Cherry blossoms | the YAKUZA book vs. 893 magazine
In Tokyo now photographing cherry blossoms… For some reason, the past 3 years, somehow, in my ever infinite wisdom, I’ve always managed to miss this huge event. But not this year.
This is going to be the closing image of what I think is the first major step in the Yakuza project: the photo book “ODO YAKUZA TOKYO”.
Why cherry blossoms? Well, that’s another one of the many enigmas surrounding the Yakuza: “ODO” or 桜道, is literally translated as “the way of the cherry blossom”, and is the credo of the particular family that I’m following. An image of cherry blossoms seems crucial to the book.
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But first things first: yes, the book is finally coming… I’ve found a printer, I’m finishing the design, I’ve narrowed down the paper choice, and I’ve been recommended an incredible binding. More on the book coming very very soon: the design, the model, what’s in it, how I am going about publishing it, seeking support from you guys, how I’m going to try to sell it, etc….
People ask me what the difference is between the book and the magazine (893 Magazine). At first, I’d just keep saying, “well the book is like a book, and the magazine is like a magazine”, but as more and more people started giving me that blank stare, I realized that explanation didn’t quite cut it :-)
I think it’s more along the lines of this: 893 Magazine allows me to bridge the gap between the project and talking about the project.
893 Magazine effectively has given me the much needed ability, the platform to talk about my personal experiences along the way. In fact, one could compare the magazine to an abbreviated, condensed, more permanent printed version of a blog or a personal diary.
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Contrary to the above, the book “ODO YAKUZA TOKYO” is the actual project. The images, all reproduced in the best possible way I can afford, as a perfectly sized tangible book object, a quality package that represents the first two years of photographing the Yakuza.
If the book is the story in pictures, the magazine is talking about the story in pictures. Two different things, but both equally necessary.
So why not combine into one book? For the simple reason that it is time for the book, but the rest of the Yakuza project is not over yet…. there are still many things to come after this first book, and upcoming 893 Magazine issues give me that ongoing platform to talk about this: issue #2 will talk about the process of preparing the documentary film, designing the book, sketching the exhibition, going deeper into the personal life of our fixer Taka, new images along the way, and more…
So there you have it. A sneak peek into what’s cut out for me for the rest of this year. Plus starting several new projects. Gulp. What a workload. But I’m looking at it from the bright side… I’m really, really, really lucky to be doing what I love.
Hugs to all,
anton
Sean Gallagher
April 10, 2011 at 16:28 //
Anton,
This is all very exciting. Good luck with it all. I missed out on getting a copy of your magazine, so will look out for the book. I am sure it will be worth waiting for.
Best,
Sean
anton
April 10, 2011 at 16:34 //
Hey Sean,
long time no see amigo, hope you’re doing well… I’ll be posting as I go along, hoping everything will work out as I envisioned it
best of luck in what you’re doing too!
a
Sean Gallagher
April 12, 2011 at 04:40 //
Hey Anton,
Well, I am always lurking in the shadows on Burn. Don’t write much. Working away still in China. Like to keep an eye on your work in Japan, as it’s a country close to my heart. Did you do anything related to the yakuza involvement in the earthquake/tsunami region? Or was that media hype?
Sean
anton
April 12, 2011 at 05:49 //
Hey Sean,
Yeah, my efforts for BURN are concentrated 100% below the line together with David and Anna and Diego… I also seldom, if ever, find the time to comment.
the Yakuza are indeed helping, that’s a fact… but the particular family that I’m following are situated in Tokyo exclusively, and i could not get permission quickly enough to document another group helping out up north…
hugs,
a
eva
April 10, 2011 at 18:16 //
So this is it.. was wondering.. not sure if I like or not the fact to have it seen already…
I’m preordering nr. 21, signed please, thanks :)
anton
April 11, 2011 at 13:15 //
Hey Eva,
Cherry blossoms are still going on for I think one or two more days… I am continuously shooting, so if i make a better one, I will use that one, and I promise not to show it to you before the book!
:-)
ps number 21 will always be reserved for you…
hugs
a
eva
April 14, 2011 at 09:32 //
:)))
(thanks.. and don’t listen to me.. could have skipped, but you know, curious and all that!)
anton
April 16, 2011 at 01:24 //
Eva,
i promise that i won’t listen to you…..
