Re-examining the meaning of "as it is." "Images of As-Is: Snap Aesthetics and the History of Japanese Photography"

✔ A snap is not a "technique," but a "philosophy"

Snap photography—I used to think it meant pressing the shutter the moment your emotions were stirred.
But this book, "Images of As-Is," showed me the profound aesthetics that lie beneath that intuition.

Ihei Kimura, Ken Domon, Daido Moriyama, Nobuyoshi Araki, Takuma Nakahira...
Rather than just viewing their work as "simply skillful" or "cool," this is a book that
unearths the philosophy behind them.

✔ Snapping is not about "not directing," but about "letting go of control"

What left an impression on me in this book was how it delved deeper into the common understanding that "snaps = unprocessed and undirected."

In other words, it is the philosophy that the result of surrendering oneself to chance is the true "image of as-is".

This is the complete opposite of a style where you perfectly arrange the composition and exposure before pressing the shutter.
Rather, it teaches us that "the courage not to arrange" is the core of the snap.

✔ The evolution of the snap in Japanese photography history is fascinating

The techniques and philosophies of the snap are explained era by era over 10 chapters. The following chapters were particularly interesting:

● Chapter 3: "Ihei Kimura and Anti-Theatricality"

Even though they are portraits, he "does not let them act."
The way he draws out their gaze and the way he times his shots are the true essence of the snap.

● Chapter 6: "Ken Domon and Realism"

The expression "the right to shoot in silence" really struck me.
It reveals the intersection of the "ethics" of journalism/documentary photography and the snap.

● Chapter 10: "Reflexive Turn"

Since the 80s, the snap has moved away from "simple reality" toward "self-awareness as expression."
This is a trend that connects to contemporary street snaps and ZINE culture.

✔ The meaning of taking snaps with an "X-M5" now

High-quality, high-performance modern mirrorless cameras—for example, the FUJIFILM X-M5.
Their lightness and AF performance are perfect for snaps.
But the more accustomed you get to that "ease of shooting," the easier it is to lose sight of "chance."

That is precisely why I want to remember the "spirit of the snap" depicted in this book right now.

• Things that were captured in a moment when I wasn't trying to shoot

• The "fissures of reality" that appear when you let go of control

• Photos where the atmosphere of the city itself, not the photographer's "direction," becomes the protagonistPhotos where the atmosphere of the city itself, not the photographer's "direction," becomes the protagonist

I thought that such a perspective is needed once again right now.

✍Afterword

Taking photos "as they are" looks easy, but it is actually very difficult.
However, the unique Japanese philosophy of snap aesthetics returns photography from being a "work of art" to being a "discovery."

This book is a volume that is effective precisely for those who have lost sight of the meaning in taking photos.
Rather than technique, it fundamentally re-examines how we see and how we feel about photographs.

What is a snap?
It is also a philosophy of how we take responsibility for the act of "seeing".

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