Shiyo Takahashi, Manager at Leica Ginza Shop (Taken with Leica Noctilux-M 50/f1.0) The Leica and Japan — an association of which many legends are made of, but perhaps also a relationship that is often misunderstood or misinterpreted. Many people see the Japanese camera market solely populated by wealthy individuals that will put the precious machine... 

It may be different where you are, but here in Japan it is positively sweltering and incredibly difficult to drag oneself outside into the heat unless absolutely necessary. Social life and environmental concerns be damned, here at the Japan Exposures we want to do nothing more than to stay inside, pour ourselves a cool beverage, crank up the air-conditioner,... 

The other day Japan Exposures visited the Fukagawa area of Tokyo to take in a unique photo exhibition organized by the photographer Mitsugu Onishi. The idea is not a single exhibition in a gallery, but rather a series of exhibition spaces — and only one or two of them actual working galleries — spread out over several blocks in an easily... 

Mikiko Hara was born in Toyama Prefecture in 1967. She graduated from Keio University in Literature in 1990 and Tokyo College of Photography in 1994, where she was also a research student until 1996. Hara has had numerous solo exhibitions and exhibited internationally in Europe and in Asia. “Hysteric Thirteen,” a photo-book of her work, was published... 

Miyuki Okuyama, in her series Safe Playground that she has been working on, off and on, for the past six years, constructs pseudo-landscape scenes using miniature props. Shooting these with toy and pinhole cameras, these dark and moody scapes may bear little relation to the staid spaces of The Netherlands where she now makes her home, but they are perhaps... 

Miyuki Okuyama was born in Higashine, Yamagata Prefecture, in 1973. She received both a BA and MA in Studio Art from the University of Alabama in the US, and has been based in The Netherlands for the last few years. Her work has been exhibited in the US, Europe and at home, and was recently part of a three-person exhibition at The Empty Quarter in... 

Premier quality lens adapter manufacturer Rayqual have today released the first version of their range of lens mount adapters for Sony E-mount cameras, such as the Sony NEX3 and NEX5. The adapter for Leica M mount rangefinder lenses is available as of today, with other manual focus mount versions (Nikon F, Canon FD and Contax/Yashica) and adapters... 

Essay by Marc Hohmann for Japan Exposures. Photos courtesy Shingo Wakagi for Famous Aspect. For me as a Creative Director and Editor, visual creation is always about the formation of a new world. A “Gesamtkunstwerk”. Old harmony. New combination. What form should go with this image? Which sound should surround this product? What word is an extension... 

Don’t let his personal selection for this Japan Exposures gallery mislead you: Arimoto doesn’t only do street portraits. Visit his thoughtfully designed home page and you will find a good variety of photographs taken on the streets in Japan or other locations such as Tibet (recommended series “Why Now Tibet?”). What shines through... 

Shinya Arimoto was born in Osaka in 1971. He graduated from Osaka School of Visual Arts (whose faculty includes Daido Moriyama) in 1994. Since his graduation he held numerous exhibitions and since 2006 is a represented member of Totem Pole Photo Gallery. A solo exhibition titled 「ariphoto selection vol.1」is held at the gallery from 6-11 July 2010. See...