Hi there,

I was born in 1965,Tokyo,Japan.
And living in Tokyo now.

I am sales of computer (Fujitsu Ltd.)

I started shooting only 3 years ago.

However, for some reason my photos are a good reputation.

I don't know why the reason.


Some people says I am a very strange.
But I don't know why they think so.
I think I am a pretty ordinary person.


I also like music very much.

PunkRock,Free Jazz,Blues et al.


If you have any you wanted to ask me something, please ask.


More my pics are here

http://justatoy.pixyblog.com/


Thank you.


PS. I'm not good at English,so my answer will be very simple... 

 

Looking forward very much to hear how you go about creating your work Tatsuo. Good of you to volunteer. Your work is always fascinating, and you have such a distinctive style. In a meeting now, so I better look as if I am listening:) Shall come up with something in good time.

Tatsuo,

You strike me as a "street photographer" in the real sense of the word - you walk around, observe, take part, get in close and then when the moment is right you take the picture.

Am I right?

Looking forward to your answer and learning about your mode of operation.

Colmar

Tatsuo san, ! I'm so happy to see you here. You are one of my favorite street photographers. Your work is amazing, in English we say "in your face".
You get close to people, very close. Like Capa said, "if your photos are not good, get closer"  or something like that.

 I would like to ask you a few questons about how you work.

- You choose wide angles and 50 mm to do most of your work. With wide angles you need to get very close to get the kind of  photos you do. What is the reaction you get from people in Japan when shooting like this? 
  Japanese people are usually very reserved about their privacy and it always impresses me how close you get. 

- I also see that many photos are from Shibuya, why is this the place where you seem to shoot the most? is it a district in Tokyo where you fell you find interesting characters? what attracts you about it. 

- how do you deal with your characters. Some photos seem to be quick but others look like you engage your subjects, like your photos of homeless people. Do you talk to your subjects before/after you take a shot of them? 

that's it for now, but I'll probably have more!
Thanks for participating here :) 

Andre,
The way I create my work is very simple.
Weekend, I go out,walk,talk and shoot my interesting person.

I talk to them,'Could I take your picture?'

If they say 'Yes', I shoot and shoot and shoot.
'No' they say, I leave there,and walk and talk another place and people.

Thank you. 

Colmar,

Yes,you are right.

Shooting the street, it fits me very well.

I like reality the moment and person.

And I would like to shoot these scene.

More and more, near by near, I would like shoot them.

But I don't know why street? why not landscape? why not colour?

Maybe I like people very much, and B&W fits me very well.

Because Black and White  express more better the human mind.

It's my opinion.

And I like the beat rock music very much.

It's very rough feeling.

I would like to express my photos the rough feeling.

See the below link. It's one of my fav music.

http://youtu.be/IwHDD2DRZo4

http://youtu.be/re6uN1lOTQw

Thank you.

  
 

Tatsuo... do you know Mike Stern... or the Bar 55 in NYC...? Cecil Taylor????
http://pawdrix.zenfolio.com/p255548593/h202548ae#h2e1a8228

Free Jazz is a little out there for me BUT Jazz in general.... I love it!

Nicolas,

Thank you very much you like my pics. I'm so glad.

My answer are

1.I use Nikon D300 + Sigma 30mm or Nikon 35mm. And recently I use Nikon 1 V1.
They fit me very much. 
Taking portraits,I ask them 'Could I take your picture? I take people in this street all around. you hit me very much!! '  etc,etc.
So I get OK,I shoot them closer and closer.
I don't know why I like close portraits.
But fitting me very much.

Yes,Japanese is very shy and almost dislike taking their picture.
But talk and talk,they open their mind and I can take them.
Of course,'NO' is ever 'NO'.
In this case, I leave this place.

2.Shibuya, it's in near my house. about 30 min by the train.
And so many people is there.
Of course,'Shinjuku' 'Harajuku''Ikebukuro'etc,etc,it's good place and interesting place.
I should go there more.

