high speed water shooting by shinichi maruyama

high speed water shooting by shinichi maruyama image © shinichi maruyama

each bucket of water + black ink ‘stroke’ is unique and ephemeral. shinichi maruyama can never copy or recreate these images. ‘I know something fantastic is happening, a decisive moment, but I can’t fully understand the event until I look at these images.’

maruyama has been involved in many worldwide advertising campaigns, utilizing his expertise in ice, liquid/splash, and specializing in movement in his works. years of lighting research and the advancement of retouching have made it easier to have a strong idea of exactly how a photo will look even before the shoot begins. however in photographing liquid and subjects in movement, it is impossible to foresee what the end result will be, and it is this spontaneity that enables maruyama to have more fun creating his work.

kusho, the japanese word for writing in the sky’ features ten large-scale photographs that represent the midair interplay of black india ink and water. the phenomenon that maruyama captures-two liquids colliding the millisecond before they merge into gray – is the result of various actions and devices. the resulting images, which appear to be more painting than photograph, literally deconstruct the material elements of ink drawing and calligraphy, allowing the viewer to see in extraordinary detail chemical and physical processes invisible to the naked eye. the split-second timing necessary to photograph these pictures is made possible by recent advances in strobe light technology, allowing the artist to capture phenomena to within 7,500th of a second.

all images © shinichi maruyama

maruyama takes full advantage of a recent advancement in strobe light technology which can record physical events faster than the naked eye can perceive them. here you can see him using his giant brush.

shinichi maruyama was born in 1968 in nagano, japan. he started his professional career in tokyo in 1993, 10 years later relocating his studio to new york city in search of more global opportunities. specializing in splashing and energetic movements within shots, maruyama has become highly sought after for his expertise in this field expanding his career into europe in 2005.