Category: Personal

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Regarding Japanese Photo Magazines

I really hate how in Japanese photo magazines include camera and lens info to the pictures, often superimposed over the image. Anyone who has a little understanding how cameras work, focal length, aperture and shutter speed can be figured out just by looking at the photo. It is not exactly rocket science..  And chef’s don’t superimpose the manufacturer and type of their pans and kettles to the food, right?

But further more, this habit of including the information to the image just shows the materialistic value of today’s photo book publishing, photography becomes a cheap advertisement for camera makers and the artistic meaning of the picture is tarnished if not destroyed completely.

I was glad that Nippon Camera’s Nude Photo issue does not do this although the publication suffers from censorship and other editorial issues.

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Typhoon

Typhoon has passed. Last night I felt anxious. The wind was rattling the glass door that separates my kitchen from my living room. And now there is no single cloud in the sky. It’s hard to believe.

There is saying in Japan, once typhoon passes it never returns.

Then maybe life is not unlike typhoon.

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Yuguin the minstrel

I met my good friend novelist Yuguin today. He gave me his short story, “Kiriko: An Extraction”. I was moved by it.

The ocean that Yuguin gazed at
With Kiriko the model girl
Was different from any other sea
But the breeze brought
The same smell of the sea

I have had many great conversations with Yuguin. Then I feel his power also as a painter.

The pain regarding beauty might come from our wish to possess it, to intimately connect with it and identify ourselves with it. The impossibility of doing it causes us misery but enables us to do these things.

On the last page:

Holding a guitar in his arms
Yuguin only sings a song with his voice of fish
“Clouds rise no end in the sky!
Waves seethe on end in the ocean!”

Bravo, Yuguin!

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Self Confidence

Feeling confident is like a warm wave swelling inside you. There’s no need for analysing, giving proof or guarantee. You are a bearer of light.
This is how I feel when I take a photo.

DSCF7729

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Mother

She is Kirsti. She is the mother who took care of me during the most important years of my life. She taught me kindness and most valuable things in life (especially humour). How lucky I am.

To be mother might be the greatest thing on planet. Congratulations! May this world be yours.

Mother © Jaakko

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Meeting Araki

Araki Nobuyoshi and Jaakko Saari

I met Araki Nobuyoshi the other day. I told him about seeing his photos first time in Helsinki in his Kiasma exhibition. I had depression that time. He interrupted me, saying with excitement, “but your depression got cured (by my photo), didn’t it?” and bursted laughing. We all laughed. Because that was exactly what I was going to say.

His photos were huge shock for my virgin heart in early 2000’s. You know, especially Sentimental Journey. I just couldn’t stop crying after I first saw those. It was like life I somehow knew, it just happened to take place in Japan. Then, eventually,  after a decade I started taking photos too. This sounds so trite, I know, but Araki’s photos kind of opened door to my future and gave me the courage.

We talked about Bjork too, and he wondered if Bjork is famous in Finland. I happen to love her, and her Big Time Sensuality!!

Araki is like a huge ball of energy. God of photography. From my heart, I wish the grass is green under his feet and that his days are filled with joy.

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Human

Tonight I watched again first episode of NHK スペチアル ヒューマン。I love this awfully beautiful but very scientifically accurate program.

https://www.nhk-ondemand.jp/goods/G2012036277SA000/?spg=P201200085700000

It is interesting notion that one of the key differences between homo sapiens and chimpanzees is that human mother needs help when delivering baby. This is due to the structural differences in female pelvis versus chimp.

I really recommend this documentary.