shashasha

You could say that the scenic photographs collected here are so-called by products of my travels and strolls through towns. Walking about, always with camera slung over my shoulder, I take photos, pressing the shutter a few times when I encounter a view that’s made an impression on me. Then as I looked over them one day, the sceneries of all these days of all my various excursions would up in printed form. In these photographs, I discover that I have always regarded scenery with the exact same gaze. Photographs reveal a curios expressiveness, one that’s separate from what you experience through the naked eye.

Looking at themes photographs one at a time, their memories flood back and then retreat with nostalgia. The mundane scenes of town are good, better than sites of renowned scenic beauty or history. Traversing side streets, I also sense the mournful lonesomeness of depopulating towns, and I would hope that I’ve managed to capture the warmth of the lives of those living here.

And also to feel the presence of people there. Are photographs the product of memory, or are they documentations in and of themselves? There may be new encounters and discoveries to be found in future walks. Though there’s no difference in the way I photograph, then or now, perhaps just that I am perpetually seeking out “the other scenery” within.

-Afterword by Hashimoto Katsuhiko, The Other Scenery

Published by Sokyusha, Hashimoto Katsuhiko’s The Other Scenery presents a series of images which embody both the documentation of a place as well as a memory of the encounter. Within Katsuhiko captures alleyways, homes, and the surrounding environment, building a visual landscape which reflects both the mundane and nostalgic qualities of spaces encapsulated and affected by time.