“Portraits of Family”
Statement
Because this man and woman met, I, this human being, exist and am able to take photos.
I took these photos not as a photographer, not as a member of an organization, but simply as my unvarnished self.
Photographer’s statement
I, who was born from the meeting of this man and woman, have always taken photos by following what is inside of me. These photos were born from the collision of the active—the desire to take pictures—and with the single passive point—a birth.
I believe that taking photos means relating to people, and I have long relied on photography as a way of building relations with others.
Perhaps I have pursued photography because I wanted to be able to approach people without relying on photography.
For these photos, however, I approached and photographed my family simply as my unvarnished self without relying on photography.
With many people critiquing these photos I have taken in this special way, maybe the time has come for me to stop relying on photography and separate myself from photography.
But, even if this is true, I still canvt divorce myself from photography.
Not as a crutch, but as my unshakeable will.
Graduate of the University of Tsukuba (major in urban planning) While working at a local bank, Mariko Yamada pursues her photography activities from the perspective of regional stimulation and urban planning. She held the “Portraits of 100 People” exhibit at the Hotel Quest Shimizu, “Portraits of 200 People” at the Shizuoka Granship—both exhibits featuring portraits of local community-builders—and “Shell”—an examination of the inside of a human being—at Photo Gallery Place M in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Currently, she is photographing small businesspeople around the country who run unique businesses that contribute to their local communities.
Selecting judge: Masafumi Sanai
This collection consists of only three photos on the theme of “Portraits of my family.” I sense that she very selected these photos carefully, which are beautiful because they were taken in a powerful and extremely direct fashion. The inclusion of the dog is somehow transcendent. Indeed, these are photos in which the photograph transcends the self.
