Reunion with Porsche photographer Yoshifumi Ogawa @ Rolf Benz

Encounter of art photos and interior space from Germany

Suddenly it became a subtitle with Chinese characters that I could not read, but I went to an event held by German furniture store ROLF BENZ called "Art Photo from Germany and Encounter of Interior Space". I've been allowed to do it.

By the way, the Chinese character I couldn't read was "Kaikou". The meaning is "to meet unexpectedly".

I was sent to this event this time because I wanted to meet Yoshifumi Ogawa, a car photographer known as a Porsche photographer (I will explain later, but now flowers are also taken). is.

For me, the reunion with Mr. Ogawa on this day was not something that I met unexpectedly, but something that I went to see quite systematically ^^.

The first time I met Mr. OgawaAmazing Moment, Porsche's rally event held in 2018That time. But at this time, I didn't have a chance to talk to you.

Still at that time to Mr. OgawaPlease take a picture of this↓, at the reunion event of this rally held at a later dateI was able to have lunch next doorI was talking for the first time at that time.

After a while, Mr. Ogawa told me that the seminar would be held, so I immediately applied for it, saying, "It will definitely go!".

That was February, about a year ago.

I was looking forward to the seminar until the day when I could meet Mr. Ogawa again in a few days and talk about Porsche. Notice of event cancellation due to Corona.

February, a year ago, was just around the time when various events began to be postponed or canceled.

At that time, I was thinking, "Well, that's a shame, but it's unavoidable because of the situation, and maybe it will be held again in a little while." But in the end, the situation just got worse and it was just now.

Therefore, more than a year after I started thinking "I can meet you", I finally got the chance to "I may meet again this time".

As mentioned above, I participated in this day as part of the event held by Rolf Benz.

At Rolf Benz Tokyo, the flagship store of Rolf Benz in Aoyama, photos of Mr. Ogawa will be displayed in the showroom from April 22 (Thursday) to May 18 (Tuesday) (Oh). Photos are also sold).

As the opening of this event, Mr. Ogawa came and participated in a talk show ^ ^

I'm glad to see you for the first time in a long time! !!

From here, I would like to write a little about this day, sandwiching the furniture exhibited in Rolf Benz Tokyo and the photographs of the space where Mr. Ogawa's photographs meet.

Career as a Porsche photographer

Yoshifumi Ogawa has been active as an official Porsche photographer for about 30 years.

At the beginning of that career, the photographs taken when Mr. Ogawa came to Europe first caught the eye of the Porsche headquarters in Germany, and the German headquarters told Porsche Japan "to make him an official Porsche photographer". It seems that the recommendation was the beginning.

That's amazing. And Mr. Ogawa, who was recommended by the Porsche headquarters and became an official Porsche photographer, retired from the job last year after 30 years.

Lifestyle with Porsche

Mr. Ogawa is particular about "light and shadow", and because he likes movies, the theme is that the pictures he takes look like a scene from a movie. It seems that it has become.

When I was listening to the story on this day, I was afraid and deeply sympathized with him, saying that Mr. Ogawa "expresses a lifestyle with Porsche."

I just thought, "Yes, that's it, that's it !!"

Because, for me, what is the most "lifestyle with Porsche".

Of course, the performance of Porsche itself as a car is also wonderful, and I am fascinated by such performance and the design of appearance.

But more important to me is the Porsche lifestyle.

I think the most wonderful thing about owning a Porsche is that having Porsche makes my life richer, more enjoyable and happy.

So, the moment Mr. Ogawa said, "Lifestyle with Porsche, even if it is not in the picture, it is necessary to feel the sign of people or the story where it is not in the frame." "Oh, that's it! I understand !!" ^^

What cars and furniture have in common

Before taking a picture of a car, Mr. Ogawa always drives the car that is the subject of the car. By doing so, you first feel the car as equal to yourself and know the essence of the car.

