ontoshiki's photostream

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"To watch the sun sink behind a flower clad hill. To wander on in a huge forest without thought of return. To stand upon the shore and gaze after a boat that disappears behind distant islands. To contemplate the flight of wild geese seen and lost among the clouds. And, subtle shadows of bamboo on bamboo." - Zeami Motokiyo

I admire the Japanese aesthetics of Yūgen (a profound, mysterious sense of the beauty of the universe… and the sad beauty of human suffering) and Wabi-sabi (transcience i.e. imperfect, incomplete, impermanent) such as fading autumn leaves, falling sakura petals and flawed beauty.

a little bit of caveat. thanks for the comments and favs. I read them all and they give me encouragement however, due to time constraints, i'm unable to browse through everyone's stream to reciprocate on comments so i apologize in advance. I'm not really here to collect as many comments or favs as possible but to simply share my work.

i appreciate if you add me as a contact but recently ive been getting more and its hard to keep up. if you actively comment on my posts, i will eventually add you to my list; if ive overlooked you, please let me know!

shot by mijonju on polaroid 190

A charity book based on the events of the Tohoku Tsunami is available on blurb.

You don't need to buy it as I've made it so you can just look through part of the book without purchasing but please consider sharing the link to someone who might buy it or making a donation to Japan Red Cross. www.jrc.or.jp/eq-japan2011/

I've been trying to stay active and involved in volunteer activities and documentaries post-tohoku disaster. Here are some NGOs Ive worked or been involved with:
JTI foundation
Peace Winds Japan
AAR (Association for Aid and Relief) Japan
IDRAC (Ishinomaki Disaster Relief Assistance Council)
Rescue Japan
Fukushima Future
Skilled Veteran Corps for Fukushima

"Look, I'm not an intellectual - I just take pictures." - Helmut Newton

[ontoshiki] is a literal translation of my Chinese name (wen jun hui) to Japanese. 温(i.e.warm) 俊 (i.e.excellence) 輝 (i.e. shining brightly ; in this case, "輝" ki as in "あきら" akira) 四季 (shiki) itself in Japanese also means "four seasons."

ontoshiki's thoughts

loves to capture apparent beauty which is all around us but even more, obscure beauty in glaring darkness; random street scenes from the unembellished breaths of souls. hopes they can be appreciated ubiquitously with one's subjective interpretation.

fascinated by. the cinematic, nostalgic, poetic, enigmatic, unknown, unpredictable, dark and sinister. drawn to. dreams, symbolism, the cryptic nature of photography i.e. the way it conveys moods and feelings beyond the need for lexicon and how colors affect mood and feelings.

- main themes: life, death, angst, alienation, lust and love and the exploration of urban elements,environment and life and the human psyche and body.

- trying to be more passionate about life and be more of a creator rather than a consumer. as they say, "a fish is born to swim, a bird is born to fly and a human being is born to create..." this is my process of self-exploration. art is self-expression.

- a student of photography, constantly learning, reading, doing.

- wants to be inspired so that he can inspire others. thinks the biggest compliment one can get is when someone tells you that you've inspired them.

- through photography, i like to pretend my life is more glamorous than it is; like something out of a movie but it isn't ;)

- if only every fleeting moment in our inimitable lives can be captured on film, re-wound and re-collected.

- the mysterious allure of a person in urban architecture and landscape is a metaphor for social environment and sense of community. It may conjure thoughts and feelings of relationships manifesting in the form of intimacy, alienation,decay,deterioration or rejection

- sensualism in photography is tantamount to having an intimate dance with a woman; timing, technique,intricate body movements and forming a connection between you and your partner. shooting someone for an extended period gives me a feeling of palpable intimacy. i'm often drained after an extended photoshoot and need to be alone.

- sometimes i know i need to deal with my inner demons, but it's easier to just take a photo and tell myself there's an elephant in the room.

- passion and inspiration is like the universe. it starts with nothing, then suddenly explodes and grows exponentially; there are many dimensions and there is no end. passion much like the bubble we live in, will take you places you don't understand and have never dreamed of..

