2011年5月16日月曜日

One-month Delayed Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony

April 21, 2011
This is a program “Tokusen” (“Super News”) broadcast in the evening news on Fuji Television Station on 4/21. The story is “a woman photographer who shoots her hometown, carrying out her father’s wishes.”
I uploaded to Youtube. Please take a look. 



The temperature was 3 degrees Celsius (37 degrees Fahrenheit) with strong wind and rain on this day. It was so cold that our hands were almost freezing.
Even with umbrellas, we got drenched. Shooting was very difficult.
The weather seemed to remind us of the storm on the day that the tsunami hit. Above all, it was hard that I came to my home in this weather. Up until today, we had come to “look for treasure” only on sunny days.

A kindergarten graduation ceremony for the day was delayed by one month.
On this day, I re-shot individual pictures that the tsunami took away. I had a busy schedule as I also took some snap shots and group pictures. With the help of Mr. Saito Korotype (who appears in the latter half of the video) whom I have known for a long time, I managed to follow the schedule.

This kindergarten was also swept away by the tsunami. Teachers searched and gathered the flag of the kindergarten and a few uniforms in the rubble to have this day of graduation. I was very happy that I was able to help the graduation ceremony where we could feel the teacher’s strong will and that will remain in everyone’s memories. Thank you very much.


(Below is the summary of the YouTube presentation.
Scene from a Kindergarten Graduation in Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture
Kindergarten Principle: “We lost three of our friends. We feel so sad.”

Narration: Her parents are still missing.  Her father would have been the one to take photos at the graduation if there wasn’t the great earthquake.  This is the remains of her father’s photo studio destroyed by the tsunami.”

Mayumi: “My father, Atsushi Sasaki, was a great portrait photographer who became number one at a photo contest of Japan in the past.  I hope to be that good myself and perhaps even surpass him someday. That is my goal.”

A printer who worked with my father: “I am very happy to hear that his daughter will carry the father’s torch.” 

Mayumi: “I‘d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support. I will honor my father by winning the confidence of local people and taking photographs.“



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