Kenji Ogura, Duluth
Member Since May 2007
Artist Statement I was born in Japan and moved to Duluth, MN in 1980 to study Geology and Computer Science. Being Japanese my obsession toward the camera and photography started the moment after I was born. My father was a photographer and later became a science teacher, but in his heart he was always a photographer. I remember when I was still in elementary school my father set up a “one-night only” dark room photo lab in a middle of the bed room and developed photos all night long with my mother’s assistance. I can still smell the chemicals in my memory. I was amazed by not only the process of the photo developing, but also the fact that a photo image came to life under the dim red light. While I was staring at each print still submerged in the chemical, I was thinking about trying the same thing someday in the future. Now 40 years later, I do a somewhat similar process on my computer at home without the dim red light and chemical smell. However, I have to admit that I do miss the real dark room environment and the “smell” of the chemical which sends me back to my parents’ bedroom.
I’ve been always fascinated by nature photography, particularly landscape photography. First time I saw a photo by Ansel Adams, I was so mesmerized by it. It seemed like I could almost feel the air in the image. Back in the summer of 1983 I stood looking up at Half Dome in Yosemite Valley for the first time. The scenery I was looking at was the same exact image from the Ansel Adams photo I saw several years back. At that moment, I felt like I knew how Ansel Adams felt when he was standing in the Valley looking at the famed Half Dome through his camera lens. I remember I spent a lot money developing films after the trip. None of photos from this trip were even closed to Ansel Adams’ works, but none the less, I spent two weeks in Yosemite and enjoyed every minute of it taking photos.
I’d like to be a photographer who doesn’t rely on camera technology. I’d like to be a photographer who can capture a great image even with a cell phone camera. I’d like to be a photographer who can recognize and capture magical moment of people or scenery, and relay what I saw and felt to other people through photography.
Click to save as artist's preferred kit 