3.Not portrait pictures are snap shots. I don't talk them. If they are angry for my taking pics,I apologize anyway.
Portraits are taken by after talking. They have open mind and open up each other.
Anyway,first,I talk to them with open mind.
It's very important,maybe you know that.

Thank you.

]
 

Steve,

I like Cecil Taylor very much.
'Unit Structure' is one of my Fav.

 I know Mike Stern but not listening...

Steve, You took CBCB's great photo.
I love it very much!!!


 

Thanks so much for your answer Tatsuo!  I also want to say that I like very much the bands that you listen too! 

I really hope we can meet you in Japan the day I finally get there :) 

Thank you Nicolas,this is great pleasure for me!

I hope so too.

Cecil's a good friend of mine. I need to revisit/re-edit this set of shots I took a few years back but here's one taken out front of The Bar 55. I haven't seen Cecil in a year or so but hear he's doing fine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21847753@N02/6817380865/in/photostream

Hey Tatsuo,

Steve,this is great work!!!
Very touching,thank you.

Christoph,

Thank you very much you like my pics,it's very much honor to me.

Yes that's right.

"small every day emotions and situations"

This is street shot's one of motivation and very important elements for me.

Converting is,

I take Raw image.

Nikon Capture NX2 - Color Efex2 - Silver Efex2 - last,Color Efex2.

Till Color Efex is Raw,Silver Efex steps is jpeg image.

Last Color Efex prosess is 'Pro Contrast' 'Film Effect' and 'Darken Lighten Center'.

These software are very good indeed.

Thank you Christoph.
 

Now Japan Time is AM 1:30  2012/02/05.

I go to bed...
 

Have. Good night Tatsuo, thanks for Your answers

Hi Tatsuo,Oh Tatsuo...that is easy to answer. Your images show raw, powerful moments that we all experience but we never see ourselves that way. You find those moments and show them to us..and in a wonderful way show us to ourselves. 

I don't really have a question for you, but I wanted to say that I thoroughly enjoy your work. 

Hi!Tatsu-San!! Congratulation,member spotlight&33!! I like your works called myself as Tatsu-mania. I want to ask you a question! In your works,which is hardest work? Please tell me it and episode!!

Phyllis,thanks for your asking.

1. Finally the finished work is JPG format only.
Because I convert Raw to JPG in processing way.

2.My color efex is Nikon Capture NX2's add-on software.
Not photoshop.
So I use the first step color efex is 'Pro contrast' 'Darken Lighten Center' or sometime using ' Tonalite contrast' or  ' Infrared film?.

3. Silver Efex process is,'High Contrast(weak)','Color filter',film type is 'Kodak ISO 32' or ' Ilford ISO 50' or 'Kodak ISO 125' or 'Agfa 400' or so on.
And 'Vignette' and 'Burn' sometime.

4. Case by case,I use last color efex film effect. Almost using Kodak Elite chrome 100 or 200 or Agfa optima 400.
It's case by case.

Thank you Phyllis you like my pics,much appreciated.

Thank you very much Martin. I'm so glad you like my pics!

Katagiri-san,thank you for your Tatsu-mania:)

Hmm,Hard work....

Of course I must talk to people who I do not know. It needs a bit courage of my mind.
But hesitation is enemy in case of street photography.

Street snap always needs a bit of courage in our minds.
It's a very important matter.

So I think all photos is very hard.
But having a courage,not so hard, it's my luck and timing.

Thank you Katagiri-san,asking me.
 

Suzuki san

Well,  a very big thank you. I am almost there...:) I have to do some work at the moment and I am not sure if I will have the time to come back before tomorrow...but I will come back to say more about your wonderful instructions...thank you so much. :)

Suzuki san, domo arigatogozaimashita for telling about your way to talk to people.  I always feel this short meeting of minds between stranger(s) (no longer?) and you in your images. this is why your photos are great :-)

have a wonderful sunday and always a good light!

warm regards
Doro

Tatsuo-sun, it is always a pleasure to see you photos, you dno not only capture faces but soles and stories, there is always a 3rd and 4th dimesion in your shots, that's what makes you photos very special imo.

