- Harebare Shashin
Still Cameraman
Director of Harebare Shashin, Inc.
- The Beginnings Of A Cameraman
Yamamoto traveled to London when he was 20 years old to learn "tourism".
It had always been his dream to become a tour conductor. Little did he know that fate would bring him together with a different plan. It was here that he found a used Russian SLR camera for about 5000 yen.
Yamamoto loved it. At first it was a hobby for him, but by the end of his 4th year in London, he had already graduated from a photography school.。
Yamamoto's camera collection
- Still Photography As A Career
He returned to Japan when he was 25. He became the assistant to a cameraman in Sapporo, but he didn't blend well with his overly perfectionist attitude. He quit after one month.
He moved back home, thinking he might not be cut out to be a photographer.
It was then that an opportunity finally presented itself to Yamamoto. He found an ad for "Easy editing - work with simple pictures". His life turned back toward photography once again.
As he built experience, a fellow photographer asked if he would like to join him. "I decided to start a photography studio. Do you want to start a company with me?" he said.
It was the moment a door opened for his professional career.
The serious eye of a photographer.
- His Work
"I took this one at ICC," says Yamamoto, showing me a photo of a Sapporo band that made a major debut. "I enjoy talking to people. That must be why I take more photos of people than anything else," he said with a smile.
He then showed me a free magazine.
Photos of a local shop several days before it opened and photos that document Sapporo City overall filled the pages.
"It was strenuous work, but definitely worth it," he said, his passion for photography visible in his work.
A portrait of Yamamoto drawn by an S-AIR artist
- Personality
"ICC has a lot of talented digital artists, but I love analog, too," says Yamamoto. He believes film does a better job of telling a story than digital.
"A digital camera tends to create photos independent from one another, but film photos can create a sense of time and continuity."
It may be Yamamoto's style to express him self through analog prints.
- Collaboration
Yamamoto has been collaborating with a variety of artists.
He has formed a team with BLOCKHEAD FILMS, in residency next to his office, to be a cameraman on their music video productions.
Though it is the same "photography", he realized film and video are a completely different challenge.
"God of Rock'n'Roll", produced with BLOCKHEAD FILMS
- The Future
"I'd like to focus more on other collaborative projects with members of ICC. I'm preparing for more photography exhibits, but I'd like to do a new project. I live in Hokkaido, so I'd like to use the snow's characteristics to my advantage."
It is exciting to see his analog personality capture the nature of Hokkaido.
I can't wait to see his future work.
At Harabare Shashin Studio
Written by Kohei Kuramoto
Translated by David Neptune
