shashasha

The “Trails” in Takashi Homma’s photobook of the same title refer to the blood trails—the fresh blood dripping from open wounds—of deers shot by hunters in the Shiretoko National Park on Hokkaido. Homma followed hunters during the winters between 2009 and 2018 to create the photographs for this series.
In restrained, respectful images, Homma shows the aftermath of the deers’ last moments in life; crimson patterns against white snow, almost abstract or symbolic. “Considered by some to be sacred, deers in Japan have controversially faced culls due to growing populations, which upset agricultural communities struggling to protect their crops. To aid their mission in reducing numbers, the government encourages local hunters to take matters into their own hands. Homma photographs the effects – the red vestiges of wild life in the snow.”