[New Zealand LAND OF CLOUDS] (Publication date October 2005)
This country's name in Maori is Aotearoa, which means 'The land of long white cloud'. I think this book is suitable for it, then I focused on the formation of clouds in NZ. Nobody had released this kind of book. Even NZ photographers.

[Moods of New Zealand] (Publication date November 2006)
I expressed scenery of NZ under the concept of 'MOOD' of NZ. This book has got a lot of new photos I took in 2006.

Both books has got more than 100 photos.
 

Fortunately, I could release two photo books of NZ in NZ so far.
Let me explain the process of it.

I was a lucky person because I could get a contract to release a book with a local publisher Reed Publishing within one and half year after I started a photography job in NZ.
But they gave me a homework which was that I had to travel around NZ and take a photo there with the clouds.
Although I couldn't start it soon because I had some problems, I traveled in NZ which became the third time from December 2004 to April 2005.
As it becomes the name of a country in Maori, the form of a cloud in NZ was very interesting to me. I knew what Maori people felt when they arrived here at first time or the reason why Maori people named like that.
The form of a cloud continues always changing and you never see the same formation. I left luck to God and I wondered what I could view today and continued to take a photo. I took a photo of not only the clouds but the ones with the landmarks in each place.
You can enjoy this book, which is something different from the others,  as not only NZ scenery one but the clouds one.

After I released the first book, I made a plan for a next one. Actually I think I want to release a book each year if possible.
I approached Reed Publishing if I could do it. Yes, they accepted my offer but they gave me a theme, which was 'Moods of New Zealand', from them this time.
Moods of New Zealand? What is it? How can I express it through scenery photos?
I was not sure if I could take a photo for it at that time.
But just time went by even if I thought of it. I started traveling in NZ, where I wanted to retake a photo, with having had the uneasiness for a new book.
I couldn't express it well in the days of a beginning, but I made a breakthrough suddenly.
Moods of New Zealand.......
If I expressed it as one word, it might be 'atmosphere' of New Zealand??
If I took a photo of 'atmosphere' of NZ someone could feel like what I felt, I thought it might be OK. After I thought so, I could take a photo as having made a breakthrough.
About first thirty photos in this book were taken at that time.
I think you can enjoy the book if you feel the difference between the new photos and the old ones.
Then this book is a memorial one because I am the first person, who released more than two NZ photo books among Japanese people.

I would like to continue to release a book constantly then make an interesting theme for it.
I hope you will feel a country of NZ through my photos.
 

[New Zealand LAND OF CLOUDS]
- View the sample photos
- View the book reviews
- The introduction page on Penguin Books (Reed Publishing, Raupo)

[Moods of New Zealand]
- View the sample photos
- View the book reviews
- The introduction page on Penguin Books (Reed Publishing, Raupo)