The process of making “Full Base”

ー In your photographs, both in “Full Base” and in your past works, you often use people as your subjects, don’t you?

Yamamoto: People are what I find interesting when I am shooting. There are a lot of smiling faces in “Full Base”, but it is not that I want to take smiling pictures. I just want to capture the best expressions of my subjects. It might be when they are relaxed, or when they look a little out of sorts. When I am able to capture such moments, I feel really good.

ー People in your photos all seem to have relaxed expressions. Is there a secret to this?

Yamamoto: The point is I take the initiative to relax and be silly (laughs). Also, maybe it is because I am a woman. Generally speaking, women are less intimidating than men.

ー Last year, when you shot the “Balcony Shooting Tour,” everyone had great expressions on their faces. I was also impressed by your strategy.

Yamamoto: Covid-19 pandemic was a new experience for everyone in the world. At first, we were encouraged not to leave our homes. I was afraid to even go to a convenience store, and I didn’t see anyone at all. One day, however, I felt an irresistible urge to take pictures. But even if I wanted to take pictures of people, I was hesitant to go outside and get close to them. So I thought, Why not just go out and take pictures from afar? So I asked on Instagram, “I’m going out to take pictures from afar, so who wants to pose for me on the balcony?”, and various friends told me to come take pictures of them, and that work was completed.

ー Derived from the “Balcony Shooting Tour,” you let us co-produce a video project called “I want to meet you”.

Yamamoto: I was uploading photos on social networking sites and an acquaintance connected me to you. It was just a matter of time before we decided on the project. About a week after I uploaded the photos, the video was uploaded on the BEAMS site. That was the first time I worked with you.

ー Let me ask you about the story behind the production of “Full Base”． First of all, can you tell us how it all started?

Yamamoto: I was selected as an artist-in-residence in Asahikawa (a program that invites creators to a certain location for a certain period of time and supports them in creating artwork). The entire building belongs to the Artist-In-Residence (AIR), with a gallery on the first floor and residences on the second and third floors.

ー You don’t have any connection to Asahikawa, do you?

Yamamoto: Actually, I have a friend in Asahikawa. She is a former colleague of mine at the record company where I used to work. She is from Asahikawa and had quit her job and returned to her hometown. She was helping the administration of the AIR and recommended them to invite me as well.

ー You stayed there for 54 days from January 13 to March 7. That was the coldest time of the year, wasn’t it?

Yamamoto: There were days when it was minus 20 degrees Celsius. But although it was cold, there was no wind, and I liked the perfect silence and ice-cold feeling. I wouldn’t mind going back there again.

ー Did you feel at a loss when you were suddenly thrown into a place you knew nothing about?

Yamamoto: Tokyo was tense because of the pandemic, so I was worried that people in Asahikawa would be scared of me coming from Tokyo. But on the day I arrived, they threw me a welcome party. They welcomed me warmly, and my fears were soon put to rest.

ー So there was nothing to worry about. How did you meet the people photographed in “Full Base”?

The first person Yamamoto photographed upon her arrival in Asahikawa was the man at “Shokujidokoro Yakata” (Restaurant Yakata). In fact, the day of the photo shoot was the last day of business for the restaurant.

Yamamoto: Everyone in Asahikawa made suggestions about who they wanted me to meet, where they wanted to take me to, and so on. When I started shooting, I became extremely busy, visiting three places a day, every day. It looks fun in the picture, but my daily life was much harder than I expected (laughs).

ー Were there any other ways to meet people?

Bo-fura, a hangout that Mr. Yamamoto frequented in Asahikawa.

Yamamoto: There was a place in Asahikawa that was like a hangout. In the back was a live music club and in the front was a bar called Bo-fura. Two days a week, platters of food were served for people to share, and music and culture lovers would gather. I met a lot of people there.

ー I guess you meet people in a different way than in Tokyo.

Yamamoto: In Tokyo, music and fashion are all divided by genre. There are different places to gather depending on the genre. But at Bo-fura, there are people who like punk, hip-hop, and hardcore. People come together regardless of genre, and that was somewhat refreshing.

Yamamoto’s former colleague from her days at the record company, who drove her around every day.

