A story about a ZINE that captures fleeting coincidences that can be called neither incidents nor miracles
Hello to those who are new here, and to those who are not. My name is Naoya Takahashi. I am someone who mainly takes photos in the streets around Tokyo.
Isn't the recent heat in Tokyo crazy? It reached 33 degrees Celsius in June, as if it were declaring, 'This is the level I'm going to be at this summer!'...
Since I mainly go out into the city to take photos, it's really tough. Global warming will likely continue to progress, so I wonder if a new drug that helps humans evolve will come out soon. If it did, you'd at least consider taking it, right...
Jokes aside, this time I'd like to talk about my ZINE.
Last year, I published a self-produced photo ZINE titled 'EPHEMERAL HAPPENSTANCE'. I only announced it on social media for a certain period right after its release, and in truth, I haven't been actively promoting it since then. Recently, as the stock has become quite low, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce it again.
*Updated 2026/05/28
Thanks to everyone, there are only a few copies left. There are no plans for additional production, so I would appreciate it if you could consider it.
Preface
Looking back, this is my first ZINE in two years since 2022.
I released it to coincide with the start of the Tokyo Camera Club 2024 Photo Exhibition, but that was only because it was a time when many people would see it; the content is not aligned with the photo exhibition (though there may be some overlapping parts).
In creating this ZINE as a standalone work, I started by reviewing and reconstructing a large amount of photos I had taken over the past few years.
Introduction to the ZINE
When you go out into the city to take photos repeatedly, you sometimes encounter coincidences that make you doubt your eyes. Most of them are fleeting, easily overlooked, and pass by in an instant. The emotion you get when you are surprised by them, and even more so when you are able to record them, is something hard to put into words.
This book re-selects and compiles the coincidences of daily life from my past photography—things that can be called neither incidents nor miracles—from my current perspective. Looking at each photo individually, looking at the left and right pages as a whole, and moving back and forth through the entire book might reveal something new. The various coincidences scattered throughout can be called a visual exploration, but sharing them is, for me and perhaps for someone else, a help toward the 'joy of discovery,' and it is the author's modest wish that ordinary days might become a little richer.
The trigger was learning the word 'ephemera.' While it means 'short-lived/temporary,' in art, ephemera refers to items not intended for long-term preservation, such as flyers, postcards, exhibition posters, and invitation cards.
This book is also produced with a slightly rough, uncoated paper so that it won't be treated too preciously, but rather read thoroughly, and even its worn-out appearance will become part of its character. Also, the green color used for the title is inspired by the 'Wheel of Emotions,' expressing that 'surprise (blue) is joy (yellow)' through color mixing.
Background on Design and Size
I also handled the cover design myself.
The shot used on the cover symbolizes 'accidental visual overlap in the city' created by reflections and the overlapping of faces. Can you tell that it looks like a woman is shedding tears?
What is actually being captured is designed to be understood by tilting the book 90 degrees, and the diagonally placed title and the layout where vertical and horizontal writing coexist serve to subtly assist the act of 'tilting to view.'
One of the themes of this ZINE is 'discovery'.
'Discovery is something that gradually emerges by changing your perspective or 'angle' just a little bit'—I have incorporated such a modest metaphor into the mechanism of the cover.
There is also an intention behind the choice of size.
In terms of an 'immersive experience,' I think a certain size is necessary, but that is not where the weight of this book's purpose lies. This is because large books sometimes require effort to open, and there are cases where they tend to just sit on a bookshelf. Similarly, with luxurious books, I think there are times when they are used less frequently because they are treated too carefully.
Considering these things, for this book, as mentioned in the introduction, I chose the relatively small A5 format with the hope that 'it won't be treated too preciously and will be read thoroughly, like ephemera.'
This way, it won't get in the way on your desk, and it won't be bulky even if you tuck it into your bag. You could even easily lend it to a friend. As the creator, and surely for the book itself, I think it would be a dream come true if it were used vigorously and read until it was covered in fingerprints. That is what I thought about while producing it.
Gratitude and What's Next
As mentioned above, although I didn't make very active announcements, I am grateful that people have been purchasing it little by little.
To everyone who noticed it somewhere, thank you very much. Thanks to you, the stock has become quite low.
I have finally been able to start international sales, which I was aiming for behind the scenes, and I am thinking leisurely that if there is an opportunity for it to be exposed somewhere, sales might expand a little more (though I think it's not that easy).
Basically, my productions are 'available while supplies last' and there are no plans for a reprint. If you have read this far and are even slightly interested, I would be happy if you could consider it soon.
So, this time I have written at length about things related to the ZINE.
Although this was an introduction again, I just hope it reaches as many people as possible.
That's all for today. See you later.
Please feel free to check this out as well.
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