When the Meinholds reached out and scheduled their family portrait session date, we knew there was a chance that we would miss the peak bloom of Japan's famous cherry blossoms. The Meinholds, however, were okay with that. It had been three years since the family had created any family portraits and they were well past due for a fresh set of family portraits. Cherry blossoms or not, the family was more than ready to get outdoors and capture their evolution since their last photography outing. I loved the Meinhold's attitude and, as a father, know how important it is to capture families in different stages of life. On our shoot day, I met the Meinhold at their home in western Tokyo. Our plan was to capture the family in their environment. It seemed only natural for our portrait session to incorporate elements of the Meinhold's daily life in Tokyo. The kids could play in the park and then we could navigate the streets of Tama that the family has grown to enjoy over the past years. Even though the majority of the sakura blooms had dropped and spring leaves were mostly in, we still managed to find a couple of groves in Nogawa, a vast park in western Tokyo. We spent a lot of time relaxing the park and making portraits on the street close to the Meinhold's home. For the rest of our portrait session, the family and I explored an area along the Sebu-Tamagawa line, popping into local temples, and meandering through the neighborhood that the Meinhold's call home. I couldn't have asked for a better day as a photographer in Tokyo, Japan. Are you in need of a photographer to capture your family? If so, reach out today to find out more about my portrait photography services and to book your portrait session. More Family Photography In Tokyo, Japan
Are you searching for a portrait photographer in Tokyo, throughout Japan, or beyond? If so, contact me today to start a conversation about how I can best serve you. More Portraits In Tokyo
As a photographer in Tokyo, I get requests from a wide range of clients. I never know what kind of photographs I am going to be asked to create. From editors inquiring about editorial assignments to mothers searching for a photographer to shoot their son's bar mitzvah, each day brings a uniquely interesting client. One segment of the expats in Tokyo that I always love to hear from are the service members stationed in Japan. I recently heard from Jeremy. He wrote: Andy! I am hoping to contract you to create some professional headshots to use on my business school and LinkedIn profiles. I live in Yamato, Kanagawa but work on Camp Zama’s airfield. Regarding a personal branding portrait session, I’d like to incorporate a professional vibe of course. Clean backgrounds seem appropriate. My target industry following business school is management consulting, so I want to appear conservative yet welcoming. I’m also going to business school on the East Coast, so I imagine a more conservative appearance is the norm. I figure taking cues from the partners’ profile photos is a reasonable strategy. Can you help me? I was happy to hear from Jeremy and knew that we could easily knock out some professional corporate branding images together. After receiving such a detailed inquired, I also knew that I could travel to him in Kanagawa and that this small effort would make my client's shoot day less stressful. I quickly responded and carved out a day on the calendar for Jeremy. In the end, I spent just one hour with Jeremy but created more than 50 images for him to use as he embarks on his new adventure in corporate life. Are you in need of headshots or personal branding images for your next chapter? If so, contact me today to see how I can help out or to directly book your session date. More Personal Branding Photography
It was quickly apparent that Admir was going to be a great portraiture client. He was gregarious, full of life, and had a smile a mile wide. As a portrait photographer, I want to know as much as I can about my clients before photographing them. Understanding a person's background helps me decide how to navigate their. portrait session. With this said, the more Admir and I talked, the more impressed I became. Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Admir's story runs deep. When war broke out, he became a teenage refugee. During the Bosnian war, he fled to Croatia where he was able to enroll in a technical high school. Though he was originally accepted as a non-matriculating student, Admir displayed tremendous efforts and was awarded a high school diploma. With sponsorship and support, he then enrolled in university and soon started a company which worked to preserve ancient cultural heritage. Years later, he received his doctorate in chemistry and eventually made his way to America. Now, Dr. Masic is currently a scientist serving as a career development professor at MIT. He is also a researcher, studying the characterization of archaeological materials with the objective of inspiring the design of more sustainable and durable building. After learning Admir's story, I was honored to create some new personal branding images for him and to share some time together here in Tokyo. More, I was honored to work with an intellectual whose life serves as an inspiration. Are you in need of new imagery to help propel your personal brand? If so, reach out today to start a conversation about how I can best help you reach your goals or to learn more about my session offerings. More Portrait Sessions
I shoot a range of genres. But my primary love is portrait photography. Without a doubt, a portrait photographer has one of the most intriguing jobs in the world. I find the whole process utterly human and it invigorates me. During a portrait session, I get the chance to connect with another person in a way that is intensely personal. My clients and I get to experience a certain amount of vulnerability together. With keen awareness, I am allowed to observe different aspects of my clients and am always grateful for being permitted to capture those fluctuations of spirit. Portrait sessions are both empowering and cathartic for clients and photographers alike. There's nothing else like it. Because of this, I am always am excited when I receive an inquiry from anyone who wants or needs images of themselves. A recent request came from Sui. She wrote: Hi Andy! My name is Sui, and I’m currently living in Tokyo. I recently joined a model agency and they need some pictures of me to help me get bookings. I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to get some professional photos taken. I enjoyed browsing your website and looking at your portraits. I would appreciate a photography quote and to learn about your upcoming availability for a portrait session. Even though I didn't yet know Sui, I was proud of her for taking the steps necessary to follow her dreams of becoming a model in Japan. I quickly responded and asked Sui some probing questions. I wanted to understand her larger ambitions so that I could help her create the images that would help navigate her to her ultimate goals. I wanted to know more about her personality and what type of images would connect who she is at the core to her professional aspirations. After learning a bit more about Sui and how I could best help her, we moved forward and scheduled a portfolio building session. Are you considering a leap into the modeling world in Tokyo or anywhere else in Japan? If so, I would be delighted to discuss a custom portfolio building session with you. Reach out today to learn more about my portrait offerings or to directly book your session date. Related Posts
