This is ARA.

In my previous article at the time of the GR III Street Edition launch, I talked about how I had the opportunities to meet people from various street photography communities.　

New York City Street Photography Collective (NYC-SPC) is one of them.

I met the organizer, Jorge Garcia, in the spring of 2019. It all started when I visited NYC-SPC's print lab and gallery in Brooklyn with members of the Overseas Department during my business trip to North America.

When Jorge informed me that he would be coming to Tokyo at the end of April this year for the first time in many years, we planned this event, “RICOH GR x NYC-SPC Photo Walk & Artist Talk in Tokyo”.

We asked another photographer, Ulysses Aoki, to come to Tokyo to co-host the event. Ulysses had helped us with some RICOH GR events previously, but this time it was Jorge who invited him. According to them, they had been connected through social media for a long time, but it was only a few days before they met in person.

The venue was an event space attached to ECO FARM CAFÉ 632 in Harajuku, Tokyo. The photo walk started from here and went along Meiji-dori towards Shibuya, returning along the back promenade (Cat Street).

After the photo walk, the works of all the participants were projected on a large screen for review. All of their works were full of individuality, including those that took advantage of the GR's high-speed shooting capability, multiple exposures, and slow shutter speeds.

There was a time when one participant asked questions in response to Jorge's and Ulysses' comments, another participant offered advice. Many people spoke actively, and a gentle excitement filled the room.

The special guest was photographer Tatsuo Suzuki.

Mr. Suzuki continues to attract fans from around the world with his work that combines snapshots and portraits, mainly of the streets of Shibuya. In recent years, he has pushed new boundaries with his work inspired by the flow of water. His global activities include the publication of his photobook “FRICTION / TOKYO STREET” by Steidl, Germany. His appearance at the event was timed to coincide with his exhibition at the Haeden Museum in Korea.

During the artist talk, he shared a variety of stories, including how he became a photographer, the similarities between street photography and punk music, and even his GR parameter settings.

Since all communication, from the announcement of the event to the common language in the program, was in English this time, we had participants from different parts of the world. As far as we could tell, they came from the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Myanmar, China, Hong Kong, and so on.

Some meetings were even international and serendipitous; one participant happened to stop by Tokyo on his trip and then flew to another country the following week. It was a day to enjoy the borderless and open atmosphere that is unique to the street photography community.

　
　　
Finally, here are some comments and works from Jorge Garcia and Ulysses Aoki!


＜Jorge Garcia＞

Thank You Ricoh GR Team and everyone involved for an Unforgettable Photo Walk through Omotesando and Harajuku, Tokyo

I recently had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with Ricoh GR Japan to organize a photo walk and artist talk in the bustling neighborhoods of Omotesando and Harajuku, Tokyo. This event was truly a highlight of my recent trip back to Tokyo, and I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who made it possible.

First and foremost, a huge thank you to my cohost Ulysses Aoki and our esteemed guest speaker Tatsuo Suzuki. Their expertise and passion for photography brought invaluable insights and inspiration to all who attended. I also want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who registered and participated in the photo walk. Your enthusiasm and engagement made the day truly special.

The experience of strolling through Omotesando and Harajuku with the Ricoh GR in hand was nothing short of amazing. The GR's compact size, quick responsiveness, and superb image quality make it the ideal camera for street photography. It effortlessly captures the essence of spontaneous moments, making it a perfect companion for any photographer.

Reflecting on the event, I am filled with joy and excitement for future collaborations. I look forward to seeing more events like this from Ricoh GR and hope to be invited back someday soon.

Thank you once again to everyone who contributed to this unforgettable day. Let's continue to explore and capture the world through the lens of the Ricoh GR!

Happy shooting,

Jorge Garcia
NYC-SPC and Contact Photo
　

　
　
＜Ulysses Aoki＞

The beauty of the GR lies in its size, allowing versatility. The photographer can simply put the camera in their pockets, and take photos of moments in between their everyday lives.
And our everyday lives can be anything from a hectic Tokyo train commute to work, to a beautiful and quiet moment with a loved partner along the Mediterranean sea.

However, especially with our closest companions, we tend to disregard how capable they can be and how appreciative we are of them. I think we all have that closest friend that's actually a superstar in real life, but when the time comes to introduce him or her to another person, we go "wait what do you do again?".

Strange, since we've known that friend for years and years. This event, kindly setup by the Ricoh team, was a fruitful day that allowed people to reconnect with the GR and understand what it's capable of, whether you were an owner of the camera or not.

The results from the many photographers that joined us for the day were a great representation of this too. Although we were all given the same time and same location to wander off and shoot some images, the results varied from abstract to literal, quick to meticulous, monochromatic to color.

I think a lot of us looked at the photographs of other participants that day, looked down at our GRs, and said to ourselves, "oh wait you can do that?". It definitely showcased the potential of the genre that we all came here to celebrate, candid photography, and how the GR allows us to participate in said genre.

I thank you again for the GR team to have such a large and organized community event. No other brands today cherish and respect the candid photography community like them, out of love not only for cameras, but for the celebration of this rather modern but historical artform, photography.

Thank you.

Ulysses

　
Take a commemorative photo together!

I would like to introduce a digest video of this event, which is published on the European YouTube channel "RICOH GR Photography". Please take a look.

（ARA）