If it's interesting, is it an "idea"?

January was a bustling month at our house. Starting with a visit from a younger colleague and their family on the 2nd, we ended up hosting five home parties (or rather, gatherings) with tennis buddies, work colleagues, and others. On top of that, Shoko Ogushi, a photographer and my colleague from the same hiring class whom I've mentioned before, was staying with us for about two weeks for her solo exhibition in Ginza. This meant our nightly drinks inevitably turned into lively gatherings.

This spring, she published her photo book "Shaolin Temple: Men Behind the Scenes II." It captures young monks training in Shaolin martial arts at the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song, the birthplace of Chinese Zen Buddhism. She spent three years closely documenting their daily lives and even gained permission to photograph in restricted areas. The techniques honed through tradition and rigorous training are truly impressive.

Even before Shaolin Temple, her chosen subjects were highly unique: students at Eton College, the prestigious British boarding school Prince William also attended; young men serving in the German Federal Armed Forces; Colombia's drug eradication task force, among others. The photography itself seems challenging, but even more so, it's hard to imagine how she secures permission to photograph such seemingly inaccessible subjects. When I asked, "Do you have some special connections?" her answer was, "Because the ideas are clear."

 

"Capturing male-dominated societies full of order, hierarchy, uniforms, rules, and absurdity through a female perspective."

Do you consider this an idea? For those who define "ideas as interesting things," it might not be funny or satisfying. In fact, when Ms. Ogushi explains, "This is my idea," she often gets blank stares. Yet, for her—who studied photography at a world-renowned university in London—and for me, a mere advertising guy, this is a perfectly valid "idea."

The reason is that it offers a "new" "perspective."

An idea must be a "perspective" that overturns conventional wisdom. Ms. Ogushi's clearly challenges how we see things.

And following that perspective leads to concrete solutions that conventional approaches couldn't uncover. For example, Shaolin temples have traditionally been framed through the lenses of sports or culture. But that approach wouldn't reveal what Ms. Ogushi calls "beautiful monks" (a term not even found in the Kojien dictionary). Only by framing it through a "woman's perspective" was this "new" aspect of Shaolin temples discovered.

In this way, Mr. Ogushi's words are ideas precisely because they represent a "new perspective." Ideas are interesting to those who understand that "perspective" (a certain kind of professional), but to others, they aren't laughable, and it's hard to grasp what exactly is exciting about them.

Of course, it goes without saying that she possesses extraordinary drive. When she chose Eton College as the theme for her graduation project, even her supervisor's reaction was reportedly cold, as if he thought it impossible from the start: "The idea is interesting, but that's assuming permission is granted."

Seeing a friend take an idea that makes you think, "Why didn't I think of that?" and realize it with professional photographic skills that make you wonder, "Did she really go that far?" and an entrepreneurial spirit that makes you exclaim, "She actually did that?" is incredibly inspiring. As the leading photographer exploring male beauty and mystery, I'm secretly looking forward to seeing what theme she chooses next.

After the solo exhibition ended and Ms. Ogushi returned to Saga, our house felt empty. Both my wife and mother seemed a little lonely.

By the way, the photo book is available here.