I make a few thousands images each year, some for paid clients but mostly for myself. Each year, around this time, I will look at what I have shot and nominate a personal image that means the most to me.
This is my pick for 2016 and my reasons for picking it:
“For a camera-crazy country, Japan has a lot of places where photography is disallowed. Practically all spaces I visited in Naoshima area have the no-photography rule.
When I was younger, I would, as a principle, rebel against such draconian rule and that attitude had resulted in me actually going to Bilbao but refusing to enter the Guggenheim because I disagreed with their policy of me surrendering the use of my camera.
But now, I gladly obey and oblige when told I could not take pictures.
So I have no images of the inside of the Teshima Art Museum. So what?
I could have sneaked a few photos if I really wanted to. I mean, with decades of experiences in stealing images in much more difficult situations, how hard would it be to just disobey courteous museum attendants who request more than insist that you follow their instructions?
But let’s just say I actually managed to take those forbidden images. Would I dare to share them online? I think not. This is one of those times when I won’t be proud to have 10000 likes on my Facebook for some stolen moments.
The hardest task in this case is actually not to make the pictures.
I am glad for once that I am law-abiding. Otherwise, I don’t think I would have heard the birds chirping and the echo of my own breath. Or the dripping of the water.
I would not have felt the light chill of the space. I would not have the luxury of staring into the two circular openings, and into the sky.
I think I finally fully understood why I traveled thousands of miles, using different modes of transportation, to be here.
I have no need to show you what I saw because you really ought to experience everything yourself.”