Hiroshi Watanabe : next page
Santa Monica Pier

I go to places that captivate and intrigue me. I am interested in what humans do. I seek to capture people, traditions, and locales that first and foremost are of personal interest. I immerse myself with information on the places prior to leaving, but I try to avoid firm, preconceived ideas.

I strive for both calculation and discovery in my work, keeping my mind open for surprises. At times, I envision images I'd like to capture, but when I actually look through the viewfinder, my mind goes blank and I photograph whatever catches my eye.

The photographs I return with are usually different from my original concepts. My photographs reflect both genuine interest in my subject as well as a respect for the element of serendipity, while other times I seek pure beauty. The pure enjoyment of this process drives and inspires me.

I also believe there's a thread that connects all of my work -- my personal vision of the world as a whole. I make every effort to be a faithful visual recorder of the world around me, a world in flux that, at very least in my mind, deserves preservation.

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