Our Thursday series of articles features must-read books from each branch of art bookshop NADiff. This week's book is "Étude," the first collection of photographer Suzuki Risaku's flower series "Étude." It's being introduced by Gallery 5, a branch in Shinjuku, Tokyo (Tokyo Opera City Tower, 3-20-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, 3rd floor).



■ "Étude" by Suzuki Risaku

This book is the first collection of works from Suzuki Risaku's flower series, "Étude," which he began photographing in 2010 and is active both in Japan and abroad. He is known for his series of photographs of Kumano, snow, and cherry blossoms, which he has continued to photograph as his life's work.

The setting for "Étude" is a field or forest somewhere that everyone has a memory of setting foot in. The colorful flowers are all so gorgeous that one would normally be overwhelmed by the choice of motif, but Suzuki consistently photographs flowers that defy the flashy, profusion of blooms and have a subdued presence. At the end of the book, Suzuki's own unpretentious words explain his intentions, and you can sense his gentle gaze and awe towards the ever-changing nature.

As you turn the pages, your heart is filled with the dignified atmosphere of the quietly blooming flowers, making this a truly enjoyable book. As autumn deepens and winter gradually approaches, this is the perfect time to enjoy these quiet photographs alone, when you start to long for the flowers of distant spring.