Influences

 W. Eugene Smith

W. Eugene Smith was a WWII photographer and worked for Life Magazine. His last photojournalist series in Minamata, Japan has influenced me in the way I photograph. He was sent there to document the tragic physical and psychological changes many of the villagers experienced through drinking the highly contaminated water. His powerful imagery of the subjects that he shot reminded me what photography means to me. Looking that these images, I could see the strong topic in a very immersive way. I had never seen a set of photos that had made me feel this way. Whenever I go out to shoot a project, I always go back to Eugene Smith's final project. W. Eugene Smith succumbed to his injuries that he received when shooting this project. This series highlights the dedication of the artist. 

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Ryuichi Sakamoto is a Japanese contemporary experimental music composer. His work is very easy to meditate to, many of his pieces are very abstract which is flexible for me to use through my creative process. There is a strong element of negative emotion in his work, but also a certain calm. I first started to listen to "Three" (a collection of film scores that he had composed) when I was struggling with my purpose. I very often use his music when I photograph. Making photographs full of emotion became easier ever since I started drawing and shooting with his music. 

https://www.cartierbressonnoesunreloj.com/el-bano-de-tomoko-de-eugene-smith-la-historia-de-una-foto-inolvidable-y-la-de-una-familia-que-acabo-prohibiendo-su-utilizacion/

https://www.micamera.com/prodotto/minamata-w-eugene-smith-i-edizione/
https://twitter.com/photogsatwork/status/1344294406690660353
http://thenewordermag.com/tno/vol19-archive-ryuichi-sakamoto