"IN OSAKA" by Yamasaki Ko-Ji

So it happened: the >book is out<<.
Yamasaki Ko-Ji is a photographer from Kobe, Japan. He documents his daily life with pictures taken mostly in Osaka, where he has a day job. His work is truly unique for these days: all film, almost all in black and white, all printed in darkroom. He is not very well connected to the online photography community of today. He has a site all right: http://yamasakiko-ji.tk/ , but he is not on Flickr or Facebook, so his work is not widely known, but for those interested in the style of "Provoke" movement (Takuma Nakahira, Daido Moriyama etc) he is important as one of the keepers of the flame. I love his work. My style is very different but his pictures have influenced me deeply and that is why I published his book.

This post is a quick review of the book from the publisher's -- mine -- point of view.


We all know what a photography book usually is: the while pages framing the pictures plus some text at the beginning and/or at the end. Well, at least that is what photography book have been for a very long time. There is a reason for this. The classical concept of a photography book represent a believe that photography print is a primary medium and a gallery exhibition is a primary way to view the photographer's work. So a photography book, in this classical concept, is a secondary representation of the said exhibition; with pictures on the pages representing the individual prints.

Now, this book is different. Pictures placed on the pages in different fashion: there are many full-page spreads, many pictures tilted at an angle, some in contact with each other and two even overlap! That is because of my believe that Yamasaki's work is not suitable for a "classical" presentation.

In his case, a book is the primary medium for presenting his work, not a print, not a gallery. A book.

There are no virtual gallery walls no prints hang here; you'll get what you see: a soft cover book of grainy and moody black and white pictures actively interacting one to another on its 180 pages.

The big numbers on the pages are not page numbers. These are image numbers. Just for you to know.

The paper in matte, no gloss, so is the cover.

The color shift you see in some of the pictures here is due to my photographing it at night under the artificial lightning. The B&W in the book is pretty neutral for the 10 copies I have seen so far.

the quality of the binding is good; it should not loose pages as did one the MAGNUM's monographs I own.

The book has an interview with the author at the beginning and a short biography at the end.

It has ISBN (978-1942180005)

It is in Library of Congress (2015939477).
The book can be ordered in a number of places at Amazon in USA or in Europe, but if you order it here:
http://darkslidepress.com use the code "W3TL8W8X" for 15% discount.

There will be an event in early August where you can hold the book and probably buy you copy; it will be at Leica Store here in Miami; exact time and date TBD. Stay tuned!

and this is the last page

Dixi.