My old camera, a Nikon D200, getting blessed by the priest at the buddhist Fudo Myoo temple in Yokohama. September 2009.

Tokyo. Hot evening. No breeze. The end of our visit in September 2009. Like poetry.

Early morning view from the place outside the gates of the Myoshinji Zen temple complex where I used to have my morning cigarette. Me and my friend Alex Reinke stayed there during a photographic visit in september 2009. A view often become a close friend.

April 2010. Yokohama, japan.
Cold morning walk to Horiyoshi III’s studio. The ash from an icelandic volcano had extended my stay.

After quite some time I finally have time to return to this blog. Work on the first book to published by our (Alex Reinke and myself) new publishing effort, have consumed most of my time lately.
The perfect way to view photography is in the form of books, where the viewer gets on a personal and private level with the work of the photographer, and starting our own publishing company assures that we have this medium within our own reach in the future. Photography is more than mere images of cats, trees and houses, and to have the outside world dictate what is relevant or not is just not option. Many times relevance is for but a few persons, and book publishing is naturally guided by money issues most of the time. Instead of seeking outside approval, walking your own path is the preferable and best way to do things.

It’s important to keep in mind that artistic quality as well as spiritual content can never be meassured. Everything is subjective and “good” versus “bad” is all in the ego mind.

While photographing for a book on irezumi master Horiyoshi III of Yokohama last summer,  I captured this on the way to the yodobashi camera store.  A portrait of man’s constant battle against the elements of existance.

• Zen-Direct Pointing to Reality by Anne Bancroft. Published by Thames and Hudson.
• Dewdrops on a Lotusleaf-Zen Poems of Ryokan by John Stevens. Published by Shambhala.
• To Cherish All Life-A Buddhist Case for becoming Vegetarian by Roshi Philip Kapleu. Published by Harper & Row.
• Zen:Dawn in the West by Roshi Philip Kapleu. Publidhed by Doubleday Anchor Press.
• The Essential Teachings of Zen Master Hakuin by Norman Wadell. Published by Shambhala.
• Samurai Zen-the Warrior Koans by Trevor Leggett. Published by Routledge.
• Moon in a Dewdrop by Dogen. Published by North Point press.
• The Zen of Creativity by John Daido Loori.
• Bortom Alla Begrepp by Sante Poroma Sensei. Published by Red Dot Publishing. (in Swedish)
• The Recorded Sayings of Zen Master Joshu by james Green. Published by Altamira Press.
• Eat,Sleep, Sit by Kaouro Nonomura. Published by Kodansha Europe.
• Three Pillars of Zen by Roshi Philip kapleu. Published by bantam.
• Sword of No-Sword-Life of Master Warrior Tesshu by John Stevens. Published by Shambhala.
• Essence of Zen by Sekkei Harada. Published by Wisdom Publications.
• Simply Sitting by Philippe Coupey.
• Zen Brushwork by John Stevens. Published by Kodansha Europe.
• The Gateless Gate by Mumon. Published by Walking Lion Press.

To read about Zen is not to be confused with practising Zen, or even understanding anything really. Nevertheless, for us westerners, it seems more probable that we will take on the challenge of anything if we are intellectually informed and reassured before starting. It’s OK. My meditation cushion lives a dusty lonely life most of the time. I forget, I skip, I try to ignore what needs to be done. I am both the Hare and the Tortoise. I look funny that way, spiritually speaking.

However, reading about these matters can make you feel good and that is a good start. Some of you will go further and some will not. Either way is fine in my book. It’s Your life.

More often than ever nowadays, it’s clear to me that Irezumi, writing and photography are not separate from one and other. After all, they’re all tools for portraying the Floating World. The photograph above was captured by me on a Yokohama city street on a sticky august day 2009. I really enjoy my photography but where would I be without the all important inspiration and guide from the ones that has come before me?

For a few years now swedish photographer Paul Hansen’s documentary photographic journalism moves me deep down inside. Maybe it is like that with things like this…comes to one self and remains, almost like a shadow that you’re happy to have.

Paul Hansen recently won a big and well deserved award. Please click here you’re interested in the opportunity to view some photography I feel positively strongly about. Simply wonderful.

Hiroshima.
Two ghosts on a bench in the park talk about times past and summers to come.