_nuts.tokyo / Yusuke Nagata
:: 404 Contact Sheets ::
I’ve been following the Instagram account @_nuts.tokyo for a while now, -in my research phase for a fairly extensive photo trip to Tokyo sometime in the future. The city has been on my to-do list for a long time, and to get the most out of the trip, preparation and knowledge will be crucial. So these days, I’m soaking up as much Tokyo as I can.
Also, I’ve been going very “analog” lately (after a break for a long time). I’ve dug out my old gear and have been forced to really start thinking again when I photograph. And my darkroom is also reopened for use agin. Over the last years, I’ve developed a lot of digital habits that simply don’t work when the cameras has no screen and photographing with camerabodies that lacks a lightmeter. That’s when the old Gossen Lunasix 3 comes along in my pocket these days.
For those especially interested in gear (actually Im not so focused on that), I use a variety of analog cameras. The Nikon F3 HP is a favorite these days, but the little Rollei 35 SE often makes it into the bag as well. I also have a couple of 120 cameras loaded with film, -a Holga and an one old Eleflex 2. I’ve also loaded a Nikon FA with Kodak Tmax 3200 film. And for a bit of fun, a LOMO LC-A loaded with Tmax 100.
But back to _nuts.tokyo, who seems to be a young and knowledge-seeking photographer that has truly found his voice in the legacy of todays modern Japanese BW photography. -In the style of photographers like the famoues Daido Moriyama. High-contrast photographs of everyday life. Many would categorize this as street photography, but I often find that label a bit too narrow. Behind the alias “_nuts.tokyo” is the japanese photographer Yusuke Nagata. He’s active on Instagram, makes and publishes YouTube videos, and runs his own fanzine publishing house, FAR EAST DARKROOM, where he releases his own publications and work by other photographers as well. Always in the form of fanzines or prints. And from what I can tell, he works entirely analog.
Mr. Nagata and I have many things in common. We clearly share a similar expression in our photographic choices, we both run our own small publishing house producing fanzines, and our ideology around photography seems to reflect a number of overlapping interests. That made me curious to take a closer look!
So when I saw on Instagram that he announced his latest release, 404 Contact Sheet, I wanted to support him by placing an order. -And I have to say, he calls it a fanzine, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a softcover book with glued binding. On the first spread, you will find an original darkroom developed and signed photo, -a wonderful insert to accompany the book.
It’s arrived quickly and was decently packed. I’d also say it’s packed to the brim with beautiful, documentary-style, high-contrast photography, and just as the title says, -a lot of Nagata’s contact sheets.
I highly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys black and white photography and strong contrasts. Here in Scandinavia, you’ll find similar styles in the work of Swedish photographer Anders Petersen, Danish photographer Jacob Aue Sobol, and—modestly—my own work.
You’ll find a link to Yusuke’s Instagram below, along with a link to FAR EAST DARKROOM where you can order his book. Well worth the small amount it costs to have it shipped to your mailbox.
Support your independent publisher, and you will have more wonderful books to come!
https://www.instagram.com/nuts.tokyo