Who I am
In 2015 I decided to visit Tokyo and buy a 'real' camera for the first time hoping to get some great travel photos. Fast forward several years and many stories and Tokyo is my home! In Tokyo I discovered my passion for visual storytelling and content creation focused on travel, street and portrait photography. Now, working professionally in Tokyo as a full-time photographer and entrepreneur I help others convey their message through client work, coaching, and community building through my company Tekumi Co.
What I do at EYExplore
I conduct the Neon Studio Workshop in Tokyo which is all about photographing models, studio lighting, and composition.
Where I explore
I'm naturally drawn to the retro, seedy areas where people explore their darker sides. Shimbashi for me is the quintessential "local" Tokyo spot with its prominent salaryman culture and maze of tiny bar streets. Kabukicho in Shinjuku is also another one of my familiar spots with its array of hidden alleyways and sense of mystery.
Why I love photography
"A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it." —Edward Steichen. I’m a firm believer in the idea that it is more important to click with people than to click the shutter when it comes to photographing subjects. Photography has opened so many new doors for me, doors that might have always been shut had I not had my camera with me. More than anything else it has helped me see the world in a fantastical, curious, and creative way.
