PhotoReviews Non-Celebrity Photo Books

The photographer records the physical growth of his own daughter from birth to adulthood (age 20).

First Published: Aug. 1996

Publisher: Mitsumura Suiko Shoin Publishing Co.

Price: 3,700 yen

Qualities: Hardcover, A4, all B/W

Language: Japanese and English

Available at: Major bookstores.

Mail order OK?: Yes
PhotoGuide Japan's price: US$60 (via SAL air mail)
(photojpn.org/ORDER/order.html) Order this book here... Item BN004, Sayo, Qty 1

ISBN: 4-8381-0173-2

Impressions: By chance, I pulled this photo book out from the store shelf. I looked at the pictures and thought, "Wow! What a theme and what high-quality photos!" After reaching their teens, girls simply do not show their bodies to their fathers. And yet, this one did. If I had a daughter, I would simply be too embarrassed to photograph her in this way even if she let me. But in this very special case, both father and daughter worked together very well to produce a very tasteful and real record of her bodily growth. The father did it to wish for her healthy growth and as a gift to her. By coincidence, this photo book became a wedding gift to his daughter (now living in Manhattan, New York) who married in 1997.

The story begins on January 19, 1966 when Sayo is born. The father and mother were finally having their first baby after four years of marriage. The first picture shows a nude silhouette of the pregnant mother. While she was in labor in the hospital room, Suzuki was clicking away with his camera. The midwife had to drag him out of the room. Sayo was then born. You see a shot of the newly-born baby and another of a happy, relieved mother after delivery. The book is divided into sections. The first section covers ages 1 to 6. This is a small collection of baby photos. They include the only outdoor nudes (at the beach) of baby Sayo. The next section is the longest with many photos covering ages 7 to 12. There are outdoor, candid shots as well as studio shots. The nude photos reveal how she is growing physically, with small breasts budding by age 10 or 11. Sayo comments that while she was growing up, she thought nothing about her father taking nude photos of her. It was a "natural" thing that she grew up with.

The section covering ages 13 to 17 show her in a variety of clothing and recreational situations. She's in a school uniform behind a ping-pong table or she's sitting at a drum set or grand piano. During this period of puberty, the father thought that Sayo would refuse to continue posing in the nude. However, when he asked her, she complied even though she was embarrassed about it. But she didn't want to let him down. (He was already exhibiting the Sayo photos and wanted to include puberty nudes.) The subsequent photos show her obviously growing up as her breasts get larger and her torso stretches higher. The story continues up to age 20 (the legal age in Japan) when it ends and the father finally completes his two-decade project. Her face is adult and mature, and she turns out to be a fine looking woman.

All the photos are black and white. All the nude shots (except the baby shots) were taken in the studio or indoors. She gives both fixed and spontaneous poses. The photographer uses dramatic lighting effects to bring out a distinct contrast between light and shadow and a three-dimensional effect. Black was the dominant studio background. There is no pubic hair and most nudes are from the waist up. The quality of the photography is very high and the father is an accomplished professional photographer. The photos reflect the close communication and love between father and daughter and the closeness of the entire family. The book includes commentaries by Iizawa Kohtaro and Nakamura Masaya. The English text enhances the enjoyment of this book. (Reviewed by Philbert Ono)

800-5