Yasuzo Nojima

Yasuzo Nojima (1889-1964) is one the important figures in the history of modern Japanese photography, his work ranging from ‘kaiga shugi shashin’ (pictorial photography) to ‘shink ō shashin’ (news/straight photography) of the early twentieth century. Nojima’s earliest works are characterized by a density and heaviness echoing that of pictorialism, based in his subtle sensitivity and the pigment printing process, the mainstream printing method of that time. In the 1930s, his style takes a drastic turn under the influence of new trends in German photography, shifting toward daringly cropped gelatin silver prints in pursuit of a form of expression that is unique to the medium. This book covers all of the main elements of Nojima’s photography.