The Witness and Presence Manifesto



"I wish you could see yourself the way I see you." I have wished this many times. Now, I am giving that wish a form. For me, photography is the means by which I refine my sight into a shared "Understanding."

The images created by Ashihara Myojo are governed by a simple, unwavering standard: Truth.No Post-Editing

· No Cropping

· No Artificial Lighting

· No Studio

· Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC)

· Shot in JPEG

I believe this is the only way to honor the beauty that resides within all things. No matter what camera I hold, these principles remain. I cannot be honest with the world if I am not first true to myself.

Everything emits beauty, if only there are eyes to see it. My work is a "Prayer" for the people I meet, and a "Monument" (Ishibumi) to God the Father, who is the Source of all things. With every shutter release, I seek a sense of awe, presenting this world in a form that all can see.

In an era saturated with deception and excessive editing, I choose to be a Witness. I am a witness to a perfect creation that requires no human alteration.