"Kingpouge Laika" is a photo book collection featuring 78 photos by Japanese photographer Hiromi Saimon.
The opening images are wide, environmental shots. We see the dog (a medium-sized mixed breed with upright ears) navigating puddles that reflect neon signs. Saimon uses the Laika’s slow shutter speed to create ghosted images of passing salarymen. The dog is small in the frame, a king of discarded cardboard boxes. kingpouge laika 12 78 photos photography by hiromi saimon
Art critics often debate the final image of the set—Photo 78. Saimon’s notes (scribbled on the back of a 7-Eleven receipt, found posthumously in a locker in Shinjuku station) read simply: "The dog looked back. I blinked. The Laika missed the focus. That is the true picture." "Kingpouge Laika" is a photo book collection featuring
Given that you cannot simply scroll through these images on Instagram (Hiromi Saimon famously refused digitization before his death in 2018), how does one engage with "kingpouge laika 12 78 photos photography by hiromi saimon" ? Saimon uses the Laika’s slow shutter speed to
While the term "Kingpouge" may sound like a technical classification, in Saimon’s universe, it often refers to a state of arrested development. These photos aren't just snapshots; they are "pouges" or punctures in time. The "Laika 12 78" designation refers to the specific equipment—a modified Laika-style rangefinder—and the sequence of 78 frames that comprise the primary exhibition. The Hiromi Saimon Aesthetic: Grain and Ghosting
The Photographer: Hiromi Saimon