As someone born in the Shinshu region, I was used to playing in the midst of nature from an early age. Skiing on hills behind my home in winter and playing in lakes and mountain streams in the summer, the surrounding environment has always led me outdoors. In the 1990s, the snowboarding movement coming out of the United States had crossed over with music, fashion and graffiti, and was in the process of spreading around the world, primarily through younger generations, as one of the wildest endeavors to date. I was entirely enamored with the world of snowboarding, and until now I have chosen my own path by traveling around Japan and the world to capture the changing tides of snowboarding culture. Snowboarding further deepened the bonds with fellow people and nature, and photos opened a door to the world. There is a lot to be learned from nature, as there is from outdoor culture. Both of them are quests for freedom and the spreading of the same root of “emancipation.”

This time I took my camera to one of these playgrounds, because my instinct was that the mobility and focal range of the TAMRON 10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 would cover day-to-day events. The matte, understated outward appearance of the lens easily blends in with any scenario, and the sharp, ultra-wide angle image quality to the edges captures scenes at a convincing natural scale. Moreover, as the lens covers the 35mm focal length (equivalent in the 35mm format) that is ideal for taking snaps, the photographer can cast attention on their intended subjects. This lens perfectly fits the style of carrying a single lens in your backpack while enjoying yourself. I also get a renewed sense of how zoom lenses have evolved, and I suspect the photos produced by its descriptive power and mobility will be more and more interesting.

My activities, as a link between nature and people, are to share emotion and freedom towards a sustainable future from my works. As society develops in complex ways, I recognize the presence of art, which persists as a free form of energy, as a means to mix with the times beyond nationality or genre. Art can be something more familiar and small. Men and women of all ages should interact with art more freely. One of those forms of art is photography, and a camera that lets you capture slices of daily life is a welcome thing.