Naoya Hatakeyama:

Hatakeyama is a Japanese photographer born in 1958, in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture; he studied at the School of Art and Design at the University of Tsukuba in 1981, and later completed his post-graduate studies there in 1984. Hatakeyama admired the countryside and the natural beauty of the mountains in his home region, and he explores the meaning of landscapes in the present day when all land is affected by human activity, maintaining that even landscapes that we admire for its untouched beauty, such as the craggy mountaintops of the Alps, has already been altered by human use by their portrayal as idealized nature.  Therefore, Hatakeyama’s works mostly embodies humans’ intervention/interactions/relationships with the environment around-landscapes and cities-its past, present, future and the impact upon it.  To Hatakeyama,  photography is a medium to document and analyze these changes,  it is a method of exploring humanity’s place in the natural world and the consequences of its interventions. His river series created in 1993-1994 pairs Tokyo’s built structures with the luminous and mysterious waters on which the buildings are constructed. The reflections are shown through rivers-in which mostly are in urban settings where human activity intersect with nature; this choice of location possibly reflects the tension between nature and urban development, criticizing humanity’s persistent effort to control nature while being depending on it at the same time. The symmetry and balance created by the water conveys a sense of calmness and harmony, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the photographs; the contrast/diverse/layering of the various textures-the smooth, rippling, flowing water with the geometric rigidity of the industrial structures, and the thoughtful use of natural lighting-which creates a mysterious and shimmering scene, evokes emotions of awe, calmness, and tranquility.

 

Lee Friedlander:

Friedlander is an American photographer born in July 14, 1934, in Aberdeen, Washington; his style has focused on and is also known for his asymmetrical black and white pictures of the American social landscape-everyday people, places, and things, capturing daily modern life.  Already having passion for photography in the age of 14, he studied briefly at the Art center school in Los Angelos and moved to New York city in 1956, starting his career by taking pictures of jazz musicians-including Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and John Coltrane for the Atlantic records; he also worked as a freelance photographer for magazines such as Collier’s, Esquire, McCall’s, and Sports Illustrated. And in 1960, Friedlander emerged as a street-photographer, capturing glimpses of urban life with unflinching realism-including the chaos of the city and also dense natural landscapes, focusing on countless objects from cars to trees to monuments. Friedlander took black and white pictures using a Leica 35mm camera, using reflections in storefront windows, plate-glass doors, and side-view mirrors to complicate the viewing experience; he also incorporated street signs, doors, and windows as framing devices. To Friedlander, his fascination with photography stems from deep engagement with the materials and the enjoyment that he derives from the process, he emphasizes of capturing images as they present themselves, maintaining that compelling photographs are available in everyday life, requiring only an observant eye to recognize it. Friedlander’s photographs stand out aesthetically due to their complexity and use of visual elements. The reflections add depth and ambiguity to the images, creating a sense of visual tension-this complexity creates a dynamic viewing experience, evoking interest and curiosity. The contrast between black and white enhances the texture, structure, and shapes, which adds depth to the image, enriching their visual impact. The thoughtful and unique use of windows and mirrors to establish the scene is innovative, eliciting emotions of amusement and delight, prompting a deeper engagement. And the isolation of the figures within the urban backdrop also evokes emotions of melancholy and loneliness.

Summary:

Overall. these two artists have various differences-their experience, the way they see photography, and their focus-in which Hatakeyama sees photography as a method of documenting the changes of nature and the human interference upon nature, and Friedlander is more eager and interested to use it to capture glimpses of modern day urban life-all result different effects presents in their artworks; the style that they show and the methods that they use are also nothing similar-while Hatakeyama chooses to use the shimmering river water to present hazy and distant reflections, Friedlander, on the other hand, uses windows, glass, and mirrors to present unique shadows and reflections-this also creates differences in the emotions and meaning conveyed-the symmetry and stillness of the water creates tranquility and peacefulness, while the glasses and mirror reflect amusement and isolation. Despite being different, both are interesting and worth referencing art pieces.

Sources used:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lee-Friedlander

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Friedlander

https://photoquotes.com/search?search_text=Lee+Friedlander

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naoya_Hatakeyama

https://www.takaishiigallery.com/en/archives/5925/