Unique erotic project "Women of the Sea" by Japanese photographer Iwase Yoshiyuki

The photographs by Japanese photographer Iwase Yoshiyuki look like modern black-and-white shots of professional models. But in fact, they are almost a hundred years old, and the women posing for the photographer are ordinary divers who collect seaweed, shellfish, and pearls. (Caution! Nudity.)

Iwase Yoshiyuki was born in 1904 in the small fishing village of Onjuku on the island of Honshu, in Chiba Prefecture. His family was quite wealthy, which allowed the boy to graduate from the law faculty of Meiji University. Iwase did not stay in Tokyo, but returned to his homeland. In his home village, he headed the family business - a small sake brewery.

While still a student, Iwase Yoshiyuki received a Kodak camera as a gift from his parents. He began taking pictures on the coast, documenting the lives of simple fishermen and farmers. The photographer was especially interested in the ama - divers who harvested seaweed, crabs, shellfish and pearls.

Ama men were designated by a hieroglyph that read "husband of the sea," and women - "wife of the sea." This is a very ancient profession, which appeared more than 2,000 years ago. It was the divers who became the main subject of many of Iwase Yoshiyuki's photographs.

As recently as the mid-20th century, the Ama did not use any equipment and dived to depths of up to 20 meters. They dove completely naked, occasionally using goggles or a diving mask. Their lifestyle guaranteed the "sea wives" a beautiful athletic figure. That's why they look better in photos than many modern professional models.

In the late 1920s, Iwase Yoshiyuki took hundreds of photographs of divers. The women willingly posed for the photographer, whom they had known since childhood. The master published his best works in a separate book, entirely dedicated to the life and work of the ama on Honshu Island.

Iwase Yoshiyuki's photographs capture the beauty and strength of Ama women in a remarkable way, preserving the atmosphere of the past and the unique culture of Japan. In today's world, where technology and staging often play a leading role, can we consider such documentary photographs more valuable and sincere? What do you think is more important - the authenticity of the moment or the artistic transformation of reality? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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