-not so interested in seeing how a camera captures a scene... rather, i'm more interested in seeing how the person captures the mood of the moment through their feelings and emotions. i prefer impressionism, a blurry, oneiric film photo with mood and emotion; floating between my visions of dreams and my perception of reality.

photography represents fragments of my memory. i see beauty in how a portrait of a person can be immortalised forever. it is the only time when i can interfere with space and time and capture the essence of a certain moment, whatever it may be. it is the thrill of taking the film to the lab and the anticipation of what shows up when you hit the button on that scanner; then the post-processing and sharing. the whole process is what keeps my passion burning. it is for me, sometimes a teacher and a trigger for self-discovery and philosophical exploration.

many years ago, a friend of mine was reading a book about people's personality types and told me that i was an introvert. not fully knowing what that meant, i was in denial and was even slightly offended. several years later, i have understood myself better as a person and fully embrace that i am one.

"contrary to what most people think, an introvert is not simply a person who is shy. In fact, being shy has little to do with being an introvert! Shyness has an element of apprehension, nervousness and anxiety, and while an introvert may also be shy, introversion itself is not shyness. Basically, an introvert is a person who is energized by being alone and whose energy is drained by being around other people.

Introverts are more concerned with the inner world of the mind. They enjoy thinking, exploring their thoughts and feelings. They often avoid social situations because being around people drains their energy. This is true even if they have good social skills. After being with people for any length of time, such as at a party, they need time alone to "recharge."

When introverts want to be alone, it is not, by itself, a sign of depression. It means that they either need to regain their energy from being around people or that they simply want the time to be with their own thoughts. Being with people, even people they like and are comfortable with, can prevent them from their desire to be quietly introspective.

Being introspective, though, does not mean that an introvert never has conversations. However, those conversations are generally about ideas and concepts, not about what they consider the trivial matters of social small talk.

I've had times that I've been overly introspective that I feel like I am watching my life go by from inside a fishbowl. Inner anxieties act like a domino effect until I am able to grab a camera and focus on the world around me instead of in me.

“A man can be himself only so long as he is alone; if he does not love solitude, he will not love freedom; for it is only when he is alone that he is really free. ” - Arthur Schopenhauer

I am analytical. I'd make the perfect accountant so I have a degree in accounting, but I have no passion for it. I worked in the field of financial systems for many years at Universities and the Government before deciding that I no longer wanted to be an office zombie; a slave to my job. Still, I analyse everything around me...

Once, someone asked me rhetorically why I always analyzed everything. I responded, "I don't know...I ask myself the same question all the time."

I've quit smoking on July 26th 2009 after 13 years and apologies to my parents for enduring my selfishness. I'm proud to say I'm a non-smoker to this day.

"We all die. the goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will" - Chuck Palahniuk

"...at a certain point you are, or, were alive. To be photographed is to be close to death or to be dead. Your image will outlast you." - Nobuyoshi Araki

Some of my influences and inspiration include (first of all my parents and family of course) Nobuyoshi Araki, Kishin Shinoyama, Christopher Doyle, Wong Kar Wai, Akira Kurosawa,Kazuo Miyagawa, Daido Moriyama, Goyo Hashiguchi,Brassai, D.Arbus, H.Cartier Bresson, R.Doisneau,R.Cappa, Irving Penn, E.Munch, Van Gogh, Davinci, Vilhelm Hammershoi,Jeffrey Smart, J.Nachtwey, Kaoru Izima, Ridley Scott, Shoji Ueda, Tim Burton, Miike Takashi, Helmut Newton, Miyamoto Musashi.

Born in Malaysia with a Chinese background, raised in Australia, living in Tokyo.

most of his work is shot on film camera; either on a 6x6 medium format (hasselblad, pentacon, holga, mamiya rz67 pro II), polaroid sx-70 or 35mm (minolta XD). however, he also shoots digital with a Canon 5D Mark II.

