Since 2002, my photobook and exhibition titles have been unified under the “... no Koe (Voice)” series. This reflects my fundamental stance toward landscape photography — an approach grounded in sensing and accepting the voices that nature emits.

In landscape photography, people often prioritize the “Voice of Beauty.” Yet nature speaks in many voices: life, history, and environment, not only beauty. If we over-filter scenes through the lens of “visual beauty,” we lose sight of the subject itself. By quieting the mind and listening to these voices, we can truly perceive what lies before us.

- Voice of Life: beyond full bloom and vigor, we learn to sense birth, fulfillment, and the quiet completion of life. - Voice of History: today’s landscapes extend from the past; learning that foundation widens our practice and our lives. - Voice of Environment: beings striving in harsh niches teach us the dignity of fulfilling life with all one’s might.

To receive, gently and sincerely, the many voices that subjects emit — that is the basic attitude at the core of my work.

Even if it rains or clouds over; whether spring greens or autumn colors meet expectations; whether the dawn burns or not — let us be moved, sincerely, by the scenes we meet today. Keep alive the joy of being alive, the light of joy in releasing the shutter. Let our hearts tremble with joy, without letting that flame go out.

May we not fall into the loss of emotion; let us give thanks always — to our subjects, to the natural world, to all who support us, and to the divine.

Cast off competition and desire. Devote yourself to the scene before you, and paint it as if in prayer. Let emotion and joy dwell in the frame; let them become the power of the work; let them become a piece that remains in your personal history.

“Jibunshi” here means a personal chronicle to be completed as a testament — a book that gathers your life’s photographs and words to leave as proof of having lived. Unlike exhibitions or contests (the “history of pride”), this is a long, unending project that protects you from losing purpose after milestones.

Its contents can be twofold: a Works section chosen by your own measure of emotion, and a My Life section that honestly recounts your path, helpers, and roots. Proceed yearly: estimate your remaining active shooting years, plan your work, write concurrently, produce a draft at the midpoint, obtain estimates for production, prepare a will to secure costs, and keep updating while you can still move.

The essential point is to live each day toward this grand endeavor — to continue creating a body of work that truly moves and sustains you.

What is photography? A UK case once banned an ad photo for being “too retouched to reflect reality,” reminding us that even commercial work demands realism. Digital processing tempts us to drift from the subject’s true appearance. Especially in nature photography, we must value the reality of the subject.

This means not only finishing realism in the final image, but also honoring the reality present when facing the subject. Rather than relying on post-processing, hold a resolve and philosophy to “finish the work at the moment of release.”

A concise list of the equipment I’ve used across film and digital eras, from cameras and lenses to tripods, filters, and workflow tools.