The heat has been getting to me lately, and I just can’t seem to get any good shots.
Late August was pretty much all about “just viewing,” so this time, I’m sharing about another photo exhibition I went to see. Due to the timing of the exhibition, I’m squeezing this post in ahead of my scheduled article.
A fantastic sports photography exhibition is currently on display at the Canon Gallery in Shinagawa. 
Takahito Mizutani began his career in mountain photography, transitioned to skiing, and eventually photographed all kinds of sports. For 60 years, he has pursued sports photography not merely as “documentation” but as “art,” becoming a pioneer among Japanese sports photographers. This photo exhibition is said to be the culmination of his work.
As usual, I wandered into the gallery completely unprepared and uninformed. Not being someone who usually takes portrait photos, I didn’t have a particularly strong interest in sports photography, but I was utterly blown away.
Mr. Mizutani’s photos overflow with an incredible depiction of “human power” that transcends my simplistic understanding of sports photography as “capturing cool, dynamic moments.”
Power, speed, beauty, and the raw, unbridled spirit and razor-sharp focus radiating from the athletes. He finds the ultimate “human beauty” within the fleeting moments of athletic competition and captures it brilliantly. It is incredible.
Every photo is overwhelming, but the one that particularly stuck with me was a “quiet” piece. It’s a distant, frontal shot of the women’s team pursuit ice skating as they race down a straight line. The three athletes’ arms extend beautifully in three directions, creating a fantastical beauty like a 3-faced deity rushing silently.
Alongside the “Shoot the Moment” photo exhibition, two other photo exhibitions are being held in the open gallery on a different floor.
These are exhibitions of works by members (professionals) and associate members (amateurs) of the Sports Photography Association, chaired by Mr. Mizutani. It seems to be an ambitious event ”taking over” three adjacent galleries with sports photography.
Sorry for the casual smartphone photos.
The “Shoot the Moment” exhibition was on the lower floor, while the other two photo exhibitions were in the open gallery on the upper floor.
Of course, I viewed everything and learned a great deal. At the members’ exhibition, I was amazed by the professional techniques on display, such as “capturing rare moments” and “refining photographic skills.” At the associate members’ exhibition, I felt the intense passion conveyed through the photos, thinking, “How hard they must have worked to capture this moment.”
After seeing all three exhibitions, here’s a simple discovery from a complete amateur like me: Portraits really are all about the EYES. No matter how cool the athletic scene, photos without the athlete’s eyes seem to lose a level or two of impact.
Of course, there are masterpieces that use wide angles to show the entire scene rather than the athlete, or close-ups that deliberately avoid showing the eyes (like the skating photo I mentioned above, where the nature of the sport means the eyes aren’t visible). However, among the amateur associate members’ works, I saw quite a few where I thought, “Ah, it’s a wonderful photo, but it’s a shame the athlete’s ‘eyes’ aren’t visible.”
Also, I was reminded once again of just how incredible Canon’s equipment performance is (lol).
Anyway, it’s a tremendously stimulating and educational event. The exhibition ends on September 8th or 29th, so if you’re interested, I recommend going soon.
