Takeshi Muzukoshi
A photographer who works in the area of alpine and nature shooting.
He was born in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, in 1938. After attending the Faculty of Forestry at Tokyo Agricultural University, he worked for Yukio Tabuchi, an alpine photographer. His independence from Tabuchi came when he held a photograph exhibition titled "Hotaka." Mizukoshi was awarded the Annual Prize by the Japan Association of Photographs for his "Primeval Forests in Japan" in 1991 and the Publishing Culture Prize by Kodansha for his "HIMALAYA" in 1994. His major works include: "Snow Grouses" published by Heibonsha, "Tropical Rain Forest BORNEO" published by Kodansha and "Water Story" published by DHC. Mizukoshi lives next to Lake Kussharo in Hokkaido and photographs nature, especially the mountains. He often goes abroad for shooting, but he decided to concentrate on Japan's natural features for this feature.
Why did we ask Mizukoshi to contribute his photo story?
"A symbiotic relationship between mankind and nature--"Protect the earth as the Mother." We are surrounded by a flood of such pleasant expressions. It is OK, but is "Nature as the Mother" always kind to us? Downpours, floods, fires in the mountain, avalanches, landslides, squalls...., nature has a fiery profile, although it is kind to us.
Takeshi Mizukoshi is aware of the fear of nature that we often forget about.
All of a sudden, mountain weather changes. He knows mountains as a skilled climber does.
When he climbs a mountain, he carries just the least amount of equipment necessary.
He is always cool and careful. He is different from the majority who just talk about the favorable side of nature.
In the sea, Mizukoshi wants to dive with no equipment, and wants to shoot with no flash. He wants to be with nature as it is. He never goes against begs or relies on nature. That is why he can shoot the photos of the "inside" of nature, which are never like postcard photos.
Respect and fear: they must be what "the way of communication with nature" should be.
The sensorium staff wanted to introduce the way he communicates with nature and we wanted to learn about it. We hope you enjoy reading his photo essay.
[sensorium staff]
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Mizukoshi at home, beside Lake Kussharo.
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Feeding birds in the garden.
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Showing how little equipment he carries on shoots.
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Recent works
"Mizu-Monogatari"
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"Yakushima Island"
CD-ROM
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[Snow in a Subtropical Island-Shooting Winter on Yakushima Island]
[Mizukoshi Shot Fiery Mountain]
[back to map page of sensing Japan]
We're waiting for your questions to Mizukoshi.
He won't be able to respond to all the queries, but he will answer as many as he is able to.
Please write your question in the box below and click the "submit" button.
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