my neighborhood. Kids were talking on the street. If you look close you can see the kids have good faces.
Interviewer: Haha!
Ume Kayo: I wonder what they’re meeting for.
Interviewer: They are all serious, aren’t they?
Ume Kayo:Right?
Interviewer: This is a great one too.
Ume Kayo: I agree.
Interviewer: It looks like they are trying to put something in it.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: They could be trying to take something out or maybe they can’t open it… or something like that.
Ume Kayo: I think so. Or else, I mean, I usually don’t get to see everyone’s back. Something must be happening.
Interviewer: But… life is funny, isn’t it? We can feel them panicking even though it’s just a photo.
Ume Kayo: Right.
Interviewer:Even though I wasn’t there.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: Cutting out those moments is your style.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: So you are always holding your camera.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: And you take photos when you see something interesting?
Ume Kayo: Yes, that’s right.
05:26
Interviewer: Let’s see the boys picture.
Ume Kayo: OK.
Interviewer: What’s happening?
Ume Kayo: They are showing off for me. I heard they were playing “Hit Man”, and the paper airplane is a gun, those three kids were killed but…. Umm… They are something.
Interviewer: But this boy… This boy is so in to it. It’s like he is in a movie or something.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: Oh, that was really funny.
Ume Kayo: They were serious.
Interviewer: Hahaha!
Ume Kayo: They were great.
Interviewer: That boy on the ground is really…
Ume Kayo: Isn’t he great?
Interviewer: Hahaha!
Ume Kayo: That boy back there, I can’t even see his face.
Interviewer: Yes.
Ume Kayo: Their acting is awesome.
Interviewer: That’s true. Kids are funny. And what’s this?
Ume Kayo: They told me that they are pretending to be “bad boys.”
Interviewer: Of course.
Ume Kayo: Then they rode my bicycle…
Interviewer: Oh is this yours?
Ume Kayo: Yes, it’s not in good shape though.
Interviewer: So they are acting, right?
06:30
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: Like “bad boys.”
Ume Kayo:By stick their tongues out, yes.
Interviewer: I see. I like this one.
Ume Kayo: Oh. This photo was taken from outside of a phone booth.
Interviewer: Is this a phone booth?
Ume Kayo: Yes. Like kids always do, he put his face on the glass door of the phone booth and was playing.
Interviewer: Hahaha! Does he like to do this?
Ume Kayo: I guess.
Interviewer: I wonder why they do this.
Ume Kayo: Right? But they always do that when they see glass.
Interviewer: But I do it sometimes myself.
Ume Kayo: What? Do you do that? Really?
Interviewer: I try it myself and do like this… and I think my face must be funny right now.
Ume Kayo: Wait, what is it? Can I take a picture now?
Interviewer: Sure you can.
Ume Kayo: Ok. That’s a great face. Really! This is so cute.
Interviewer: Hahaha!
Ume Kayo: I took an awesome picture….
Interviewer: I like doing like this when nobody’s around me.
Ume Kayo: Why do you do it by yourself?
Interviewer: Sometimes my lips are on the glass to make funnier faces.
07:25
Ume Kayo: Really? That’s awesome. Hahaha!
Interviewer: Let’s go to the next one. This boy is really funny. I heard he was screaming?
Ume Kayo: He was saying: “Hey Ume Kayo!! Don’t take any pictures, Ume Kayo!!”
Interviewer: Hahaha! He said: “Don’t do it Ume Kayo”?
Ume Kayo: He was mad. He was like “Don’t do it!! Just go home!!”
Interviewer: I see.
Ume Kayo: But he is grown up now. I think he is around 20.
Interviewer: Oh was it taken that long ago?
Ume Kayo: This is 10 years ago.
Interviewer: Really?
Ume Kayo: When I was in school in Osaka.
Interviewer: Look at his legs.
Ume Kayo: Yes, those legs.
Interviewer: Look at the way he runs.
Ume Kayo: Right. The way he runs.
Interviewer: I feel like I can hear him saying: “Don’t do it Ume Kayo!”
Ume Kayo: He is definitely tying to be cool. He looks serious.
Interviewer: They learn that from watching adults.
08:16
Ume Kayo: I agree.
Interviewer: So that boy is already 20?
Ume Kayo: Yes, he is.
Interviewer: Really?
Ume Kayo: I heard he had a baby.
Interviewer: Oh, really?
Ume Kayo: And I was shocked.
Interviewer: And he still calls you “Ume Kayo”?
Ume Kayo: Yes, “Ume Kayo.”
Interviewer: And he told you that he had a baby?
Ume Kayo: I contacted him because I was wondering how he was doing, so I messaged him. Then he said: “My baby was born.”
Interviewer: Hahaha! “My baby was born”?
Ume Kayo: It was shocking. I thought he was lying but it’s true.