Feel free to join a small group(started in May 2010) for 6x6 film lovers called:

PURCHASE my books from BLURB

Memories Awashed A documentary and c... By Ontoshiki Book Preview

Follow Ontoshiki Photography on Facebook for more news and photos not shown here

Photos of ontoshiki (20)

ontoshiki's favorite photos from other Flickr members (7,081)

Contacts (1,854)

Sam Ingles Sam Ingles
Pen and Vogue Taizo
©arlein No real name given
John Roshka John Roshka
Steve Keys No real name given
Camera Lance Vun Vui Khien
aliZmuh No real name given
Akimoto Kumiko No real name given
Damon Loble Damon Loble
viasil No real name given
safora ;)
Samantha Jeet No real name given

Groups (50 50)

Canon EOS 5D Mark II. 325,035 photos, 15,927 members
Nikomat 4,352 photos, 301 members
Mamiya Love (FILM ONLY) 64,424 photos, 5,017 members
Shutter Photo @ Flickr 5,444 photos, 216 members
Street Portrait Photography 197 photos, 39 members
PHONAR 619 photos, 223 members
Free Photographers Network 681 photos, 124 members
Polaroid SX-70 Manipulation 2,306 photos, 535 members
Portrait by The Impossible Project 1,751 photos, 704 members
Polaroid SX 70 85,950 photos, 7,872 members
Pan - Pola 12,103 photos, 576 members
I Once Was Caught In A Dream... 2,437 photos, 310 members
THE IMPOSSIBLE PROJECT 67,909 photos, 5,534 members
Polaroid Artistic TZ 8,199 photos, 942 members
lofico - keeping film alive 865 photos, 163 members
TOKYO-GA ┃ 東京画 27,854 photos, 815 members
Escape into Life 2,661 photos, 265 members
Ektachrome E100VS 4,136 photos, 442 members
The D-Photo 24,186 photos, 1,179 members
. film first 15,708 photos, 310 members
The Childhood of the invisible... 854 photos, 191 members
Silentium 29,377 photos, 1,477 members
this is not real 113 photos, 49 members
Black and White Film Photography (bwfp) 55,628 photos, 2,499 members
flickr男カメ部1年エロ組* 578 photos, 116 members
ILFORD DELTA 3200 Professional Black and White Film 8,902 photos, 1,834 members
Fuji Neopan 37,016 photos, 2,527 members
demo, demonstration, protest 34,688 photos, 2,156 members
Global Photojournalism; Politics, News, Protest, and Culture 130,247 photos, 9,693 members
Vintage Analogue 170,610 photos, 5,623 members
Still**Life - Street Photography 5,335 photos, 249 members
FUJIFILM NATURA1600 6,373 photos, 530 members
The Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami March 11th 2011 7,852 photos, 239 members
Minolta XD 4,899 photos, 562 members
Minolta Rokkor ƒ/1.2 3,382 photos, 413 members
● 12,399 photos, 1,548 members
Vintage Black & Whites 176 photos, 54 members
Australian Centre for Photography Community 805 photos, 215 members
ToyCamera.com 3,194 photos, 482 members
The Film Fanciers’ Guild 150,358 photos, 5,451 members
Streets in Colo(u)r 8,376 photos, 1,355 members
Photographic Impressionism 42,885 photos, 2,869 members
CHARITY PRINT AUCTIONS - JAPAN 1 photo, 1,522 members
Worldwide Landscapes in Analog. (Film Only) 3,087 photos, 189 members
Official National Geographic Group 292,982 photos, 12,354 members
B/W_Analog 14,981 photos, 372 members
Bladerunner 6,817 photos, 935 members
B&W FILM WITH HASSELBLAD & MEDIUM SQUARE FORMATS 2,854 photos, 144 members
We have a plan 3,849 photos, 741 members
Kodak Ektar 100 28,203 photos, 3,020 members

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Testimonials (26)

vero pérez says:

"I met Ontoshiki through his photographs "Memories Awashed " and I was shocked.
I really liked his way to portray the silence after tragedy, the leaving plenty of memories, the ruins of life... My first comment to him: “Thanks for these moving photos... showing the tragedy with such sensitivity and respect. All the photos are really wonderful” (Hahaha I recovered this : )
After that ...their jobs do not get me stopped.
No matter if It was lips caressing delicious wines; a cat hugging a tree in a deep dream; men cling to their newspapers on the subway; goldfish; magical and dreamy nights; nakedness elegant, warm and sensual; silhouettes winged; umbrellas of love; endless legs...
Images taken by Ontoshiki captured me from the first moment, and follow me forever.
I can not imagine this without Ontoshiki... Without his poetry everything would be less magical and more boring.
I love your work... inspires and motivates me every day.
Thanks for that.
And thanks for being as you are ; )"

15th August, 2011
Ying56 (back) says:

"Ontoshiki moves with sophistication in film and its many languages.
He is at ease with words and documents his work sometimes preferring a narrative, but also with an inner voice
that comes through at moments as open and direct as the images.
I have enjoyed both the visual as well
as the words (such as his striking titles to his photographs and projects). He seems to be seized with various forms of vivid dreaming, as in his flashbacks. In fact, his work is evocative in more than the visual way, the delicate
yet strong light that permeates his black and white work, as well as the way he frames and vignettes his
images, are always a real pleasure to return to."