Thank you very much gerard-san for your kind and friendly words.

I will keep shooting and I have a dream(or planning?)  to publish my photo book and held a exhibition someday.

Keep shooting each other.

Thank you.

Phyllis,You're welcome.

Big thank you,too for every time you commenting  on my photo.

Best Regards.

Thank you very much doro for your great comments,much appreciated.

Anyway, You and me are into B&W.

I would like to see more your great work.

Thank you.

Thank you Fadi for your comments very much.

I first heard about 3rd or 4th dimesion in my shots.

It's big honor.


By the way, Fujitsu,it's very hard work for me:)

Actually, I want to be just that of the photography:)

Thanks.

As you know, Tatsuo, I am a big fan of your work. I have a love for faces - especially close up shots - and you are a master at capturing such wonderful expressions :)

Most of your photos are of faces in the street. But you have a few photos of musicians playing on stage. Would you like to do more of them?

Kim :)

Nice to have you here, Tatsuo, and to learn more about you & your work. Keep on going! Best regards, Matjaz

Tatsuo, you are born talent and modest man, too. You make so strong life photos of your world and share them with whole world. So, thank you to be here and good luck.

Hi Again Tatsuo,

Thank you very much PAUL.
I'm so glad you say so,it's honor to me.

OK,near the future, I will write to it  the tutorial corner.

If it's helpful for you,this is my pleasure.

Thank you very much.   

Thank you Kim.

Yes,I love portraits from the street very much.
Atmosphere of the city,it effects person's face I think.
I would like to share this feeling all of you by the portraits.
Reality feeling,living now here,struggle here,etc,these elements are the reason why I take the picture on the streets.

On the other hand,you say so,I like to take the pictures of the very great musicians.
Yes,I would take more them.
Because real great musicians have great reality feelings, I shoot them and would share this great moments.
Great music has great human feeling.

So I love music very much,maybe you think so too,I know.

Thank you.

      

Thank you very much Matjaz!!!

Thank you very much,too,Dragan!!!

Phyllis,

First,I mistake to write in Silver Efex filter. I almost use 'High Structure (weak) ' not 'High Contrast (weak).

Why JPG is simple answer, I don't know the way RAW to tiff.
Tiff image is too large,so I don't use.
No other reason. Just simple. If I know how to use tiff image, maybe I use this format.
And if silver efex could use Nikon Capture NX2's add-on soft,I use always RAW format.

Velvets is one of the most my favorite group.
Of course,I love Nico and Tom waits is also my favorites.
His new album is quite a great one!


By the way, you say so,  the Earthquake and Tsunami's damages are still serious.
Especially,damages of Fukushima nuclear power plants are still continue.
We,Japanese,must don't forget them.

'No Nukes' is our key word.


Thank you Phyllis looking my profile:)

I keep shooting and would like more to be a good photographer.

Hi Tatsuo,

Hi Stéphane,

Thanks for your great words for me,much appreciated.

'modesty',I hear first about my work,but people may think or feel so.
Hmm,thank you very much.

I would take more and more the feeling on the street of the Tokyo on my Eyes.
Yes,I think so.

See you someday at Asagaya!

Best Regards.
 

 

Now I go to the bed.

PM 11:50 at Tokyo.

Good night.

Hi Tatsuo-san!
Wonderful to read about the way you work your pictures and the way you create the very distinctive style.
Thanks for sharing.
I too love street photography and your work is great inspiration and learning.

Oh! Do I not know the feeling too well! The number of pictures I have missed due to that moment of hesitation - should I  / should I not :(

Looking forward to some more great pictures!
Suresh

P.S: The co-incidence ! I too work for Fujitsu but in India !!!  Maybe, just maybe I will get to travel to Japan and I can go out for a photo shoot with you!!!

Suresh-san,

Thank you for your liking my pictures,I'm so glad.

