By the end of the 1960's US armed forces had occupied Japan for nearly 25 years. They had dominated the islands and changed the culture of the country significantly. Younger Japanese become frustrated with the idea that their own culture was disappearing. The Provoke Agenda set out to use photography and writing to provide a new self-determination of what Japanese culture was and would be.

The aim of the photographers was do subvert the norm and step away from the glossy magazine photographs that dominated everywhere. The three principle exponents were Koji Taki, Takuma Nakahira and Yutaka Takanashi who where later joined by Daido Moriyama.

Provoke magazine only appeared for three issues of 1000 copies in each edition but the influence of the photographers work, which aimed to show documentary style photographs in an unglamorous, unfiltered, casual style, had an effect that has lasted for many years.

So I began to wonder how these photographers might react today with the many political, climate and social challenges in the contemporary world. I set myself some basic rules and went for a walk. I shot at different focal lengths, different timings ranging for 60 to 125, kept my polarisation filter on and did not look through the lens while shooting preferring a random shot from a general direction. Auto focus was on but slower speeds and quick movement confused that. For all of the walk my camera was kept at waist level, shoulder level or raised above my head.

I then downloaded the 264 photographs I had taken on the roughly half hour walk. I decided initially not to edit the pictures at all but eventually realised that some pictures held a deeper message (for me anyway) if I either cropped them or looked to slightly enhance the colour. Beyond that I did nothing more. Apart from the header of this blog the selection of pictures were all made during this half hour.

So  what do you think ? Does the Provoke agenda still resonate in these changing days ? Are these pictures a documentary and if so what of ? Do photographs still hold power if they are random and not as clear as you might expect ? If so, why ? You can comment on this post and I'd really be interested in your reactions... Cheers