The owner of Jiyuken, famous for being featured in the drama “Kodoku no Gourmet”. “The crab cream croquettes here are really delicious,” says Yamamoto.

ー In a small town, there may not be such a division. It’s more like coming together as a larger group.

Yamamoto: Yes, that’s right. Also, after staying a while, it seems that people would know what time I’d be arriving nearby. I was probably the most famous person in town at that time (laughs). So in some ways, people came to see me voluntarily.

Kayoko Yamamoto and people and photography.

ー Why did you take up photography in the first place?

Yamamoto: I have loved photography since I was in junior high school, and I used to take pictures on occasions like school trips. All the kids in my class wanted to have them. After experiencing that joy, I started carrying a camera with me all the time.

ー So that was your original experience as a photographer?

Yamamoto: That’s right. After entering university, I joined the photography club and learned about developing film, and I became more and more involved. But I never thought of becoming a photographer after graduation, so I went to work for a record company.

ー Were you taking pictures at the record company as well?

Yamamoto: No, not at all. One day I was transferred to the advertising department and became the one in charge of interviews, which gave me more opportunities to interact with photographers. That’s when I realized that what I really wanted was to be on their side. I was thinking that it might be too late to start from someone’s assistant, but then the Great East Japan Earthquake happened. I decided that I had to live my life without regrets, so I quit the company and started my own business.

ー Did jobs come so easily?

Yamamoto: I had been at a record company, so I only had connections. Thanks to everyone’s kindness, I was able to get a few jobs here and there. That is why I still often take pictures of musicians and live performances.

ー Unlike that kind of client work, you used ordinary people as your subjects in “Full Base” this time, didn’t you? I don’t think it’s possible to photograph everyone you meet, but do you have a standard for whom you do or do not photograph?

Yamamoto: When I know that I am interested in them and they are interested in me. I feel like I was shooting people whose feelings were mutual.

ー Do you have any most memorable episodes from the production of “Full Base”?

Yamamoto: It’s hard to pick, but I was into three boys for sure. They were a unit called “Sannin-no-Tabako” (Three Cigarettes).

Three of “Sannin-no-Tabako”

Yamamoto: From the right in the photo, there is FLAT who is a tattoo artist, in the middle is Tachi who came from Ibaraki to study woodworking, and on the far left is Suguru who works at a vintage clothing store and draws illustrations. They were all about 23 or 4 years old. I would like to continue photographing them in the future.

ー What attracted you to them?

Yamamoto: I was born in Saitama, and I have always had a longing for Tokyo, and I have lived my whole life with the feeling that Tokyo is the best. But they are not like that. They have created a place in Asahikawa that is comfortable for them. They see both Tokyo and Asahikawa plainly and are not attached to either. I was attracted to them because they have a core of their own and are not influenced by the media.

ー We can tell from the photos that each of the three has his own style.

Yamamoto: It’s great that they are so stylish and have their own flair even if they are not in Tokyo. But the tattooist has begun to talk about coming to Tokyo (laughs).

ー (laughs) I like that flexibility, too.

T-shirt produced in conjunction with the “Full Base” exhibition. The title is “Yuru Yuru MANRUI”.

Yamamoto: I asked him to illustrate a T-shirt for this exhibition. The T-shirts are sold at the venue, so I hope everyone will take a look.

ー Why is the title “Full Base” in the first place? Baseball has nothing to do with it, right?

Yamamoto: There is no deep meaning. I just felt the days in Asahikawa were so rich and happy. My heart, body, and brain were so fulfilled that I felt like I couldn’t take any more, so I decided to go with “Full Base”.

ー Did you name it yourself?

Yamamoto: When I was deciding on a title for the exhibition in Asahikawa, everyone knew I was struggling, and they helped me come up with an idea. The conversation turned to “If I were to compare my current state to baseball,” to which I replied, “That’s a state of all bases being loaded!” and everyone agreed.(laughs)

ー What kind of impact did your stay in Asahikawa have on you?

Yamamoto: I probably lived too long in Tokyo and wore thick armor to protect myself. I didn’t love myself enough. I used to worry about my age and keep my name out of the public eye, but I feel like I’ve loosened up.

I have come to think that no matter what I do, I am who I am, and I have to accept that. However, I still don’t like having my picture taken, even today (laughs).