1st August, 2011
Lomodachi says:

"Ontoshiki has an eye for the magical moments in life which can be seen throughout his entire collection of images. Going from one image to the next takes you on an emotional journey where you feel honored to see a different view of the world through the photographer's eyes."

1st August, 2011
aelena says:

"I think Ontoshiki has achieved an unique personal vision, sometimes loaded with some sadness that's difficult to pinpoint, others with frailty, but always evocative...fragments of other lives we're allowed to glimpse for a minute.
He's a recent discovery for me but has provided plenty of favorite photos. He goes well beyond the document and goes for the blurred human condition."

31st July, 2011
Stuart T Collins says:

"you can never be disapointed when you view ontoshikis photos, soul, beauty, emotion can all be found in his images. Eddie Adams once said " if it makes you laugh, if it makes you cry, if it rips out your heart out, it's a good picture ", he could well have been describing ontoshikis work. As a constant source of inspiration i would hope one day to take images half as good."

31st July, 2011
Cortez77_fr <camera addict> says:

"I like a lot your photographic eye, still a pleasure to see your new works."

31st July, 2011
pointlessphotographer says:

"I am very poor to write this kind of things but still wanted to write couple words.
I am always impatient to see latest additions of Ontoshiki and rarely, if ever I have had to disappointed. He really has an eye to photography. Keep it up!"

30th July, 2011
Fireboy Creative Inc™ says:

"Ontoshiki is an inspiration to me. He's a brilliant individual with an eye for what is right in a scene, and he makes that image happen.

I've been fortunate that Ontoshiki has actually favoured some of my work. I'm honoured that someone with such talent enjoys my photography as well.

Jeff Kew
Fireboy Creative Inc
Vancouver, BC. Canada"

30th July, 2011
Melanie Nicol Photography says:

"Ontoshiki seems to perfectly capture evocative moments in time in his photographs. Often containing hints of melancholy, nostalgia to the sinister and erotic, he has a natural gift for preserving fleeting moments of haunting beauty in his works.
Having met and worked with him, he is not only a fun easy guy to work with, it was fascinating to watch the mix of methodical and instinctive methods he uses to capture his images.
All in all, Ontoshiki has an ever-evolving and ever-fascinating portfolio to watch and be inspired by.

Melanie"

30th July, 2011
·júbilo·haku· says:

"an exquisite view of Japan from the eye of a guy that finds the perfect moment, and captures the frame with the perfect composition. The beauty on his shots, is based mainly on the reflection of the moment and the place he puts his eyes on. He is a must on Flickr."

29th July, 2011
OliForteG says:

"I am very glad Ontoshiki has a camera. He is one of the few contacts on flickr that I find myself constantly revisiting."

28th July, 2011
**Geoff* says:

"Ontoshiki is a skilled master at conveying mood and mystery. He does it with style beyond just what would be called "documentary" or "journalistic" or "contemporary". He's one of the rare few that doesn't fall into a category - he just makes great images and isn't afraid to take risks with whatever he shoots."

28th July, 2011
yugensch says:

"His photographs can tell stories of yearning, of death, of age old tales.
Maybe of wounds long ago forgotten but reopened.

His photographs can stand for memories, vague moments - bit fuzzy or bittersweet or downright beautiful.
Heartstrings even.

His photographs can be dreams not just simple documents.

Most of us just take photos - only some actually teach us with theirs. Ontoshiki with his influencing skills is my teacher.
His photographs freeze time lending me the vision of the photographer.
Thanks for that."

28th July, 2011
Haishaaah says:

"So I guess the question really is...what's not to like about Ontoshiki's photo stream?

I think, for what it worth, his stream really epitomizes why we are so addicted to photography...his work always is telling a story, a mixture of instant nostalgia (borrowed, yours or vicarious) and the emotion behind the shot...

