STP's Far East Feature: Ume Kayo

You know the feeling that you just can't stop yourself while flipping through VICE magazine's Dos & DON'Ts section? I have the same addiction when I look at Ume Kayo's work.

Ume Kayo is a Japanese photographer. I like her photography because it is about everybody, anybody, in everyday life. Ume Kayo doesn't have fancy skills and editing in her shots, she is constantly using the same Canon Eos 5 camera, the same mode, you can even see date signs on some photos. There are no models, sets, or lighting, Ume Kayo simply uses "the moment" to connect to people.

“Well, when I was in college, I was deciding a theme for my photo series, and I’d always thought the neighborhood elementary school boys were so cool, I still think so now. The boys were so outrageous because I couldn’t understand what they were saying. And how they moved around! And they were really stupid, so stupid that I thought they were invincible. You know, I admire invincible people and I thought those kids were really invincible, and I wished I could be like them. That’s why I had chosen them for my subject.” - Ume Kayo

You can see more of Ume Kayo's work with music in this video we found on YouTube: