I always consider myself egotistical. I either love or hate, and there is no middle ground. I only do things I want to do. This is my style. Despite this fact, I came upon ptarmigans up in the mountains, and I immediately fell in love. This was a one-way love affair from a human being to ptarmigans, so it was unattainable from the very beginning. After ten years of twisting and turning, I became a photographer who specializes in photographing ptarmigans. Just by looking at them, I learned a lot about their surroundings and present state, their neighboring plants and animals that rejoice in the joie de vivre. There were people who expressed their fondness of ptarmigans and spend considerable time with them. On the other hand, there were those who were indifferent and even hurt these birds that I deeply love. Those people never reflect on what they did. As someone who has received so many gifts from ptarmigans, I think I am obligated to return their favor to me. “Humans can transform themselves through their encounters and absorbing their newly-gained knowledge.” – these words represent my prayers and wishes. By pursuing my own passion and becoming a photographer, I found opportunities to impart my knowledge of ptarmigans widely to others. Now, I hope a lot more people will learn about ptarmigans. At the same time, I think, if my photographs of ptarmigans can help people “transform themselves,” it would be a great reward to me as a creator of art.
私は自らのことを利己主義者だと思っている。好き嫌いは激しいし、興味のあることしかしない。そんな私が山で雷鳥に出会い、一目惚れをした。人と雷鳥、叶うことのない片想いの果てに紆余曲折を経て10年後、私は「雷鳥写真家」となっていた。彼らをみつめることでさまざまなことを知った。彼らを取り巻く環境や現状、その命を謳歌している隣人たる動植物たち、それを慈しみともに生きる人たち、無関心に傷付け、顧みない人たち、…私は恩を返さなければならないと思っている。彼らに出会って本当にさまざまなものをもらった者の責務として。「人は出会い、知ることで変わることができる」。この言葉は私のなかの願いや祈りのようなものである。利己の追求の結果、広く彼らのことを伝える機会を得ることができた今、ひとりでも多くの人に彼らのことを知っていただければと思っている。そして願わくば、私の写す彼らの姿が誰かの「変化」の一助になれば、それは表現者としてのしあわせだと思うのだ。
I always consider myself egotistical. I either love or hate, and there is no middle ground. I only do things I want to do. This is my style. Despite this fact, I came upon ptarmigans up in the mountains, and I immediately fell in love. This was a one-way love affair from a human being to ptarmigans, so it was unattainable from the very beginning. After ten years of twisting and turning, I became a photographer who specializes in photographing ptarmigans. Just by looking at them, I learned a lot about their surroundings and present state, their neighboring plants and animals that rejoice in the joie de vivre. There were people who expressed their fondness of ptarmigans and spend considerable time with them. On the other hand, there were those who were indifferent and even hurt these birds that I deeply love. Those people never reflect on what they did. As someone who has received so many gifts from ptarmigans, I think I am obligated to return their favor to me. “Humans can transform themselves through their encounters and absorbing their newly-gained knowledge.” – these words represent my prayers and wishes. By pursuing my own passion and becoming a photographer, I found opportunities to impart my knowledge of ptarmigans widely to others. Now, I hope a lot more people will learn about ptarmigans. At the same time, I think, if my photographs of ptarmigans can help people “transform themselves,” it would be a great reward to me as a creator of art.