It doesn't matter if you are a man or a woman...you just fall in love...I call it the James Bond effect...men want to BE him (cool and elegant) and women...well, if you've seen his stream, you just get carried away by his charisma...

Immediately becomes one of your most intriguing contacts and the wait for his next post is excruciating..."

27th July, 2011
Mac Gallatin (Back soon) says:

"I follow Ontoshiki's photo stream for almost 2 years now.
Every series of shots is a new story he shares with people.
There is a "je ne sais quoi" in his photos that makes his style unique and so particular, between poetry and nostalgia.
I could recognize his shots among hundreds of photos.
Behind every of his shot is hidden a message, that's what I like.
He's one of my favourite contacts."

27th July, 2011
sputnik sweetheart * says:

""Introverts are more concerned with the inner world of the mind. They enjoy thinking, exploring their thoughts and feelings."

I can't agree more with this quotation. Your personality influences your art work in ways that it becomes so real, thoughtful, close, and personal. Looking through your stream is like stepping into your endless analysis about life. A perfect mixture of dream and reality. This is the ingredients that makes your art becomes addictive, really!

Thank you for sharing this inspiring work of art!

PS: I have a degree in Accounting too, but apparently my passion is far from General Journal :)"

27th July, 2011
Urban Gaze (nandemofoto) says:

"An artist with a vision and a skilled photographer."

27th July, 2011
lizardking_cda says:

"As a diamond Ontoshiki's work has several facets. You need a deep immersion to embrace his vision of life. You will not only taste some slices of melancholic nightlife but also some frozen images of a sepulchral landscape. You take an another peek and you discover that this landscape is not so abandoned. The nature is blooming and suddenly your black & white vision turns into a colourful vision. The same for the visual aspect as he deals not only with very dark B&W images but also with some vivid colours.

In spite of his attraction to dark things and thoughts he's constantly looking for hope. And he shares his reflections with us... between two lust experiences.

I must also mention that it's always a pleasure to read his insightful comments on my photographs."

27th July, 2011
AsianSnow says:

"Ontoshiki's images speaks to me. His vision and talent captures his subjects' soul beyond what the lenses see. This what makes his art so compelling and addictive. He is also one of the nicer flickr contact I know, he never fails to show support or encourage inspirations. His photographs are inspirations."

27th July, 2011
Connate says:

"An enigma around here, Ontoshiki-San impressed me time and again with his photos, showing the darker side of life with an unique twist around the corner. There is also a kind of glimmer that sparks a happy feel from some of his dark photos, paralleling both of them together nicely. Beautiful, beautiful memories of an introvert in print.."

26th July, 2011
bigsplash says:

"The man has a lot of style and substance."

26th July, 2011
frieda ryckaert (in attend of spring) says:

"As writing on himself -see the interesting notes on his profile- Ontoshiki is an introvert 'pure sang'... only by permitting moments of solitude and introspection, the images he creates can richly reach the level of more then just a momentary beauty.
As I made part of fashion life for quite some time -almost now as in a former life- I only can express my deepest respect and appreciation for the beautiful evolution in deeper going thoughts and moods that occure in his recent images. Cinematic shouldn't always be about glamour and glitter, as he certainly knows to handle with a poignant intelligence and sensitivity for moods.
I'm delighted to have him as a contact, with my deepest respect and admiration for his continuous research on the world around him!
Frieda"

5th June, 2011
theladysara says:

"This guy inspires me. That is all."

26th May, 2011
riisemonet says:

"First and foremost a human being and then as fate would or would not decide a photographer. Senuality abounds in his work. His mind's eye, sharp and in focus."

22nd October, 2010
ıusnɾ@w|©kedf|lm says:

"ontoshinki has beautiful way of presenting his picture and well chosen words for his notes. I enjoyed looking at his well crafted images accompanied by beautifully written notes."

22nd September, 2010
Matteo Settegrana says:

"I fall into his beautiful photostream one day...and I was totally enraptured about the amazing atmosphere he creates everytime in his shoots!
He has a charming and original point of view and his Work reveals itself to us as an infinite World to discover always without never getting tired.
I'm glad to say that Ontoshiki is one of my Favourite flickr Photographer, and I'm happy to be in touch with him.

Thanks a lot for sharing your Beautiful Work with us my friend!
Respect,

Matteo"

7th September, 2010