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The Strangers
The Strangers
Bas de Graaf
December 6, 2024
For over 20 years, the Dutch photographer has been taking pictures of whatever catches his eye in Japan. In the Harajuku district, it was dancing and partying rock ’n’ rollers who call themselves The Strangers. They always meet on Sundays at Yoyogi Park near Harajuku underground station. For his The Strangers series, de Graaf chose a conceptual approach: he always photographed the protagonists from the same angle.
LFI: Please explain what kind of people you photographed there?
Bas de Graaf: The Strangers is a rockabilly group (roller-zoku) from Tokyo, Japan. Every Sunday afternoon, they meet and perform at the entrance of Yoyogi Park, near Harajuku station. A close-knit group of friends styled in rock ’n’ roll outfits with pompadour hairstyles, dancing to rock ’n’ roll music, drinking beers and having fun. The group has been around for more than 34 years.
You were obviously focusing on a special cultural scene; can you describe it and why was this?
The first time I saw The Strangers perform was 20 years ago. Every Sunday afternoon, various cult groups gathered between Harajuku and Shibuya on the height of Yoyogi Park. Gothic Lolitas (Harajuku girls), bands, solo artists and breakdancers showed up and performed. So did the rock ’n’ roll group The Strangers. In recent years, the other subcultures have disappeared or moved elsewhere, but the rockabillies are there every Sunday, rain or shine. I always tried to be there on Sundays to see them perform. I like subcultures even if they're not my style. The passion they have for something is special and quite contagious.
In contrast to images from Blinded by the Sun, The Strangers series is very conceptual. All of the pictures are three-quarter portraits. Why did you chose this format?
Because of my graphic design background, I like to shoot in portrait mode. Automatically, I flip my camera a quarter turn. Perhaps subconsciously, I already think in book form.
Why did you choose to shoot in a studio, or where did you shoot the series?
On my trips to Japan, I picked up several side projects. This was one of them, inspired by Richard Avedon’s work, In the American West. By extracting the characters from their surroundings, you put focus on details. These details are so important. A handkerchief or comb positioned in the pocket, a pack of cigarettes in a leather jacket. The hairstyle, a necklace, I can look at such images for quite some time. The photos were taken in Yoyogi Park at the place they meet on Sundays. A white sheet stretched across the background. Within half an hour, I portrayed them, and they went on dancing.
Carla Susanne ErdmannLFI: Please explain what kind of people you photographed there?
Bas de Graaf: The Strangers is a rockabilly group (roller-zoku) from Tokyo, Japan. Every Sunday afternoon, they meet and perform at the entrance of Yoyogi Park, near Harajuku station. A close-knit group of friends styled in rock ’n’ roll outfits with pompadour hairstyles, dancing to rock ’n’ roll music, drinking beers and having fun. The group has been around for more than 34 years.
You were obviously focusing on a special cultural scene; can you describe it and why was this?
The first time I saw The Strangers perform was 20 years ago. Every Sunday afternoon, various cult groups gathered between Harajuku and Shibuya on the height of Yoyogi Park. Gothic Lolitas (Harajuku girls), bands, solo artists and breakdancers showed up and performed. So did the rock ’n’ roll group The Strangers. In recent years, the other subcultures have disappeared or moved elsewhere, but the rockabillies are there every Sunday, rain or shine. I always tried to be there on Sundays to see them perform. I like subcultures even if they're not my style. The passion they have for something is special and quite contagious.
In contrast to images from Blinded by the Sun, The Strangers series is very conceptual. All of the pictures are three-quarter portraits. Why did you chose this format?
Because of my graphic design background, I like to shoot in portrait mode. Automatically, I flip my camera a quarter turn. Perhaps subconsciously, I already think in book form.
Why did you choose to shoot in a studio, or where did you shoot the series?
On my trips to Japan, I picked up several side projects. This was one of them, inspired by Richard Avedon’s work, In the American West. By extracting the characters from their surroundings, you put focus on details. These details are so important. A handkerchief or comb positioned in the pocket, a pack of cigarettes in a leather jacket. The hairstyle, a necklace, I can look at such images for quite some time. The photos were taken in Yoyogi Park at the place they meet on Sundays. A white sheet stretched across the background. Within half an hour, I portrayed them, and they went on dancing.
ALL IMAGES ON THIS PAGE: © Bas de Graaf
EQUIPMENT: Leica M10, Summicron-M 50 f/2
LFI 8.2024+-
You can find de Graaf's series Blinded by the Sun in LFI Magazine 8.2024. More
Bas de Graaf+-
Born in Nimwegen in 1968, Bas de Graaf is a self-taught photographer, who assisted photographer Suki Langereis in the eighties. Working primarily as a graphic designer, he creates logos and packaging. De Graaf is a great manga fan, and is furthermore fascinated by Japanese culture and the trends there. He is planning a photo book titled Blinded by the Sun, which is dedicated to Japan. De Graaf lives and works in Amsterdam. More
