A book of photographs and essays on photography by Osamu Matsuo. Alongside academic photographic theory, it presents the fundamental allure and mystery of photography through wistful images of Sasebo, the port town on Japan's western edge where the artist has his roots.

Why do people take photographs? Why do we flash a peace sign at the camera? What makes a good photograph? In an age when taking pictures has become an everyday act, this book sets out to reconsider what photography is, and what it means to take a photograph at all.

The text appears in three languages — Japanese, English, and Chinese — used not only to convey meaning but as an effective graphic element throughout the book.