Aya Onodera (b.1986) is a young photographer living in a small town called Iwate in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. She does some farming around her home and likes to take pictures of her surroundings.
About : My name is Aya Onodera. I am a 30-year-old amateur photographer and a farmer live in Japan. I was born and raised in the countryside of northeastern Honshu, Japan. I went to Tokyo to study photography when I was 20 years old, but dropped out due to bad health. After getting back to home from Tokyo, I didn’t take any pictures and I didn’t meet any people. Instead, I grew plants. Nature helped and saved me.
I’ve started photograph again from a few years ago. At the moment, I’m happy to communicate with nature via photograph.
Statement, preferences, methods, etc. : For me, photography is something like communicating with living nature. When I take pictures, I say “Hello!”, “What’s up?” to the objects.
I feel subtle indications from living nature occasionally and I shoot them. I use a Nikkormat FTN camera with a 50mm F/2 lens and a Leica Minilux most of the time. Sometimes I also use a Pentax 6×7 (with a 105mm F/2.4 lens. Using standard lens is the best way to photograph for me.
Projects, photos : These images are from a series called “Nichi-Getsu”. - There are portraits of living nature who I met in a 20 steps radius from my house. When I look around, I feel like my life is a dream.
I do not know that after waking up from a dream yet.
Influences, inspirations : I like reading novels since I was a child. My favorite authors are Haruki Murakami, Banana Yoshimoto, Yoko Ogawa, Paul Auster, Miranda July, Thoreau, etc. Many books I read became food for my body and soul.
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