Suzuka Sazanami Reflects | The Space and Time Photography Gave Me | SONY α6400 | Knowledge #435

Creators who are passionate about photography share their stories and the cameras that accompany them. The presence of a "beloved camera" reflects each individual's philosophy and values. In this installment, we feature Suzuka Sazanami, who uses the SONY α6400.

The SONY mirrorless camera α6400 is a model that quietly supports anyone’s "now," regardless of photographic skill or experience. Suzuka Sazanami, who felt a shift in her sense of distance with people and her relationship with the city, shares how she realized that photography is not a means to step forward, but rather a way to quietly stand between the city and its people.

Photography gradually became a "place" that required no words. Here, we trace the subtle changes and emotional movements that emerged from that experience.

The α6400 is a mirrorless camera with an APS-C sensor released by SONY in 2019. In addition to its high-resolution 24.2-megapixel sensor, it features fast real-time Eye AF and tracking AF, delivering outstanding performance for portraiture. The 180-degree tilting touchscreen LCD allows for flexible shooting, including selfies and video. It is a highly versatile camera, excelling in a wide range of situations and offering exceptional usability.

Since I started carrying the SONY α6400, I feel like my sense of distance with people has changed a little. It’s not that I became more outgoing or that my personality changed. I just became more able to accept myself standing there than before.

Perhaps it’s closer to saying that I found a reason not to have to speak. Just by having a camera hanging from my neck, I feel like I belong here. Even without forcing myself to explain who I am, the time spent pressing the shutter became my place of belonging.

I photograph people, but the city is always the main subject. The way shadows stretch across buildings, the reflections on wet asphalt, the air after someone has passed by. Even when people appear in the frame, I love those moments when they exist naturally as part of the city.

When I’m out photographing, I sometimes find myself naturally exchanging words with strangers. A simple "That’s nice," or "May I take a photo?" Sometimes, a brief comment leads to an unexpected conversation.

We talk about the city, or about how we like this area at a certain time of day. The camera isn’t a tool to push me forward; it gives me a reason to stand quietly between people and the city.

When photographing people, I’m drawn to moments when they’re not trying to pose. More than smiles, I’m fascinated by a profile deep in thought, or the slightly restless expression before meeting someone. Through the lens, people seem to blend into the city, and I feel as if I get a little closer to their true selves.

There are landscapes and people I never would have encountered without this camera. Words I never would have spoken, moments that would have gone unrecorded—there must be so many.

I’m not someone who likes to stand out, but this companion quietly stands between people, and between the city and myself, without pushing me forward.

Simply carrying it makes me a little kinder toward the world. The way I look at the city, the way I look at people—both have become a little slower, a little softer. For that alone, I’m glad I chose this camera.