Hesitation, also I have always when I take pictures,but I must overcome this feeling.

For taking good picture,my spirits need to be more toughness.

With also having open mind.


Oh yes,I hope to meet you someday.
Let's go out to shoot the street!

Thank you.

Thanks so much again...for the additional information.  Sometimes when we love the way a picture looks we want to try that style.  Very often, it is not so easy to actually get that style even with information because often editing a a photo has a lot of personal movement and choices. Still, it is good to hear some of the steps you take. So yes..thank you for this.I had a feeling you would say this. I think it is not only the Japanese people who should not forget but the rest of the world also. Yet - we do forget. It is like we have amnesia. It took 15 years to clean up Three Mile Island here, but there are still many here that are willing to take the risk and start building again.  So, yes it is good not to forget. I hope that those who had to clean up the mess and will continue to do this - are not permanently harmed. Also, that those in the surrounding area do not have any long terms events..

Hi Tatsuo-san,

Dear Mr. Tatsuo Suzuki,

Could you please let me add my strong congratulation to you? OMEDETOUGOZAIMASU.
Really amazing here to exchange messages on this public place in 1x, but would be ..no no..must be one of the natural results, reflecting your great efforts and pursuance of the street photography for this several years through out this site.

I was born at Etajima city in Hiroshima prefecture in 1971, and been stayed in west side region in Japan. I've been here in Kanto region after entering this company when I was 25 yrs old. Since been childhood, really I've yearned to be in savage but boisterous press of people and amazing skyscrapers in Tokyo, so that's why now on I'm pursuing a photography relevant to city scape and architectures in the metropolitan Tokyo; however, I still do not find out the respectable way to take shots of one of the category "STREETS", but WHICH fortunately have and being brought and presented to me by your excellent talented photography. Thank you very much.

Here, you can see two of my questions below. Your up-front answers would be gratefully appreciated to me.

1. Could you please pick up 3 to 5 of the best or favorite shots in your 1x gallery?
2. What is your goal on your photography from the aspects of emotional and technical viewpoints?

Thank you for reading this long English sentence, really I respect you, Mr. Suzuki.

Kindest regards,

Akira TAKAUE

Hi, Tatsuo-san!

Your street portrait is very forcible and impresses an appreciation person.
I have a question.
How many persons do you always ask for  permission generally on a street, and from how many persons can you get permission among those?
Moreover, have those numbers changed now compared with the time you started photography?


Best regards
Yusuke Sakai

Thank you very much Phyllis for your nice comments!

Frederic,thanks for asking me.

Answers are,

1.I looked for in the search engines to submit my photo to fit. So hitting One Exposure,I submitted then.
It's lucky my first submitted work was published.
It's one of the reason I'm into 1x even now.

2.Yes,always I get excited when my work is published. You know it is very difficult.
All the published works and rejected works are my great memories.
I always study how to take more great photos.


3.Sorry my words are luck. Snap shots not portrait are not permission.Not before nor after.

4. Some of my work is able to buy by 1x. But no one buys so far. Great.

Thank you very much!

     

Hi Dr.Akira TAKAUE,

Thanks for asking me. And thanks for your writing your history and the reason why you take the city scape and architectures in the metropolitan Tokyo.

My best shots are here

http://1x.com/#!/photo/26249/portfolio/19456

http://1x.com/#!/photo/30841/portfolio/19456

http://1x.com/#!/photo/33047/portfolio/19456

http://1x.com/#!/photo/36108/portfolio/19456

http://1x.com/#!/photo/35710/portfolio/19456

http://1x.com/#!/photo/44576/portfolio/19456

But more shots  are I like.

2. I need more reality. So I need the skill to express ambience?its the moment.
I don't know how to express the atmosphere its the moment.
The goal is too far, and the goal is always too far. Maybe,it can't be finished.
So I will keep shooting until the way ahead.

Thank you very much!

   

Hi Yusuke-san,
Thanks for asking this time.

Congrats published your work today. It's great.

