Alyssa's Photography

The photographer I chose for my personal interest project is Rinko Kawauchi. As soon as I saw her work, there was something about it that instantly drew me in. As someone who likes to stop to appreciate to smaller things in life, I love how Kawauchi focuses on the ordinary and turns them into something extraordinary through her pictures. I really like the dream-like, temporal effect she creates in her pictures. They’re not only just pretty pictures, they resonate with you because of this effect. I personally want to take pictures that leave a lasting impression on people in a similar way to Kawauchi’s work.

Kawauchi comes from a background of graphic design, which influences her editing and arrangements of her photobooks. Her work is also heavily inspired by Shinto, a religion in Japan that believes all things on Earth has a spirit. This ideology is apparent in her work, where she brings to life what most would consider mundane. In an interview with Martin Parr, Kawauchi says “Whenever I’m taking pictures, I need to discover something, I want an impression from the object”.