You can drive the subject car for a limited short time before shooting, but if you actually own the car, the time the owner is in contact with the car is Mr. Ogawa says that he is almost "in the car".

That's right, most of the time you spend driving with the car.

Then, even if a person initially chooses a car based on "appearance," he says that when he actually starts riding, he or she will perceive various things about the car.

I think there are various perceptions. It's the same with sitting comfort, the feeling with steering, the texture of various things in the car, and even the performance related to driving are all "perception" to the person.

It is said that such a perceptual action "makes you feel that the car is comfortable for the person."

And that kind of feeling is in common with furniture.

Certainly, even if I decided on the furniture by just trying it out and sitting down and deciding whether I like the design, after that, the furniture was actually brought into my house and I started using it every day. Whether it becomes "I really like it" or "No, it may be a little different" is that the daily "perceptual action obtained from the sofa" reveals the true comfort for me.

Shooting flowers at the opposite end of the car

Mr. Ogawa has now retired from his career as an official Porsche photographer, but of course he is still active as a photographer.

And it wasn't just the car that he was filming right now, he was just starting to film "flowers." The reason he started taking flowers is "I want to be good at taking pictures of cars."

From an amateur's point of view, it was like, "Well, what are you talking about?", But when I asked him more deeply, I was convinced.

In other words, it seems that if you start shooting the "opposite things" of a car, you will have a new sensibility and design sense that Mr. Ogawa has never seen before.

And the flowers were chosen as the "opposite of the car".

Cars are industrial products and are made by humans. On the other hand, flowers are all created by nature from their colors and designs.

Even when shooting such flowers, Mr. Ogawa always seems to be able to make use of the flowers that are the subject. It's just like driving a car as a subject, and you can always use it yourself to better understand the flowers that are the subject.

Rolf Benz and Porsche 911 are the same year

After listening to various stories, the manager of Rolf Benz Tokyo also came and talked about Rolf Benz.

What surprised me most was this Rolf Benz, which was founded in 1964, the same year that the Porsche 911 was first manufactured.

In other words, Rolf Benz is the same age as Porsche 911. I'm from the same Germany, so I'm a childhood friend ^^?

There are two other things that surprised me because I didn't know.

One is that Rolf Benz actually has no flagship store other than Japan.

Even in Germany, where the head office is located, there are only showrooms for professionals (for those in the same industry), and sales for general customers are only in so-called large furniture stores (where it feels like Otsuka furniture). It seems that it is. Surprisingly.

Another thing that surprised me was that Rolf Benz was the first brand in the world to make a "corner sofa". That's right ~.

In addition, Rolf Benz taught me that there are about 300 types of furniture upholstery, and that the hardness of the seat surface and the width of the elbows can be specified and decided in detail.

At the end, Mr. Ogawa taught me the points to decorate each room as an art photo, such as the living room and dining room at home.

He talked about the particulars of how to decorate the photos, and it was fun to hear the stories unique to Mr. Ogawa, who has a strong commitment to various things.

Are you very particular about it? Yes, it's amazing. For example, he seems to be quite a chair fetish (laughs), and when he likes it, he buys dozens of chairs of the same type. Great ^^

Oh yeah, by the way, Mr. Ogawa has been owned by Mr. Ogawa from the past to the present, and the number of cars is roughly 78-79. This is also amazing! Anyway, he has loved cars since he was little.

It was a very meaningful and enjoyable time for me, as I was touched on various things such as how wonderful Porsche is.

I was very happy that I had wanted to see you for over a year.

Until May 18, 2021, you can still see Mr. Ogawa's photo exhibition at Rolf Benz Tokyo. Please check the following Rolf Benz's site for details ↓

Official information:Photographer Yoshifumi Ogawa x ROLF BENZ TOKYO "German Art Photo and Interior Space Encounter" Exhibition Held

Thank you to Rolf Benz, EBI Group, and Yoshifumi Ogawa for a great time!