Michel aka Mijonju is a very interesting friend I got to know (strangely) through some Olympus E-P1 forum. His is a big crazy camera lover and of course from there, we got to be pretty good friends and did some double exposure collaborations together. I’m hoping we can meet up soon in Japan when I’m on vacation … but I’ve gotta make sure he doesn’t bring me camera shopping!
Anyway, he is the featured person in this round of ‘About Someone’ entry. It is very interesting (and funny) to read his replies to the interview questions. The only problem I had was trying to understand why he sent me this weird self-portrait instead of those other cooler handsome ones in his photo gallery in Flickr. For a moment I thought he sent me a photo of a female friend … and the next moment I felt a chill down my spine when I realised he just rubbed off his left eye in the photo. 😀
How about telling us a little something about yourself?
Everyone calls me Mijonju or Jonju, I live in Tokyo with my wife and I love cameras like a fat boy who loves chocolate cake. I don’t just like cameras I like photos and most artistic things. I’m not really good at making them, but I’m pretty good at enjoying them. I was also a pretty good Magician, my hands and eye are probably the most important part of my body. I run a website called www.circlerectangle.com (the basic shapes of a camera.) I don’t label myself as a certain kind of photographer, street photographer, lomographer, film photographer or not even a photographer. I just wanna capture things I wanna remember. With anything (Camera or camera tools) will be fine, as long as it captures the moment I want, the way I want it.
But I should say, having Cameras are more addictive then using them.
Like I said I love artistic things. Cameras are like an artistic work of art that MAKES work of arts.
I like art so I collect them.
You seem to be crazy about cameras. So when did it all start?
I use to draw, in my art class, but drawing is slow, without a good memory, my brain cannot remember, or capture the image that i find interesting.
I can still draw pretty well, but with items that doesn’t move. My mother was a photographer and my Dad worked for Kodak before he started his own business. (nothing to do with photography)
Here is an image of my mom showing off her new camera …
She was holding a Seagull.
I wasn’t Interested until I was 18, my friend introduced me to his Canon DSLR, back then I didn’t have enough money to get one. So I got a roll of film and took my mother’s unwanted Minolta SRT 101b with a 50mm 1.7 lens with a screwed up light meter, back then I had no idea how to use it. my photos came out underexposed and some over exposed. That somehow became challenging to me, and I started understanding and learning. After some time, I got a job and some money, I got a nikon d200 (sold). after trying digital slr, I still like the feeling from my Minolta SRT 101b more. I went back to film. The feeling I always wanted came back. (underexposed but pushed)( greenish tones some times orange). slowly, I started Collecting cameras instead of shooting.
What was your first camera?
I used to have a 3 megapixel with a name I couldn’t recall.
But I officially started serious photography with my mother’s Minolta SRT 101b and my friends Smena 8m.
Which one is your all-time-favourite camera and why?
Konica c35 FD (aka Auto s3) no good reason, I just like the feel of the camera in my hands and the way it functions. I know it sounds strange, but I see me in this camera. This camera has good and bad functions like me. Its really something indescribable, just a feeling.
You started your blog CircleRectangle.com recently. What prompted you to do it?
I’m a sick person and I have an illness. I’m also evil, because I want to spread this illness to other people.
I’m contagious, the doctor told me this illness called CCS(Camera Collecting Syndrome.) cannot be cured easily.
By making www.circlerectangle.com, I should amplify my contagiousness to as much people as possible.
It also has the effect on CCS (Camera Collecting Syndrome) patients.
The site makes it harder for patients who are trying to get cured.
Do you know how much poison you are spreading with those camera info you post in your blog?
They are not actually poison, they are worse then bacteria, the CCS is Extremely Contagious, they can be transmitted visually. It can be transmitted to a person just by looking at it. since its so, I intend to spread it to the world.
Are you guilty?
I admit, I am guilty. I’m guilty of loving cameras and guilty of spreading the love for cameras.
If one fine day … either digital or analogue photography has to go.
Digital should go. Maybe 1 day when limited electricity gets expensive, film can save a lot more power “without charging batteries”.
no analog photography = no film. No buyer, no seller.
This means there will be completely no more of either one of them. Which will you want to save?
Film.
How many cameras do you have now (excluding those still in the mail on the way to you)?
Currently 31
Share with us … 3 of your personal favourite shots and perhaps tell us why.
“I just love the dynamic symmetric in this photo.”
“A true expression, that only a care free kid can express. (my friend’s son)”
“I love the isolation of 1 single root, spreading out to thousands of small stems that 1 day will become its own Core root.”
We’ve seen some of the very informative and cute videos you posted on YouTube. Any plan to move to Hollywood? Okay … crap question … just answer it. 😀
Nope, I don’t do the videos to get attention or me wanting to be famous in anyway, its just another form of amplifying the CCS. or help people who wants to get the CCS. If 1 day my video channel got famous, the CCS will still be the prime objective of the entire project, but not me. (There can also be other host or speaker for the program) In order to make viewers digest the info that I give out, I try to do it a funny way.
What do you think the future looks like in terms of analogue photography?
I have a few plans for some new cameras I’m developing now but it needs time and money. But then again, I’m sure there will be other companies with new innovative ideas and new cameras.
Do you think film is making a big comeback?
Definitely, when more people fall in love with photography they will realize that film has its charming side.
What is your advise to those who have been ‘poisoned’ by you and are already breaking their piggy banks to pay for more cameras?
Do what you love and what you like get all the cameras that you hungry for!! As long as you don’t hurt the people around you. This is life, If I can live a 100 years and suffer, I’d rather live 10 years with happiness. CCS patients always have another bunch of CCS patients beside them as a safety net. There is always a Market for cameras. Even if you lose some money, you can guarantee that you’ll get some money back. sometimes you might even earn a little. If you feel like your life and the people around you having a hard time, sell them all away. when your life is back on track, your camera will always be in the pool of CCS patients.
Then when you get the camera back, you will smile and thank them, for being the cause and the solution to your problem.
Without them, we might spend the money on stupid, meaningless and worthless things.
Sorry, If I start to stop making sense. hehehe ^^ Mijonju..
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