Photographica is a thick, expensive, and beautifully crafted photo magazine which comes out a few times a year in Japan. The Spring 2008 issue focused on Travel Photography with several Japanese photographers having their work from around the world featured on this magazine’s hefty paper stock.
The work in this issue is fresh and immediate. There is not a single photo which could possibly make it past the editors of Lonely Planet. This is an extreme compliment. These travel pictures are about the Photographer’s personal experiences- not about traveling to create a comprehensive story of a people, or focusing on the exotic details of a foreign culture. There are no great landmarks nor decisive cultural moments- no pyramids or predictable shots of rows of traditional footwear in markets filling up the frame. No shots from behind of small children in traditional dress holding hands with a grandparent walking down the street- you get the idea.
The text throughout the magazine often is about the personal meaning of the concept of “travel”. Personal, not Universal- this is a key point to understanding a lot of Japanese photography. Or at least what’s cool at the moment.
What I like is that for most of the photos, it’s hard to imagine that the photographer knew in advance just what they would see and photograph that day. We all have ideas of the general photos we might be able to take while abroad- and it looks to me like the photographers here were able to be in the field but still stay open to what was around them. This is in direct opposition to what one sees after googling “Travel Photography Tips”.
Another feature in this issue is “Camera of Travel”- several full color pages of recommended cameras for photography abroad.
With the exception of a few of the digital cameras in the last two pages, each camera has a fixed focal length lens. This is fantastic. And an “only in Japan” kind of deal. Can you believe that this is a camera/photography magazine NOT suggesting the latest and greatest current DSLR monsters with zoom lenses covering the 12mm to 800mm ranges? Well, to be honest, there are dozens of those kinds of mags out each month. And many of those guys with backpacks full of lenses out walking around anywhere you go. So it’s extra nice when the editors of Photographica give props to the Leica M5 and Nikon 28Ti as viable equipment for one’s travels. Not only are each of these featured cameras beautiful examples of 20th century industrial design, shooting with a fixed focal length lens is going to help your photography no matter where you go. I don’t agree with this fellow’s feelings on female mental capacity in the first few paragraphs, but he gets the idea of simplicity across by the end of the article.
The less you spend thinking about what lens you might need for the shot that’s in your head the more time you can actually be photographing. A fixed focal length is not only going to give your work an admirable consistency, but it’s also going to surprise you. It’s not simply a tool to bring mental images to light- Instead, let your camera teach you how to make a picture.
I get the idea of that simplicity, thanks for sharing bro!.
p/s: my trusted tiny Oly is there in the list
Comment by nurfaizfoat — December 30, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
I hope you have a very Happy New Year, John. Keep up the great work you are doing with your photography and
your writing. Also…please send me your mailing address…I am editing a photography magazine called “Littlefields” that I want to send to you.
Comment by Jim Clinefelter — December 31, 2009 @ 5:14 pm
Couldn’t agree with you more about keeping the gear simple and basic. You want to spend time looking for photos, not lenses…
Say, is there any way to get copies of Photographica from outside of Japan?
Best wishes for a happy new year!
Comment by Robert Burnham — January 1, 2010 @ 6:38 am
There is a really reliable bookstore called Kinokuniya Bookstore in NYC and you can order vol 1-8 online
https://bookweb.kinokuniya.co.jp/guest/cgi-bin/wshoseaohb.cgi?KEYWORD=photographica&AREA=02
Comment by Ashton Gooding — August 6, 2010 @ 1:28 pm
Thanks! Nice insight on the way of seeing; without the physical baggage of gadgetry! I still shoot film with my trusty Canon F-n1. You should not rely on the equipment too much. The camera is a tool. train you eye to see and you might capture the nicest image!
Comment by Ron — August 6, 2010 @ 2:51 pm
I’m glad to see my beloved rolleiflex is in the list
Comment by steve — August 6, 2010 @ 4:14 pm
From my personal experience, I wouldn’t call the Mamiya 7 an ideal travel camera. It’s a bit too heavy and sensitive for that. On the other hand, my own favorite (which is missing here) is the Canon A-1.
Comment by Greg — August 6, 2010 @ 6:44 pm
Wow looking all those cameras staring back at me, so so beautiful, I want to hold each and every one of them. It’s so rare to see some of my most favourite and coveted cameras all lined up side by side.
Comment by melly — August 6, 2010 @ 10:34 pm
[...] Good review about a magazine and also viewpoint on travel photography (approach and camera) here (valerian [...]
Pingback by Simplicity in Travel Photography « Pieces — August 7, 2010 @ 12:10 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by thomas mathie and Juliette Robert, Angela. Angela said: http://kenshukan.net/john/archives/2009/12/30/travel-photography-by-photographica/ [...]
Pingback by Tweets that mention Travel Photography by Photographica « _valerian -- Topsy.com — August 7, 2010 @ 7:56 am
Amazon Japan will ship this magazine to international addresses, they also hold a selection of secondhand back-issues:
http://www.amazon.co.jp/Photo-GRAPHICA-フォト・グラフィカ-2008年-04月号/dp/B0013DR61O/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281318222&sr=1-20
Comment by tallkev — August 9, 2010 @ 10:45 am
[...] Anyway if cooking isn’t your thing, here’s some worthy links to check out: • New on The Selby; Rockaway Taco – I want to be a customer there or better yet, their homie! • Street art at Pioneer Square in Seattle, the one of the hand… j.a.w.d.r.o.p.p.i.n.g • Scroll down half the page to see some seriously good camera porn [...]
Pingback by Greenlaundry » Blog Archive » Heavily nocturnal — August 9, 2010 @ 6:03 pm
I want an Xpan so bad I can taste it.
Great article, my personal philosophy is one camera, two lenses. When I stray from that philosophy my photography suffers.
Another great travel camera: the Nikon Action Touch. Too bad mine bit the dust two weeks ago.
Comment by NIc — August 10, 2010 @ 1:13 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Andhika Wibisana , [sexyinred]. [sexyinred] said: travel camera porn – enter at your own risk! http://digs.by/9MZLn7 [...]
Pingback by Tweets that mention Travel Photography by Photographica « _valerian -- Topsy.com — September 20, 2010 @ 3:06 pm