Traditions: Sake Brewer
A significant part of Japan's appeal to me has always been its history and how much of it is still clearly visible in the modern era. In large part, this facet is what drives me to pursue a personal project photographing people involved in the traditional crafts of Japan.
While the project itself is not entirely original (there is no shortage of people who photograph this readily apparent side of Japan), it has still become an important means for me in developing personally and professionally.
Since doing such a project requires me to go through the entire process of a shoot from concept to execution to display, and not just once, but over and over again, it provides endless opportunities to practice, create, learn new lessons, make mistakes, and try new things. As long as I am able to keep motivated and remain resilient to the inevitable slip-ups, there is an incredible amount that can be learned in this process.
A personal project further requires me to actively seek out the people I want to photograph, and there is really not a better or quicker way to build a portfolio of images that reflect my own interests and abilities. I mean, I suppose I could also sit and wait for interesting people involved in traditional Japanese crafts to show up at my door asking for photos, but it could be several lifetimes before I have a collection of work worthy of display.
This mere act of seeking out subjects also leads to countless opportunities to meet new and interesting people. One such person that I've had the chance of meeting and photographing is Masaru Terada of Terada Honke (寺田本家). Masaru’s family brewery has been in the sake business for nearly 340 years.
The old brewery itself made for an amazing shooting location. It was one of those places where every direction you looked was another view that made for a unique backdrop or scene. One could go back to the place day after day and always find a new angle or appealing background among the old structures. It was without a doubt a fascinating place to shoot.
And quite simply, this opportunity to shoot an interesting person in a extraordinary location would not have been available to me had I not begun and continued with my project.