…. sometimes :-P
a
koen
April 10, 2011 at 23:07 //
Laat maar komen!
anton
April 11, 2011 at 13:16 //
KOEN… weer te lang geleden verdorie… alles goed met u?
xxx
a
Mike R
April 11, 2011 at 15:53 //
Hey Anton,
really good news about the book: I personally love the way you are using the magazine to build an audience for the book(s). Japan in general and Yakuza in particular are somewhat an enigma to many in the West, so the more information you can give, the better i.e. the explanation of the relevance of cherry blossom. I love the idea of a documentary film and look forward to hearing about funding ideas. Like you say, you are really lucky to be doing what you love but )to paraphrase someone) the harder you work, the luckier you get – you must be working really hard!
Mike.
anton
April 12, 2011 at 03:06 //
Hey Mike! Thanks for dropping by… Yes increasingly so the work *outside* of the actual “picture taking, editing and processing” becomes more and more important. Talking about your work in a non-cheesy way is essential (and at the same time it’s something that I don’t like to do… I’m just not that kind of person). But I hope I understand the “audience building” part a bit, a part that I feel is necessary for people to be able to catch on and keep up with what I’m up to.
Time will tell if my balance between “creating the work” and “talking about the work” is the right one I guess? One feeling that I have is that I could spend a bit more time “talking about”, but there is always so much competition with the “creating” part… only so many hours in a day, and only so much energy to spend…
cheers,
a
billy_ran_away
April 11, 2011 at 17:24 //
I love that picture, did you do vignetting and the out-of-focus look post-production? I just took some pictures at the Washington DC Cherry Blossom Festival and I thought they were good until I saw this one. I feel like your photography is so full of emotion and depth because of the way you do the soft focus. Seriously, can’t wait for the book!
anton
April 12, 2011 at 04:14 //
Hey Bill,
Vignetting and Blurring are things I don’t do in post… or at least very very very seldom… although I do a lot of regular post things to develop my RAW files (as in: digital requiring that you “develop” your own pictures, and I see the chemicals as being the sets of different levels, color balances, and sharpening – i seldom go beyond that), this particular image has the vignetting and soft focus because I shot straight into the sun with a very shallow depth-of-field…. and somewhere in that image must be “in focus” cherry blossoms, but to be honest, I also don’t remember where :-)
cheers,
a
vivek
April 13, 2011 at 07:37 //
….kool stuff …will they both be …….limited editions ? …………… u have turned me into a collector ….893 n burn 01 ….. are the only limited anything …….i have …..
anton
April 13, 2011 at 15:52 //
hey hey vivek… more specific info on the magazine issue #2 and the book very very soon… mostprobably they will be “limited by default”, meaning that I only have enough money to print a limited number of copies :-D
yes, I WILL turn you into a collector my friend!
cheers,a
Jean-Pierre
April 15, 2011 at 15:29 //
Cool Anton…..
Also pre-ordering….nr. 9, 12, 18 and 25…..:-)
Good luck and see ya in a week or so….
JP
anton
April 16, 2011 at 01:26 //
JP,
i got you covered… a
Carlo
April 15, 2011 at 22:55 //
Great news Anton! and glad you are OK! I’m not sure if you were there during the quake.
If you can….talk more about the film. How you are shooting it with and that kind of stuff.
I have been spreading the word through instagram :)
All the best and looking forward to both publications!!!
anton
April 16, 2011 at 02:02 //
Hey Carlo,
I was in Europe during the quake, but my brother and his family were in tokyo. They were all ok though… I am with them now
I’ll talk more about the film soon! I have to do first things first, get the book out there, and hopefully in the meantime I have more news about possible financing for the film… several production houses have expressed an interest, and those negotiations are still ongoing. But no worries, if the film happens, I will gladly and plentifully talk about the whole process!! And it will be part of 893 Magazine issue #2 as well
Thanks for spreading the word, rock on :-)
a
Markus
April 20, 2011 at 12:08 //
Hi Anton,
since I’m a big fan of your photos, style and dedication for your subjects, I’d really love to have a copy of the book.
Keep up the good work.
cheers
Markus
anton
April 23, 2011 at 13:33 //
Hey Markus,
Glad to hear that! I’ll post more details on the book soon…. stay tuned….
all the best, a