Distorted, over saturated, under saturated, blurry and unpredictable. These are some of the ways lo-fi photography, or photography that uses “toys” cheap cameras, often with manufacturing flaws is described. However in Tokyo, a city that has a rich legacy of both photography and camera manufacturing, these cameras are extremely popular. We will look at lo-fi photography culture in Japan, from the wonderful purikura photo booths that are loved by the iconic Japanese school girls, to the cheki polaroid cameras to users of the staple toy lexicon such as the HOLGA, Diane, and Japan’’s own Superheads. This will be primarily a photographic showcase with a number of fantastic photographers. The theme is Tokyo and will delight lovers of photography, and lovers of one of the most aesthetic cities in the world. A city of great contradictions, where temples sit wedged between skyscrapers, clubs, traditional festivals with yakuza, jazz cafes and high fashion nightclubs all exist on the same block. The book will feature the simple lives of regular students, to shooters of glamor models, to architecture to subcultures. The book will also include interviews with manufacturers such as Hong Kong’’s Holga, QAs with well known photographers and editors. Toy cameras in Japan are a style statement, and particularly loved by girls. While this culture is certainly loved in NY and European cities, in Japan, this culture is ubiquitous, not just for hipsters. The book will show the beauty, density, unexpected freedom and charm of Tokyo, in all it’’s chaotic glory.This will be a series moving around Asian cities.
