The More You Master It, The More Enjoyment It Brings

These works were captured by Koji Shinjo, whose hobby is marathon running, using the CX4 while on the move. Born in Miyako Island, he moved to Tokyo after high school and immersed himself in the worlds of fashion and photography before returning to his hometown in 2007. The Miyako Island he photographs while running is depicted with a boundless range of angles, from the vast ocean to discarded plastic bottles on the shore.

“It’s interesting to shoot while running. It helps organize my thoughts, making what I see feel fresh. I think the things I notice in those moments are quite pure.”

Shinjo’s dream is to make Miyako Island an eco-island. He aims to promote distribution related to ecology, such as making Miyako Island number one in Japan for electric vehicle adoption. These works, which embrace nature, are imbued with Shinjo’s deep affection for Miyako Island.


Furthermore, many of the photographs in this series were taken from a low angle. Shinjo explains that these were shot without looking at the screen, simply by placing his hands on the ground.

“I’m 180cm tall, so I don’t usually pay attention to things at a low level. But when I’m running, I start noticing things about 50cm off the ground. I tried shooting them deliberately without looking at the screen. It felt like my hands had eyes, making it easy to shoot. I think it’s resulted in something unique, almost like an extension of expression.”

The camera's ability to perform macro photography from as close as 1cm and its 10.7x optical zoom to select the desired angle of view seem to have captivated Shinjo with the freedom of expression it offers.

“I also quite like the Creative Shooting mode. It allows for various expressions with ease. However, many of these shots were taken in Auto mode. I want to spend more time with it and truly master it.”

The Creative Shooting mode offers six distinct photographic expressions: Dynamic Range Double Shot, Miniature Retouch, High Contrast Black & White, Soft Focus, Cross Process, and Toy Camera.

“I appreciate features that can be changed according to the scene. It was exactly what I was looking for. The design is simple, but it’s packed with functionality. Having so many features, I believe the enjoyment increases with use. Being able to set my own parameters broadens the scope of expression and offers the pleasure of exploring original ways to capture images.”

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