EYExplore is proud to welcome to the team Richard Stewart and his Osaka Neo-Noir Streets photography workshop. In continuing our push to bring more unique perspectives to the table, we feel that Richard’s neo-noir style, a re-imagining of the classic are-bure-boke of the 60s and 70s, is a perfect fit for the dark, neon-lit streets of Osaka. If you’re in Osaka, please check out this new photo adventure!
We have also made a short interview with Richard to get an idea of this approach and creative process.
Which photographers are you most inspired/influenced by?
Without a doubt my main influence is Daido Moriyama. I took away from his work the well-known concept of “wabi-sabi.” A photo doesn’t need to be perfect to be cool, for lack of a better word. His use of black and white makes the viewer fill in the story.
I also like the work of Matt Hall (13th Second) from the UK, for his brilliant use of layering. Faizal Westcott also makes use of interesting, focused compositions to isolate subjects and cut out unnecessary clutter in the frame. He’s spoken about how he’s transitioned towards this style, and I can relate to that.
Do you take inspiration from other media besides photography?
Not really but I love the work of Ridley Scott for his noir cinematic look and use of amazing lighting. To this end my favorite Lightroom preset creator is Casey Cavanaugh aka GxAce. Blade Runner on steroids!
Osaka Neo-Noir Streets
Enter the neo-noir streets of Osaka, discover a world of light and darkness, and explore the boundaries of the visual medium.
Why Osaka? Why urban photography? Why do they captivate you?
I happen to live in Osaka and I’m very fortunate in that regards as Japan always provides when it comes to the street photography genre. There’s no limit to the scenes, places, human elements, contrast, and color you find here. I cannot equate my street photography to the urban photography genre in a pure sense… maybe a sub-genre. I will always incorporate a human subject in the frame. That unknown person makes the composition and story so perhaps my photography is more about our interactions within an urban environment.
Street photography captivates me because it’s not rehearsed or staged and the moment only happens once, so it’s one of the most challenging forms of photography.
In the end it’s free exercise and a nice memory when you look back at your shots and you remember the weather, perhaps a stop at a coffee shop, or any other details associated with that day. And I like hanging out with other street photographers.
What is your ethos when it comes to street photography?
I adhere to the principle of having your own style and never trying to copy someone else’s work… what’s the point of that? Do your own thing! Sure, take influence from others but adapt it to what you see. Then you can call it your own. And I don’t use AI to alter my work. I maintain the idea that if you do so, your work becomes the product of a semiconductor and not you anymore.
What makes your work authentically yours?
As I’ve mentioned, I don’t try to copy others’ style. My style has taken five years to evolve, and it reflects what I wanted to achieve. That was to present Japan from different angle than how its typically portrayed. I use layers, sub-framing, and perhaps a somewhat idiosyncratic choice of subject and composition to show Japan in my unique way. My choice of editing style treats each photo separately so it could be monochromatic or color, whatever looks interesting, but always wabi-sabi.
What’s the next step? What are your goals?
The next step is sharing the buzz of street photography in a big Japanese city with others through conducting street photography workshops. My goal is just to keep having fun doing what I do and perhaps delve into different genres. I’ve started taking “street macro” shots of objects and colors in Japanese cities, and that’s something new for me.
Richard’s Work
