Who is behind eyes between lines?
Hi! I am Kanari Zukoshi, behind the lens at eyesbetweenlines. I am Japanese, grew up in the tropical islands of Fiji and moved to Aotearoa, NZ at age 18. I am now based on the coastal town of Muloobinba, Newcastle Australia. I have always loved the water; free-diving with my dad as a kid, sailing and then eventually took up surfing in my early 20s as a young woman. The water was where I felt free, most alive and where I challenged myself.
What does the name eyes between lines mean?
I remember my primary school teacher saying to 'read between the lines' to understand more than the surface of what I was reading. This is how I learnt more words, by trying to understand the context surrounding the one word I did not know on the page without a dictionary. This also helped me understand more about people as well.
Photography is something that I loved as a child, and naturally went back to as an adult. I wanted my page to have this deep focus drawing my work back to who I have always been; to understand and tell stories of women in the lineup between the lines of the waves, between the actions, between each swell, between the surface and under the water.
What made you start surf photography/videography?
I had a concussion in the surf that left me feeling isolated from myself and others, and I had to learn to re-wire my brain again. I picked up a camera to feel closer to the surf, like I did for my mom as a kid when she was in the darkest place. I started to shoot again but to help myself feel closer to the water.
In doing so I started noticing a trend. The lack of stereotype de-constructing representation of women's surfing in Aotearoa, NZ. Only 'good well known local surfers' got the shots, other women who I found had the deepest stories were left out of that light. I had this big vision to gather and share the spirit of everyday women surfers and film-makers and started networking. I realised how special each person was with the weight and light they held while facing the waves. I wanted to tell their story and craft it to show their essence. I picked up a filming camera, and fell in love with the movement, the emotions of surf videography.
What gear do you use?
I currently use my Sony A7IV with a Sony G 24-105mm f4 FE zoom lens in the water, housed in Seafrogs Salted Line. Out of the water, I use a variety of lenses depending on the needs and vision including my favourite, an anamorphic lens.
I started videography and photography as a kid on an olympus TG-3, and then when I picked it up again I went to the closest second hand camera store and asked for a budget mirrorless camera. That ended up being the Panasonic Lumix G85 (an 11 mp micro 4/3 camera) and then got a Lumix GH5S in the Seafrogs Housing for video.
