Canon global

-How did you get the idea of taking part in the competition?

Kitamura: Both of us were students at the same college, and used to take photos of each other. At first, neither of us thought of making a work together.

Watanabe: In the meantime, we began to think of how we could bring our photos together in one work, if possible. At that time, we learned that the deadline for New Cosmos of Photography was drawing near, and we decided to enter the contest.

Kitamura: We want to continue taking photos of each other, and we thought that we should bring them together once, so that it would give us a perspective on how we should continue with it. The competition was timely indeed.

Watanabe: We really had a hard time for a month until the deadline. We worked together staying at either of our homes. It gave us a good chance to think over our work.

-Why did you choose to combine your work together?

Kitamura: There’s no particular reason why we began to take photos of each other. We became friends when we were sophomores, and went together to various places. When we had a camera with us, we often took photos of each other without thinking.

Watanabe: Five years have passed since we began to take photos of each other in that way. It doesn’t mean that I photographed only her during all that time, but such a relationship continued naturally. I don’t want to regard her as “a subject,” though.

Kitamura: Both of us think that way. If I took a photo of her as the subject, the atmosphere of the photo would be totally different. The very act of taking a photo of each other, or to have such an opportunity is important to us. I sometimes don’t even look at the photos carefully after I take them.

-What was difficult when you were compiling them together?

Watanabe: We’ve continued taking photos of each other just because we are fond of doing it. So, we hesitated to select them. We didn’t look at photos with such a perspective.

Kitamura: Because my face must be displayed, there are some photos about which I would say, “I can’t accept such cuts!”

Watanabe: It seemed strange that I became unable to tell which one (she or I) was in the photo in the middle of selecting them. While looking at the pictures for some time, the two figures got mixed up. It was an interesting experience.

Kitamura: Some visitors to the exhibition said the same thing. They said that while looking at the photos, they couldn’t distinguish between the two. We don’t look alike, though.

-When did you get started with photography?

Watanabe: After I entered high school. One of my friends was going to be a member of the photography club, and I accompanied her. That was my start.

Kitamura: I was playing with a camera when I was a junior high school student. As a high school student, I was a member of both the photography club and the art club. At that time, I got the impression that photography was tough. I couldn’t take satisfactory photos, and it was so frustrating. Then I was hooked on photography.

-Do you plan to continue taking photos of each other after this?

Kitamura: I want to keep on with this work. I really want to give a solo exhibition.

Watanabe: I want to keep doing it for a long time. We’re thinking about this work over a long period. I’d be happy if we could accumulate our work as we get older. Therefore, I don’t want to force the issue, such as sparing time to meet each other on purpose to take photos. I prefer doing it more spontaneously.

Kitamura: I prefer keeping it low key. I would add that both of us also want to take photos individually.