GH Nagai Photographics

Origins of This Site...



I began my career as a photographer back in the misty past - I was young, caught up in the way things looked, especially the world around me, including myself. I was fascinated with this little square black plastic box with a lens on one side, a small clear red window on the other that blew my mind. There was a sighting mechanism on top, sort of molded into the box's shape, that served to view the intended subject. The red window in the back displayed the backside of the paper on the roll of film inside, where the numbers of the film frames were listed. And, with the push of a button, this little box did this magical thing. After all the processing was done, there was this little slip of shiny paper with a black and white image on it that closely approximated the people and things I had seen in the viewfinder. This was low-tech photography at its best, and it stoked the fires of the artist within. I was maybe nine or ten...
I was not formally trained until fairly late in my life - I came by my knowledge of photography painstakingly over many years, through trial and error - error, mostly. But the medium has always been an artform for me, and allowed me to dabble in ways that fed this hungry beast within. It was thus never really an error. My formal education in the art came rather late, but I don't regret being a late comer to the profession - my life's journey to this place has been filled with many things of value that form the foundation of my art. If anything, my love for it has deepened as a result.
After juggling my profession as a Social Worker with family and photography for many years, I retired on January 31, 2000 from my work with people, the impetus being a massive heart attack - I recovered nicely, and have spent my time since with those things close to my heart, if you'll pardon my play on words - my family and photography....I live with my wife of 48 years, my first beloved, and within 5 minutes of our son and daughter-in-law and our grandson and grand-daughter, and two minutes of my daughter and son-in-law and our grand-daughter and grandson - this is a most rewarding experience, this status of grandparenthood...
I initiated this web site as a means of sharing my experiences, both inner and with photography, with others. I have found this medium to be very forgiving, although initially daunting, and a great format for accomplishing such sharing. I thank my son and daughter-in-law, my daughter and son-in-law, and especially my wife, for their love and support and ongoing critique in this pursuit. I have had the site up and running now for a goodly number of years, and have updated and improved it a number of times. I will keep an eye towards continually improving the overall site over time, as I view it much as I view life, as a work in progress...
I have posted a portfolio of my landscape photographs in the section on Photo Galleries, including those I refer to as urban landscapes, and intimate landscapes, the latter a tribute to photographer Eliot Porter. There are sections as well on bridges and flowers, the latter up close and intimate. Also check out my photography classes - they may open up a whole world of enchantment for you as they have for me in their teaching...

I know that in the future there will be things yet to surprise even myself, so I invite you to visit often to share with me those moments...