Photo Poster Project | Chasing the Light at 4 PM in Winter by NANAMI | ISSUE #284

Held by cizucu in cities around the world, photo poster project is a photography poster exhibition that anyone can join simply by choosing a city and date.

The project we call ppp is more than just a photography exhibition. It is a community where everyone can share their stories with confidence, as well as an opportunity to connect with creators from around the world in person.

For this edition, we spoke with NANAMI, one of the creators who participated in photo poster project.

I’m NANAMI, a firefighter by profession with a love of travel and cameras. I became fascinated with photography when I was at university. I started with a disposable Utsurun-desu camera, and before I knew it, the number of cameras I owned had gradually grown to where it is today.

I often photograph fleeting moments without any particular objective in mind. Looking back through the photographs I’ve taken, I realized that they almost always contain a sense of warm “light.”
Incidentally, my absolute favorite is the light at around 4 PM in winter.

It began when cizucu reached out to me directly with an invitation. The exhibition was being held in Kyoto, but I decided to participate without hesitation—as if I had completely forgotten that I live in the Kanto region.

I had resolved to make this the year I would devote myself to photography and engage with it more proactively. I had also long wanted to participate in a photography exhibition, and then I received the invitation.
I felt that the timing of everything was serendipitous, so I decided to take part.

Participating without hesitation was absolutely the right decision!

Until I arrived at the exhibition space, I was extremely nervous about the new experience, the unfamiliar place, and meeting everyone for the first time. But it was even more enjoyable than I had imagined. There were so many conversations that could only emerge from bringing together people who share the same passion, and I felt completely at ease.

I was delighted to see my own work exhibited. Above all, it was wonderful to witness people looking closely at my work in person and to hear their responses to it directly.

I also gained a great deal from viewing the work of the other participants.
There is no doubt that taking part in this exhibition renewed my desire to make photographs. I would love to participate again!

This is the work I selected for the exhibition.

Quite simply, I chose this photograph of a couple seen from behind because I felt that I “loved” it.
Against the backdrop of the sea reflecting the sunset, they were not doing anything in particular; there was simply a sense of warmth passing between them. I was drawn to that moment and pressed the shutter.

In my everyday practice, I often press the shutter whenever I encounter a fleeting moment that simply feels “somehow beautiful.”
That moment and space—the instant I thought, “There’s something about this; I love it”—became this work.

I initially took the photograph spontaneously, so I approached the couple afterward and sent them the image. At a later date, I also received their permission to present it in this exhibition.

If even a small part of you is considering participating, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do it!
Taking that first step into something new requires courage, and it can be nerve-racking. I felt exactly the same way.

But after participating, every aspect of the experience was positive: expanding my circle through our shared passion for photography and cameras, deepening my desire to make photographs, having people see my work, and hearing their responses directly.
It was such an enjoyable and invaluable experience that I would participate again without hesitation if another opportunity arose.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to cizucu for inviting me and creating such a wonderful space!