My answer is,

When my feeling is so good at that time,I ask about 10 or more people.
And get OK is about 30-50%.
Most difficult one is Japanese girl. It's very difficult to get OK.
But some girls say 'OK'. It's 10-30%?  I don't know exactly numbers.

Yes,it's changed. Because first,I start to take a picture,it's landscape and architecture. I used to go Kawasaki Industrial Plant to take a picture.
Day by day,I take the people on the streets.
But about first times, I talk to people very few times.

Familiar with taking people, more I talking and shooting people.

But even now,not having good feeling, I do not ask to them.

Feeling control is very difficult and needs concentration.


Thank you.


    

The inquisitiveness and exploratory nature of your work, and maybe your personality, is so well reflected

Tatsu-san you are such a genius! The way you take street and candid shots is so fantastic! I didn't realize that you began to make those awsome works just 3 years ago, I thought it's like 5 years or more.....That why I call you genius! I hope I can join you to do those kind of shots if I go to Tokyo someday.....do you mind Tatsu-San? Once again, you are a genius photographer, I admire your work so much! SUBARASHII DESU! Ohayo gozaimasu

SEE! You like your softer side too like I do!! Only one of those are in your harder stuff. I hope you understand what I'm saying. I'm not criticizing the harder stuff, just saying that I have an affinity for the same sub group that you seem to!

"Waiting" is one of my very fav's of your work!YES, exactly Andre!!

Congrats Tatsuo. Now you're on the spotlight.

My favorite image of yours: http://1x.com/artist/19456#!/photo/30841/portfolio/19456

Dunno why but i found myself fond to look at it over and over again.

Cheers.

Thank you very much Andre for your great comments.

I will keep shooting on and on until I could satisfy. But it takes maybe so long years.

Anyway,thank you very much Andre!

  
 ?

Hi Hengki-san,congrats for your great work published today. It's amazing indeed.

And thank you very much for your very kindly comments for me.

I'm so glad you like my picture.

OK,let's take a picture together in Tokyo someday.

It' so fantastic!

Thank you very much!




  

Thank you very much Clyde for your great comments.

I'm so glad you like 'Waiting'.

It's a debut work in my personality street photography.

Hard stuff and soft stuff both are important for me to share them to the world through my eyes.

Best Regards. 

Thank you Tonny!

Oh yes,'Joy Time' is not so popular in my work,but I like it very much.

Like a movie scene and expressing its atmosphere and darken image is my point of likeness.

I will try to express hearing music from my picture.

More beats,raw sounds,or calm so calm sounds.

I'm so glad you like my picture.

Thank you very much! 

Hi, Tatsuo! 

This is just a "hello" from another admirer of your work.  I remember very clearly when you uploaded your first images to screening.  They stood out, even though they are quite different from the images you do these days.  I remember in particular this one:

http://1x.com/#!/photo/27692/portfolio/19456

It has been interesting to watch how you progress and grow in what and how you make your photos.

I hope to see many more of your pictures in the future!

Like Ursula I remember. That have been the day, You used Your Ricoh GR, which I still use for street too.

Hi,

Thank you very much Ursula,Christoph and Marie!
I missed your great comments.

I will keep shooting ever though now I'm sick in bed.
Getting better soon,don't worry.

Thanks again,
Best Regards,

Tatsuo Suzuki

I wish you quick recovery Tatsuo,
best regards
mario

Hi Mr. Suzuki,

Hello Tatsuo,

Hi J,

Nice to meet you here.

1.Usually,I go out there weekend,2-3 hours I'm in.
2.Subject is,it's my interested in at the moment. But I don't know why I am into them.
Maybe,it's my own sense.

Thank you J.

Hi Alvaro,

Thanks for your questions.

1.'No Nukes' is a demonstration of opposition to nuclear power plants.
It was a large-scale demonstration in Tokyo that day.
I went out there and shot and shot.

2.It's a just street snap shot.
I don't know why I make interested in them.
But to me, very charmed.

Thank you Alvaro!