GLOBAL PRO GALLERY
Izumi Hirota
Izumi HirotaJapan
Born in Tokyo in 1969, Mr Hirota travels through Japan and the world on photographic expeditions to capture the enjoyment of railway travel and the beauty of the trains themselves, show casing his pictures at photographic exhibitions.
He also plans, produces, and runs many railway photography events.
I find myself travelling to a location or look-out based upon the style or aesthetic of the photo I am wanting to create. My process for setting up for a shoot is consistent regardless of the location as my way of working is follows the same process each time which some may consider mundane. My eye is naturally always looking at the light and shadow of the location, taking in the atmosphere and attributes of the environment. Staying in one spot to survey the area and spend time to carefully consider the shot I want to take, which use to seem inefficient to me. However, this process results in a pace of working that suits my style of work and creates the shots I like.
Restricting myself to a single location for a long time brings me into contact with many of the local people and creates conversations that can prove vital for my work. ”It’s going to get foggy early tomorrow.” ”There’s going to be a sea of clouds.” ”Someone burnt off the fields there.” The thought of creating something beautiful excites me, that I spend time wondering how the image would look if fog were to drift into that location just there. Reading the movement of the sun as I go, working to capture the rays of light in the way that calls out to me. It doesn’t matter where in the world I happen to be, the daily lives of the people who live there become the backdrops to my images. I put these scenes into my creations, where they serve as a kind of magic that bring my images to life.
I am constantly on the move all day, every day, and although I was unaware at the time, the heavy equipment I had been carrying was dragging down my motivation to shoot; which is why I think a compact, lightweight system is important.
Thinking about total package of the OM-D E-M1X with its lenses, in my opinion is very light, with user-friendly operation that help to prevent mistakes. Additionally, the subject detection AF is perfect for railway photography, and the reduced burden of the camera means as as a photographer I will never feel fatigued by my equipment.
The ability to always shoot with a clear mind is not something you can read from a catalog, but I think it’s the most important thing to a professional. In my work I will be using both the compact, lightweight OM-D E-M1 Mark II and the superbly user-friendly, comfortable E-M1X, to capture my best work every day.