Interviewer: Hahaha! “My baby was born”?
Ume Kayo: He has two kids already.
Interviewer: Two?
Ume Kayo: Already, yes. There were two babies. The second was born one year after his first.
Interviewer: Did you take any photos?
Ume Kayo: I haven’t seen them in person yet. So…
Interviewer: Oh only e-mail?
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: So you’ve only seen a picture of them?
Ume Kayo: Yes. I was really shocked though.
Interviewer: That’s interesting. So, what do you think about pictures via e-mail?
Ume Kayo: I don’t use it at all.
Interviewer: You don’t?
Ume Kayo: No. It has a delay after you push the button. Do you use it?
09:10
Interviewer: I don’t do it. I mean I take some pictures but I don’t know how to send it, so I just look at it myself.
Ume Kayo: Oh, ok. I don’t know if it’s a digital camera or what, but I saw some pictures of Tamori’s (Japanese comedian) left over food at the end of the year.
Interviewer: So, I have a digital camera. I know I should take a photo of the food when he brings it out, while it’s nice looking, but I always forget and remember after I eat. Then I can only take photos of the messy left over food. I really feel ashamed.
Ume Kayo: But you are always like that, right? Hahaha!
Interviewer: I’m not doing it on purpose. So I went to his house with my friend Yoko Nogiwa (Japanese actress). I took her plate and said: “Give it to me and hold on a second” and took some photos because she hadn’t touched it yet.
Ume Kayo: “Give it to me”? Hahaha!
Interviewer: I was lucky that time. Everyone asks me why I forget to taka a photo. Really I don’t know what to say. I think: “Oh this looks delicious” first, I guess.
09:54
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: But I think it’s ok. Tamori always asks me: “Why do you take photos of half eaten food all the time?”
Ume Kayo: Yes, I saw those photos before.
Interviewer: Then did you meet him?
Ume Kayo: No, not yet.
Interviewer: So is that information from TV?
Ume Kayo: Yes, I saw it on TV. I look forward to watching that TV show at the end of every year.
Interviewer: Yea, yea. I’m hoping to go to visit him this year too. He is a great cook.
Ume Kayo: Then, please take a photo this year for sure!
Interviewer: Yes.
Ume Kayo: A nice one.
Interviewer: I hope so. Even when I tell myself to do it, I don’t know why I forget it.
Ume Kayo: Oh.
Interviewer: Why? I am an adult.
Ume Kayo: Haha, an adult!
Interviewer: Yes, I’m an adult and I put my camera on the table. But I start to eat as soon as I see the food, I don’t understand myself.
Ume Kayo: Every time, right?
Interviewer: Yes, it’s been a long time. I think it’s been for 10 years.
Ume Kayo: 10 years? Really? It’s kind of awesome that you keep forgetting for 10 years.
Interviewer: Right?
10:47
Interviewer: She has a photo exhibition… And you finished at Omotesando, right?
Ume Kayo: That’s right.
Interviewer: And 22,000 people came in 16 days?
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: It seems like people love to see photos.
Ume Kayo: I guess so.
Interviewer: I saw lots of silly smiles.
Interviewer: Oh, really? But it’s great that photos can make people smile.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
11:09
Interviewer: So you are going to do it in Osaka next, right?
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: “Commemoration Photo Exhibition” at HEP HALL Osaka.
Ume Kayo: Yes, it's at HEP HALL.
Interviewer: Hahaha! This picture got on the cover.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: That’s funny. And I heard you are showing your newest photos.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: I’ve been thinking about this. You have to have a sense of humor to do this.
Ume Kayo: You think so?
Interviewer: I think so. I just feel bad when I see someone who has taken a normal photo of someone who fell on the ground.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: Right?
Ume Kayo: So that’s the difficult line.
Interviewer: It’s a difficult line. Either people think it’s funny or sad.
Ume Kayo: Not to hurt anybody, right?
Interviewer: Yes.
Ume Kayo: That’s the most important part.
Interviewer: Yes, it’s funny to see kids or someone fall but it’s cruel too.
Ume Kayo: I agree.
Interviewer: So keep it humorous and laughable… And it’s funnier after I hear the stories from you.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
12:10
Interviewer: That grandmother’s “Watermelon!! You forgot” photo.
Ume Kayo: Oh that incident?
Interviewer: Everyone should hear the story of it.
Ume Kayo: Yes, haha! Watermelon… Right.
Interviewer: It looks like she saw a thief.
Ume Kayo: Yes.
Interviewer: And I hope your grandfather stays healthy and is able to keep being your model.
Ume Kayo:Yes.
Interviewer: I am looking forward to seeing your photos. So when you have a new photo book please send it to me.
Ume Kayo: Yes, of course.
Interviewer: Thank you for coming here today.
