The Cheeky Monkey: A Yorkshireman in Japan

In our latest blipper profile, we meet Phil, better known as Namaikisaru, a Yorkshireman living in Japan. In his own words he “shoots every day without fail and owns too many cameras."

As you’ll see in our Blipper Top 10 film, his journal is an eclectic mix of family photos, fun shots, stunning landscapes, macro photography and insights into his daily life in Japan.

Tell us more about your journal name.
“Namaiki means cheeky and Saru means monkey. Although you can admonish someone by calling them Namaiki people don’t really use namaiki saru as a set phrase the way we would say “oh you cheeky monkey” in English.”

You’ve now had the best possible introduction to Phil.

We think this sets the scene rather well as you discover his passion for a whole mix of photography alongside his candid, succinct and occasionally tongue-in-cheek replies.  Phil is a fabulous character and a smashing photographer - we hope you enjoy reading about this light-hearted blipper with a serious side!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I have been kicked out of a nightclub for doing origami.
This is not sexy slang for something, I was actually doing origami.
I once won 3rd place in a skateboarding competition and have been on stage with Cannon and Ball, though these two events were unrelated.

In 2001, I moved from Sunny Leeds in England to Western Tokyo.
I now live in Chigasaki, Kanagwa prefecture with my wife and two children. 
Chigasaki likes to think of itself as Japan’s answer to Southern California and for some reason it is twinned with Honolulu.

Have you always been a photographer?
Always? No. My father had a darkroom under the stairs. I wasn’t really into photography but did shoot an old Pentax k1000 briefly which I borrowed from college when I was 16.

How did you become interested in photography?
I enjoyed snapping while travelling before smartphones maybe.
I bought a DSLR when my daughter was little to take better pictures of her.

What started you blipping?  
A friend of a friend I met at a wedding.  He’s a graphic designer/professional photographer and blipped for exactly 365 days.  It sounded like a good idea to improve my skills. It was a wedding; there may have been alcohol involved.

What do you enjoy about the concept?
…enjoy?  I have a problem - this blipping is unstoppable!  What have you done to me?!

How would you describe your journal?
I have no idea anymore.  Bugs, people, the kids, randomness.
The occasional landscape.

Do you have a photographic style?
Probably.  I think I rely on one too many crutches sometimes.

How important is the journaling side to you? 
It’s good to look back but if I do write anything, and some days I don’t, it should probably come second and the picture first.
 
ON THE CORONAVIRUS
How have you found blipping during the Coronavirus crisis?
More in the garden and of the kids probably. To be honest, I don’t want to talk about it. I think people should be allowed moments and spaces in their life online or otherwise to not be constantly reminded of it. 

How are you keeping motivated with your photography?
Regardless of what is or isn’t going on, there are days when you have nothing in the card - but that’s OK. Just taking one picture of absolutely anything and that leading to one more or several more shots is enough usually.

Are you sharing your journal with anyone to help them keep in touch?
My friends who lived here and then moved away, my parents, my brother.  Mostly through the  social media link.
 
ON BEING A PHOTOGRAPHY ADDICT 
Tell us about your favourite piece of camera equipment.
My Pentax 67 with the 105mm F2.4 Takumar lens. My GRII is a close second. The GR because it’s small and it goes everywhere with me.
The Pentax because lifting it is keeping me buff.
There is something magical about a 6x7 medium format negative.
 
What makes you choose digital or film? Why both? 
This is a controversial question. Shooting film just feels different. It is limiting in so many ways. Limits are good for anything creative to avoid the distraction of endless possibilities. However, I can’t shoot film everyday and, unless it’s black and white, I can’t process it myself. So film over digital when possible but of course, I love both.  
 
How has photography changed for you over the years?
The first year of blip I was trying desperately to make something interesting everyday. Maybe I’m not forcing it as much now. Maybe I’m lazy.

What do you think makes a good photograph?
Time. Most photographs don’t really mean much of anything until later.
 
ABOUT BLIPFOTO
Why Blipfoto?
The people. The other blippers. I like them a lot.

How has daily blipping impacted on your life generally?
Lately, I don’t manage to upload daily. I still shoot daily but I guess life and priorities have changed since I started.

What’s the biggest challenge with daily blipping?
Posting something that you are really happy with.

What does the Blipfoto community mean to you?
Bunch of tarts, the lot of em.

What motivates you to keep blipping?
It’s a psychological disorder. Someone on here once said that it was like running - you can’t stop because if you do you won’t be able to get going again. Recently I’ve been thinking I need to do something else with more structure but that would always be additional to this. If I didn’t pick up one of my cameras everyday, maybe I’d just leave them for a week or a month and that would be a crying shame.

What would you say to other blippers or people who are considering signing up?
Run, run away while you still can. Nah, it’s fine and there is no place finer to start a 365 project.

Namaikisaru’s Top 10
Namaikisaru has shared his favourite ten blips with us - enjoy them here in this short film. Click here to view the film.

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Photo: Self portrait at Odawara station by Phil