Late last year, I heard from a group of friends who wanted to collectively offer a gift to the Nowak family. The group thought that the Nowaks would enjoy a portrait session in Tokyo since they would soon be moving on from their life in Japan. Of course I was happy to provide a gift certificate for the Nowaks and looked forward to scheduling their custom session. After receiving their digital gift, the Nowaks promptly contacted me and set their family portrait session shoot for a day in early winter. Here in Japan, winter doesn't mean frigid temperatures or heaps of snow. In fact ..read more

After nearly three years of closed borders, Japan has recently invited tourists to return. With this news, flocks of  adventurers are heading towards the Japanese capital. While many visitors are coming on impromptu trips to Tokyo, droves of tourists have waited patiently for this moment to come, to finally have the Japan trip they envisioned over 1,000 days ago actually happen.  Last November, I heard from Shan and Jase, a couple who had long ago hoped to be in Japan to celebrate their honeymoon. Shan wrote: Hi! My husband and I are finally traveling to Tokyo at the end of Novemb ..read more

This was the first spring the O'Connor family had been in Tokyo to see the sakura for a decade. Considering this,  Mark wanted to make this spring extra special by treating his wife Kaori to a family portrait session as a birthday gift. I got to work and created Kaori a custom made an e-gift certificate. Mark let me know that she was thrilled and eager to schedule our session.  For years the O'Connor family have lived outside of Japan. But now, with a son and new opportunities in Tokyo, the O'Connors decided it was time to move back "home." Luckily, the O'Connors made it ..read more

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 diff ..read more

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 sc ..read more

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 ..read more

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 session ..read more

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 ..read more

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 j ..read more

Spring 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 ..read more