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Exposure: Emiko Monobe

Emiko Monobe is our featured photographer on Exposure this month. She specialises in striking black and white images of everyday life.

Lexy Savvides
Lexy is an on-air presenter and award-winning producer who covers consumer tech, including the latest smartphones, wearables and emerging trends like assistive robotics. She's won two Gold Telly Awards for her video series Beta Test. Prior to her career at CNET, she was a magazine editor, radio announcer and DJ. Lexy is based in San Francisco.
Lexy Savvides
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Shadow constant companion

Exposure is a series of photo galleries showcasing photographic talent in Australia. Our featured photographers share their best shots and give us an insight into both their creative and technical processes. If you are interested in being featured in Exposure, or know any photo buffs who might be, contact us at cnet@cnet.com.au.

 

(Credit: Darren Clayton)

Biography: Emiko Monobe is a Melbourne-based photographer, who started shooting about two years ago, after being influenced by a photographer friend. Despite the modern digital age, Emiko still shoots on a film camera most of the time — although she has recently started using a digital camera, her love for a gelatin-silver world will never die.

Artist's statement: when I take photos, I don't see them, I feel them. My ultimate goal is to travel to different places in the world to take photos of people and their lives then share my images with as many people as possible.

Emiko cites her favourite photographers as Andre Kertesz, Martine Franck and Eugene Atget. She has taken photographs of Momochiyo, a Japanese Kimono Flutist, for her website; Mario Venditti, drummer for Cirque du Soleil, for his website; and Brent Roman, percussionist for Cirque du Soleil. She is also having her first solo photo exhibition at Mario's Cafe in Melbourne from 9 June 2009 for three weeks.

This is a part of my shadow series, which is taken on the beach in Western Australia taking advantage of the harsh weather and strong sun.

Settings: Seagull/B&W/ISO 400/F11/1/125s

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A scene at the tube station

This was taken at a tube station in London trying to create a nostalgic image with everyday life.

Settings: Pentax MZ/24mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F2.8/1/60s

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A girl weaving

This was taken in a water village in Inle, Burma. It's a part of my travel photos where I tried to capture an image of the people's nature and their life.

Settings: Sony Cyber-shot/ISO 320/F4/1/50s

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A scene from inside a water village house

This was taken in a water village in Inle, Burma.

Settings: Sony Cyber-shot/ISO 80/F4/1/320s

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Untitled

This was taken in a water village in Inle, Burma.

Settings: Sony Cyber-shot/ISO 400/F5.2/1/160s

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A spiritual moment

This is another of my travel photos in Bagan, Burma. The weather was very dry and hot with harsh sunlight. Inside the ruin, there was another world with a peaceful and spiritual moment, just like time there had stopped.

Settings: Sony Cyber-shot/ISO 320/F2.8/1/13s

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Concrete jungle

This was taken in my hometown, Kyoto, Japan. I was trying to capture a modern yet nostalgic feeling in this concrete building.

Settings: Seagull/B&W/ISO 400/F5.6/1/60s

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Untitled

One morning I saw petals falling off the almond tree and light coming through the gate creating an interesting contrast.

Settings: Pentax MZ/50mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F8/1/125s

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Rain and solitude

One rainy day in Perth, WA. For some reason this man caught my attention, but it was not on him, my eyes were focused on the reflection.

Settings: Pentax MZ/50mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F4/1/60s

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Ghost train

This is a part of my travel photos at a metro station in Prague. I tried to create a mysterious image with movement.

Settings: Pentax MZ/24mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F2.8/1/30s

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Waiting for you

She was standing on the wet pavement. She looked a little excited and sad as it looked like she knew the person may never turn up...

Settings: Pentax MZ/50mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F4/1/60s

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Solitude

A sneaky shot at an art gallery.

Settings: Pentax MZ/24mm lens/B&W/ISO 400

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Tube

At a tube station in London. You now know why it is called the tube...

Settings: Pentax MZ/24mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F2.8/1/30s

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Spring is just around the corner

On this warm and lovely day, it seemed like people were trying to make the most of it outside and feeling the beginning of spring.

Settings: Pentax MZ/24mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F11/1/500s

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Untitled

One afternoon in the city of Perth. A part of my shadow series.

Settings: Pentax MZ/50mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F11/1/500s

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Me and a bicycle

A part of a self-portrait. My way of self-portraiture shows shadows of me in different parts of the world. This was taken on the riverside of Kyoto, Japan.

Settings: Pentax MZ/50mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F8/1/125s

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Mario Venditti

Mario is a drummer for Cirque du Soleil. This was one of the images I took at a drum pit for his website.

Settings: Pentax K10D/B&W

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A drummer on the beach

Mario Venditti again. Taken on the beach near the Great Ocean Road, Victoria.

Settings: Pentax K10D

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A scene on Brunswick St

Walking with my camera looking for something interesting on Brunswick St in Melbourne. A part of my shadow series.

Settings: Pentax MZ/50mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F11/1/125c

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Abandoned building, Kyoto, Japan

I found this abandoned building hiding off the main street in Kyoto. It's trying to survive in the construction scene around it.

Settings: Seagull/B&W/ISO 400/F8/1/125s

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Morning walk, a scene in Prague

One early morning in Prague. She suddenly appeared in the viewfinder of my camera and I pressed the button without thinking.

Settings: Pentax MZ/24mm lens/B&W/ISO 1600

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Shadow-constant companion #2

Taken on St Kilda beach with Mario Venditti.

Settings: Seagull/B&W/ISO 400/F8/1/125s

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A scene at Perth station

Taking advantage of the strong summer light, I saw this beautiful contrast from above the station.

Settings: Pentax MZ/24mm lens/B&W/ISO 400

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A scene at a food hall

On a busy afternoon people were taking time off work and enjoying a moment with their co-workers or friends. An image of everyday life in Perth, WA.

Settings: Pentax MZ/24mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F8/60s

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Reflection

One of my favourite themes, reflection. I found this on my way home after heavy rain on Hay St, Perth.

Settings: Pentax MZ/50mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F4

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Solitude

One hot afternoon, I saw a homeless guy limping and dragging a huge bag, which made me wonder where he was going, perhaps he had nowhere to go...

Settings: Pentax MZ/50mm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F11/1/125s

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Untitled

A city scene in Melbourne. QV building from above.

Settings: Pentax MZ/24mmmm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F5.6/1/125

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Untitled

A scene in London, near TATE modern. It's an experimental shot to create a blur image.

Settings: Pentax MZ/24mmmm lens/B&W/ISO 400/F5.6

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Momochiyo

The following images are for Japanese kimono flutist Momochiyo's website. Shot on location in Perth CBD and Lancelin, WA.

Settings: Pentax K10D

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Momochiyo

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Momochiyo

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Momochiyo

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Momochiyo

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Momochiyo

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