“Robert Adams once said that photographers are angels not gods; photographers are not permitted to fly off into the abstract. I believe this is because photographs are never entirely yours. We cling to feelings of authorship, but eventually, images made might become part of conversations with people you will likely never meet. Images shared across these pages are therefore entry points into conversations with how landscapes in Japan have been and will be represented. In the absence of language, making such images has granted me opportunities to investigate a land that is both breathtaking and confusing. While use of photomedia (for now) allows each of us to learn in our own time, we must remember that photomedia also remains a socio-material-political apparatus, and not just a tool. For all the talk of unthinking and re-thinking photography, it is important to understand why –– and how –– others believed in it.”
GARY McLEOD, November 2025.
ABOUT ME
I’m an Assistant Professor of photomedia in the Visual Design department at University of Tsukuba. My practice-led research is often about visual literacy, photomedia and time. I regularly speak about these topics in conferences and workshops. Currently I am completing a book about REPHOTOGRAPHY for Routledge. I also have a PhD in photography from London College of Communication (UAL).
In my role at University of Tsukuba, I accept doctoral research students relating to fields of photomedia (history, theory, practice), visual literacy and visual methodologies. I also welcome visiting researchers from overseas for collaborations. If you would like to discuss a research plan, please use the contact form below. For current University of Tsukuba students, please email me directly through the university mailing system.