cizucu presents photo poster project in cities around the world. Simply by submitting photographs to cizucu, creators can participate in a photography poster exhibition and meet fellow photographers they have yet to encounter.
photo poster project is organized in collaboration with volunteer staff based across the globe. Each team member brings a distinct background and personal motivation to shaping this unique space.
For this interview, we spoke with lofiseoul (John), a Tokyo-based creator and member of the project staff.
Please introduce yourself!
My name is John, and I’m from Seoul. I’ve been in Japan for around eight or nine years, and I currently live in Tokyo and work in broadcast operations.
I first took up photography for the simple reason that I didn’t have a hobby. Recently, however, photography has prompted me to reflect more deeply on many different things.
In particular, I’ve been spending a great deal of time thinking about my approach—and the attitude I bring—to photography.
What inspired you to participate in ppp and become a staff member?
At a time when most photographic exchange takes place on social media, ppp moves in the opposite direction by placing real value on offline encounters. At first, I was amazed to see so many different people gather in one place and become so animated through their shared connection to photography.
Watching creators discuss photography with such bright-eyed sincerity made me realize that cizucu was doing something extraordinarily valuable.
Through ppp, a deeply held love of photography—something people may never normally reveal to anyone—suddenly finds its way into the open, almost like a catalyst has been set off. I found that truly remarkable.
That powerful impression made me want to contribute to cizucu in some way. That is what led me to join the staff.
From a staff perspective, what makes ppp uniquely compelling?
I think its appeal lies in being a place where people with a shared passion can speak freely. There are countless people in the world, yet meeting someone who shares your tastes can be surprisingly difficult. The further I go through life, the more I realize how hard it is to find people who genuinely connect with the things I love.
At ppp, however, even people who may initially be introverted can meet others who relate to the photography they love and talk about it openly. Seeing everyone speak with a smile gives me an immense sense of fulfillment as a staff member.
It is a place where people can talk about the photography they love, even when they have never felt able to share that passion with anyone before. To me, that is what makes ppp truly one of a kind.
What do you value most as a staff member, and when do you feel most rewarded?
What matters most to me as a staff member is never losing sight of where I began. Whenever I work with ppp, I want to hold on to the feeling that first motivated me: the desire to contribute in some way.
I have an all-or-nothing side to my personality—I can become intensely enthusiastic very quickly, but I can also lose momentum just as fast. That is why I want to keep going while finding a way to reduce those extremes, even if only gradually.
Above all, I value enjoying the experience alongside everyone else. When the staff are genuinely having a good time, I think creators can relax and enjoy themselves as well.
Since joining the staff, I have felt genuinely happy whenever I see creators gradually open up and form connections with different people.
Putting the feelings and thoughts behind making a photograph into words is never easy. That is precisely why it is so rewarding to see someone who initially struggled to express themselves begin, little by little, to talk about photography with a smile—prompted by a conversation with a staff member or an encounter with another creator. In those moments, I feel truly glad to have been involved as part of the staff.
What has changed most for you since becoming involved with ppp?
Before becoming involved with ppp, I think I was mostly preoccupied with myself. I did not particularly enjoy engaging with other people, and rather than listening to what they had to say, I often ended up talking about myself.
After experiencing ppp and becoming involved as a staff member, however, I began to enjoy listening to other people. Being able to engage and communicate with a wider range of people has been a major change for me.
People sometimes see me as outgoing, but I am actually very introverted and was never naturally comfortable interacting with others. Even so, working as a member of the ppp staff gave me an opportunity to reconsider how I connect with people.
I think that is because ppp allows us to speak with all kinds of people about the things we love, sharing the sincere feelings within us exactly as they are.
What would you say to someone interested in joining the staff in the future?
I once heard a saying in Korea: “Those who merely work hard are third-rate; those who enjoy what they do are first-rate.” I do not know whether that is actually an established saying, but when I look at the people around me, I feel that while working hard is important, those who can enjoy the process are able to continue without losing interest.
I think the same is true for staff: being able to enjoy the experience may be the most important thing. I believe it can become one of the most meaningful experiences of your life.
In the present day, a place where you can speak openly and sincerely about what you love is exceptionally rare. If you are interested, I strongly encourage you to become involved and experience it for yourself.
