Rainy day in NIKKO, a photo from 東京, 関東

Photographer's Note

Finding a Black and White picture from Japan. Taken in 1957 while I was in RR: I was an officer of the Turkish Brigade stationed in Korea at that time. Instead of frequenting bars and night clubs and department stores like most of my fellow friends during the leave, I went around Japan, and visited legendary spots like Nara, Kyoto, Kamakura, Atami, and Nikko. Nikko was not an easy place to reach and I remember I had to change a lot of trains until I got there, and I was disappointed to find rain.
This picture may interest certain viewers because it shows Japan exactly 50 years ago, the way people dressed, the umbrellas. This group was listening to a guide telling the history of the place.
Dedicated to Norbert and Francis, who asked me to post vintage pictures.

ana-marija, Miks, recepyuksel, lestans, coco, salvator, prezntime, hyasar, Tezic, everlasting, delic, nwoehnl, aytu_k, Clairedelune has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bantonbuju (51815) 2007-02-11 3:45

merhaba izzet,
a pearl among the photos.... man, god bless you and your leica...
the men standing like mannequines in a store window on the high street somewhere in that remote country...
love it,
best wishes, j.

(my friend, the book you were supposed to send me never reached me, oscar mentioned about the book but i never got one :-((

Furachan (0) 2007-02-11 4:15

Bonjour Izzet, what a pleasure to find this treasure from the 1950's, from your treasure chest... And thank you for listening to our pleas. I can't tell you how much weight and value pics like these add to our little community. these faces are not eactly the same as those I see around me everyday in Tokyo. They're "serious" yes, as now but there is a humility in their faces, as they hav ejujst emerged from a crushing defeat and seen their emperor reduced to human stature. there is great dignity here as well. A fine composition and a remarkable document.
I cannot thank you enough!
bw,
Francis

Miks (1717) 2007-02-11 4:37

The picture has more than historical and anecdotal interest. It is also photographically interesting. Classic Magnum-style image. The Leica delivers a greyscale which is far more interesting than the digital BW conversions which are the standard. Very well preserved. Did you scan the film or a paper print?

Compositionally, I think it is a big advantage that we get to see all of their faces and, moreover, that a number of the subjects look in the same direction. It provides a point of interest outside the frame. Finally, the serious expression which they all have in common makes it a somewhat grave mass portrait.

Who would have thought that this would be a pic appearing on TE. Thanks for sharing it (thanks also for the informative note). Congratulations on recovering it!

Best,
Mikkel

PS: Usually I do not let the norms of TE bother me. But I cannot help to note that only 24 people have bothered to have a look so far...

recepyuksel (18640) 2007-02-11 4:38

Mimari yapı, şemsiye, kıyafetler, gl�kler, y�zler.. o kadar 輟k şey anlatıyor ki, muhteşem.
D�n Hadi beyle pek az SB fotoğrafınızın olduğunu konuşmuştuk, sanki bizi duymuşsunuz..
Teşekk�rler bu paylaşım i輅n.
İyi pazarlar

lestans (17258) 2007-02-11 5:35

Hi Izzet!! What a picture!! Fantastic, interesting, beautiful!!
I like your compo, I like the umbrella recalling the man's hat shape.I like the ancient building background. But I like most every face, the way everyone is listening to the guide.
And it is an interesting historic descriprion, as you write.
Thank you for sharing!!

Livia

rertan (32) 2007-02-11 5:36

Muhtesem fotograf Izzet bey, insanlarin bakislarindaki tedirginlik hatta umutsuzluk muhtemelen savas sonrasinin etkileri. Bakislar, kiyafetler, arkada gozuken tarihi cati bizi gercekten o doneme goturuyor. Analog siyah beyazin inanilmaz tonlari ve kontras ise en iyi digital'lerle bile ancak photoshop'la yakalamaya calistigimiz kalite cizgisinde. Bu fotografinizi cok sevdim.

MiguelP (14470) 2007-02-11 7:06

Hola Izzet: Yes this is a great testimony. I love movie and I think this photo reminds me to many images of films directed by Akira Kurosawa or Nikio Naruse. I went to Nikko two years ago and according for what I see behind them I imagine where they are and the surprise is that todayｴs people stand in the same spot and in similar attitude... Great one.

bigboroboy (1098) 2007-02-11 7:10

When I saw this shot I though it had an 'old' feel to it but wasn't sure. Maybe the hair styles have changed a bit, the glasses fashion maybe, but on closer nspection things haven't really changed that much over here.
There are still crowds of Japanese people staring in awe of their own heritage whenever you go to the most famous places. A timeless shot.

PHIL

gertan (1527) 2007-02-11 8:24

Izzet bey what a wonderful shot. Very good framing. Superb B&W photo.I like the expression of people. Congratulations. TFS.

Gokhan

coco (30439) 2007-02-11 11:43

Merhaba Izzet.

What could I say?
You can wonder us everytime with your photos. And this time is not an exception.
And for me there is something important: when you didn't see "photographers" everywhere you were making these photos.

In some way photography speaks about life and also about the life of the man who take the photos.
A lot of experiences.
A lot of stories.

