I wish I had started photography for what I loved to preserve it. But in my case, the camera came first. I started by picking up a camera and deciding on the length of a strap, like a rock musician starting with his love for guitar. I have always hoped that cameras should be the coolest thing on earth since then.

I was fascinated with the magical pleasure of looking at the world through a viewfinder and the allure of photography, which allows you to preserve it in a tangible form. I have continued to take only snapshots ever since then. Trains, landscapes, people, flowers... there are many things I have photographed, but I consider them all to be snapshots. I'm a kind of photographer who wants to take pictures without any preparation but with emotions. It's true that the joy of photography lies in the wonder of capturing images of a world that is invisible to the human eye, extended by the power of such lenses as super wide-angle, telephoto, and macro. However, I love the moments when I find beauty in the ordinary, or more specifically, when I discover beauty that I have missed. So being close to the human eye is very important for me and I rarely use lenses shorter than 28mm or longer than 60mm. I am very grateful that the GR III's 28mm angle of view, "all of what you see," has been joined by the GRIIIx's "oh, that's nice," perspective. To be honest, the 40mm angle of view was so versatile for me that I thought "I need no other," but I know now that the 28mm is a must-have and you will have more joy if you have two.


When you shop or take a walk, with a small camera that is easy to carry, the weather or the mood can make your familiar sights look very special. That is the moment when what you vaguely think in your mind, what you see, and what you feel in your heart become one.

Composition and exposure make it stand out, and it becomes a beautiful picture. It is like talking to the person you are with, "Look, it's beautiful from here, isn't it?"

The GR is such a partner. Above all, it's so compact. I like the feeling that all you have to do is just to press the shutter when your heart moves.

To take a photograph is to create a new word with each shutter release.

"Fun" and " sad" are opposites as words, and we have to choose one or the other. In that sense, words are very digital. At best, we are limited to "It's fun, but it's kind of sad." But often I feel both at the same time, and a photograph can express them in a single image. I have always loved taking such photographs, and I will continue to do so. While respecting the beauty of the classics, I constantly update my photographs, just as languages change and update with the times. Every time GR evolves, it inspires me.
　
　

　
　
Yukio Uchida
Born in Ryotsu City (now Sado City), Niigata Prefecture in 1966. Uchida became a freelance photographer after working as a public employee. Besides his commercial work in advertisement and with actors and musicians, he has a reputation for black and white snap shots of people and streets. He also writes for camera magazines and newspapers. His main publications include “Leica to monokuro no hibi (Leica and Days of Monochrome)” and “Itsumo kamera ga (Always with Camera)”. Currently, he also teaches photography and speaks for camera manufactures.
www.yuki187.com/gr-diary