Ume Kayo: Thank you very much.
Interviewer: But, haha! I heard your name before, but you are really funny.
Ume Kayo: Thank you.
Interviewer: Thank you so much for today and see you soon!
I just read about the Pareto Principle also known as the 80/20 rule. Now there are a lot of things you can apply the 80/20 rule in photography like focusing on the fundamentals first like composition, exposure, etc. but today we will be talking about the ratio of information and practice.
I posted about being an information junkie a few weeks ago. It was about being a person who gathers a lot of information and not actively applying what is learned. I admit that I am guilty for talking a lot about photography in forums, reading technical books, talking about gear and not photographing for periods of time. Yes, I have been there and maybe this applies to you also. = )
I ended up being a consumer in photography and not a producer of photographs. We consume information and buy tons gear yet there is little output when it comes to actually making photographs. This is when I decided to fuse photography and the 80/20 rule.
The idea is to go out there and spend more time photographing rather than spending the day gathering information about photography. Maybe for the one hour spent in forums and reading about photography, you spend four hours or so photographing. The end result is gaining reference experience; I will talk more about this concept in future posts.
The idea is to keep the ratio close to 80/20 or more like 90/10. That is what I have been noticing on some of the best photographers that I see the in forums. They ask questions, they get the information that they need for the situation and then they are out photographing for a month or so until they ask questions and post again.
Another perspective is on a normal day you might spend 80 percent of the day photographing and only get 20 percent of finding and capturing great moments in the street. Or maybe on a good day there happens to be two good photographs after spending thirty six shots on each roll of film.
The change in ratio will come with diligent practice, time and experience. The ratio changes in your favor the more you actively practice like spending less time but getting the right photographs or having great pictures and less duds in your rolls of film.
In the end, you have to keep a healthy balance when it comes to information and spending time practicing photography. There are more examples on how we can apply the 80/20 rule when if comes to photography. Can you think of more examples?
I went to the museum to review a couple of works of art on their new exhibit. I was also photographing people in the museum looking to fit them with works of art in a geometric fashion. Which I found very challenging to do.
It was already time for me to go after being there for few hours or so. I've have had a half a roll left in my camera so I decided to go and photograph more. I went walking to the train station to photograph and tried finish the roll. When I was done photographing, this is when I decided to put up my camera and go walk to my car that was a block away.
After I have put my camera in my bag, I started seeing pictures around me; a group of people laughing, a baby oddly placed in the front of the baby stroller and then a couple sneaking in a long kiss. The last photograph sounds cliché but the couple sneaking in the kiss today struck me…. Why did I put my camera up? Lesson learned and never again, never to be off guard until I get to my car. Keep the camera ready at all times!
PhotoStudious
Yet again it happens.... I was just outside the front of the house and then a guy with a unicycle passes by....
So this year, I finally decided to stick with a Rolleiflex 2.8F and Tri-X 120 film for a year. Last year, I did not even realize that I was doing different things with different cameras. I had too much cameras, a lot of lens selection and different types of films. The process was overwhelming since there was a lot of selection and options. Maybe you are thinking that having selection is a good thing but let me explain. I was not satisfied at all with my body of work since it did not show consistency and my mode of thinking was “If I had this so and so film, camera, and lens my picture would be better.” So I finally decided to concentrate on a project with one camera, one lens , and one type of film. I got this idea from the article a Leica Year and also from looking photography books of master photographers.
After shooting for a month with this set up, I am finally seeing benefits of one camera, one lens and one type of film. First of all, I don’t have to worry about having the “right” camera. I remember my teacher telling me to work with what I have. This allows me to see the full potential of the camera and the type of film that I am using. It is also surprising to see that I am more concentrated on the intensity of the light while I walk doing street photography in my downtown area. I finally get to notice the shadows, the pools of light, the reflecting light from the windows of the tall buildings and how they change as I walk through the streets. This allows me to gauge what f-stop and what shutter speed I need for certain situations. I am still relying on my incident light meter for now but I can finally guess ahead before I take my reading. I am also getting to learn how to focus faster since I use hyperfocal focusing now and learning how to do it. I am surprised with the results of just sticking around f8-f11 depending on the situation and seeing a focused picture on my contact sheets. And finally, I can work on my composition since square format is still foreign for me. I am still getting used to composing with a square format and I am still relying on the rule of thirds.
So I hope you enjoyed this article and if you want to add something just feel free to comment below.
Awesome documentary about Street Photography. Below are links to parts two and three and also the book Street Photography for the Purist. I really enjoyed this video and book since Street Photography is one of the hardest photography to do. Street photography really takes a keen eye, sensitivity to the subjects and balancing everything that happens within the frame.
Street Photography: Documenting the Human Condition Credit: Chris Weeks on Vimeo.
Book: Street Photography for the Purist