Late in 2020, the Vriend family inquired about a family portrait session. Like most of my portraiture clients who live in Japan, the Vriends wanted to capture a slice of their actual life, away from the clichés that are easily attached to the Japanese capital. They wanted to be photographed in "their Tokyo." The Vriends don't live downtown in Minato where the Tokyo Tower stands tall. Nor do they live in Shinjuku City where the bustle and buzz are the defining characteristics. The Vriend's live, as most Tokyoites do, in a suburban enclave where the streets are narrow and the shops are more likely closed than open. The Vriend's call Chofu home. This area in western Tokyo is known for large green spaces, a tiny airport, and easy family living. The neighborhoods of Chofu, like other suburban clusters, are authentic. They are void of neon glare, throbbing J-Pop, and massive pedestrian crossings. There is a calming current here. Over the years, I have come to appreciate this typical suburb more and more and could understand why the Vriends wanted Chofu to be their portrait session location. Our goal, of course, was to capture a glimpse into the Vriend's quiet life in the suburbs, to photograph the family in the spots they frequent. In their own words, the Vriend's hoped that the session would produce images that, years from now, would transport them back to the places they grew together as a family in a Tokyo that only locals could recognize. With neighborhood streets, mom-and-pop store façades, expansive parks, and Shin-Koganei station nearby, our two-hour family portrait session flew by. Are you interested in booking a family photography session in Tokyo? If so, reach out today via my contact form to book your portrait experience in Japan or beyond More Family Photography I am frequently contacted by clients asking how they can become a model in Tokyo. The initial part of my answer is always the same. To become a model in Japan, or anywhere else in the world, you need first need to have a portfolio. Modeling, like many industries, is a business based on first impressions. In addition to a unique look, an aspiring model needs charisma, perseverance, and a portfolio to land representation. Before approaching an agency, an aspiring model should be ready to present themselves on a personal and professional level. The key here is to make an agency's job as easy as possible. By holding a selection of professionally photographed images, an agent can fast track a model's induction process and begin "pitching" the model to industry professionals. Since a model's comp card or portfolio (physical or digital) enters an agency well before the model does, it is imperative that aspiring models have a baseline portfolio to get them through the door. Considering this, I work with aspiring models to create starter portfolios, collections of images that showcase a model's potential and their ability to fit various client needs. In just a few hours, clients and I create imagery that is powerful enough to get the attention of Tokyo's modeling agencies. I recently worked with Ella, an aspiring model in need of a portfolio portrait session. Since Ella is interested in fashion photography, we designed our session that will streamline her entrance into the fashion world here in Japan and beyond. Are you interested in a portfolio building or standard portrait session? If so, reach out today to start a conversation, request a quote, or to directly book your session date in Tokyo or beyond. Related PostsSpring had past and hydrangea season was in full effect, an odd time of transition. This short period is one of the few calendar segments in Japan when it is difficult to tell what season it is. Not spring, but not quite summer. The heat had ramped up but it wasn't yet unpleasant. Though not swarming, the mosquitos were creeping out but the cicadas weren't yet screaming through the forests and leaving their exoskeletons on the trees. To add to the seasonal confusion, everyone in Japan was then, as we are now, dealing with the unknowns of COVID-19. Understandably, personal branding and/or portrait session bookings in Tokyo had slowed due to the range of pandemic concerns. However, once clients knew that I was willing to travel to them, adhere to social distancing etiquette, and diligently wear a mask throughout any shoot, they were keen to book. During this time, I heard from Sandie Herron, a budding author awaiting the publication of her first book. Sandie wrote: Hi, Andy! I am currently based in Tokyo and will be publishing my first book soon. I am working with a publisher in Jamaica and am set to publish in a few weeks. The Title of the book is 'Journey into the Unknown." The book essentially captures my journey moving from Jamaica to live in a foreign country. I would like create a series of fun, professional photos in anticipation of the book launch and would love to work with you to capture imagery for social media (primarily be used on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.). I also hope that the images can be used on promotional materials as well as for the book itself. Regarding the images, I would like to capture multiple looks. Some of the ideas I have to showcase my personal brand are:
I was happy to hear from Sandie and to be chosen as her portrait photographer in Japan. After reading her ideas, I was more than willing to do what I could to help Sandie reach her goals as an author and to provide her with a custom set of portraits. We immediately began a conversation relating to the professional goals she had outlined and started planning Sandie's personal branding session. On our shoot day, I traveled north to Sandie's home in Saitama so that she wouldn't have to worry about traversing Tokyo or deal with any of the stress caused by pandemic commuting. There, in the northern suburbs of Tokyo, Sandie and I spent a couple of hours making the images that are now being used to promote her as a budding author and speaker here in Japan and beyond. Are you searching for a photographer in Japan to help you cultivate your own personal brand? If so, reach out today to begin a conversation about your portrait, personal branding, or headshot session in Tokyo or beyond. Related Content
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