Really thanks for share with us.

Luko (14000) 2007-02-11 15:29

I know people with a digital camera who would kill to get such a perfect grey range. Leica signature, even with these old lenses.

How did the japanese get from this kind of straightness to coz-play dressing, in 50 years time? one would ask...

Ooops minor flaw : don't let your eyelashes fall on your neg, Izzet, seen that hair in the bottom center?

scalerman (26900) 2007-02-11 15:57

Izzet: your historical files are replete. This, being decades past, is a little unusual for TE, but they're a welcome upload. Great note. regards, c

salvator (19110) 2007-02-12 3:28

Hello Izzet Bey,
You have photography running in your bloodstream, and this photo supports my words. The fact that it was taken when I was 1 Yr old, and the fact that you took heavenly photos even back then, and the way you felt about photography, makes you my IDOL.
Best personal regards. Salvator.

prezntime (3946) 2007-02-12 6:48

Hello Izzet.
Trul;y a classic...interestingly enough, it also has a timeless quality...I could see this photo taken today...not to lesson its quality, just to show its relevance.
Good toning here. The glances of the people, looking off to the edistance, have the air of some classic photographers. Good to see that you were pursuing a richer life during your stay in Japan.
Regards,
Chris.

hyasar (7775) 2007-02-12 10:18

Merhaba Izzet Bey,

herseyden once sizden siyah beyaz bir fotograf gormek cok hos oldu. Bugunden 1957'ye sanki zamanda yolculuk yapmis gibi hissettim bu fotografiniza bakarken. Kadrajinizdaki mukemmeliyetcilik bundan 50 sene once de kendini hissettiriyor. Tebrikler.

selamlar,
hakan

selamlar,
Hakan

fjufju (335) 2007-02-12 10:31

Hi Izzet,
you showed what is the most important thing in photography, to froze in the piece of paper things which we are witness and then in the future to find old photography taken 50 years ago and refresh memory how it was.
Best wishes,
Jan

Tezic (17867) 2007-02-12 16:09

Merhaba İzzet Bey,
Ben doğmadan tam bir yıl ce !... Doğduktan bir yıl sonra olsada fark etmez, ben biberonla oynarken siz Leica ile harikalar yaratmaya başlayalı bile epey olmuş !... M�kemmel den başka aklıma bu fotoğrafı tanımlayacak kelime maalesef gelmiyor... İfadeler, kıyafetler, duygu y�k�, her şey alıp g�ren cinsten bambaşka ve bu resmin değeri, d�ş�nd�k軻 işin i輅nden �ıkılmasını engelleyen cinsten... ﾇok etkilendim, 輟k beğendim...
Sevgiler - Coşkun

amazon (12112) 2007-02-12 16:31

bazı şeylerin doğuştan insanda varoldoğuna inanıyorum,fotografik g gibi.....50 yıl ce,inanılmaz....
bize yine ''ellerinize sağlık''demek d�ş�yor...
iffet

everlasting (19680) 2007-02-13 16:49

What a gem Izzet, while many here were not yet born and a few of us (me included) were just learning how to hold a crayon, you were already a master of photography. Beautiful B&W tones here, a fine historical record

delic (6735) 2007-02-21 9:11

I think I was one of the first to see this picture, and yet, I am able to write about it only now. I just want to remark that this image reflects the foundations of your photographic prowess and talent. It is a timeless classic, no doubt, and the hair at the bottom just accentuates the vintage quality.
Best wishes,
Hakan

gbeli (1970) 2007-03-04 14:48

This photo is good too.
Good choice of B/W and exellent position.

nwoehnl (122) 2007-03-04 14:53

Hi Izzet. I just found this one and I apologize for being late to comment on it (you posted it while I was in Tokyo). A very interesting vintage crowd shot, with a great tonal range in the old print. Good variety of poses and expressions to be studied here, in front of the classic temple architecture. Thanks for posting it!

By the way, the location should be corrected - Nikko is in the Tochigi prefecture, not Tokyo.

Clairedelune (4923) 2007-05-25 22:18

Allo Izzet,
ﾇa fait tr鑚 longtemps que cette photo est dans ma section "� critiquer" de mon navigateur. En fait, depuis que vous l'avez publi馥 en f騅rier. Mais, � chaque fois, je ne sais trop quoi 馗rire. De voir une photo de 1957 en si bon 騁at est impressionnant. Mais, ce qui m'attirait dans cette photo, ce sont ces visages si divers et si semblables. Des jeunes, des vieux, des hommes, une femme... tous la bouche bien ferm馥, 馗outant... Immanquablement, je me sens attentive, pr黎e � 馗outer battre leur coeur, me demandant ce qu'ils peuvent bien penser ou 駱rouver...
L'arri鑽e-plan et le parapluie, typiques, ajoutent � l'ensemble, en situant le lieu de la photo. Dommage pour le poil � l'avant-plan.
Je reviendrai s皞ement revoir cette photo. Regarder, encore une autre fois, chaque visage, en tentant de d馗hiffrer vainement ce que leurs traits racontent...
Claire