Takuma Oshima
CALEB SCHAFTLEIN,
Full Name: Takuma Oshima
Age: 33
Country: Japan
Photography Genre: Portrait, Fashion
1. Could you please provide us with a professional introduction about yourself and your photography work?
Projects: London Fashion Week2024, Berlin Fashion Week 2024
Featured in: -
Brand affiliations: -
Awards: -
2. Can you tell us about how you got started in photography?
I started photography when I moved from Japan to Europe and bought a camera to capture my life in a different culture.
3. What was your passion driving you during your journey? Who or what prompted you to begin?
Seeing people happy through the portraits I capture through my viewfinder is what motivates me to continue photography. I feel a great sense of joy when people who lack confidence in their appearance regain it through my photos.
4. Could you walk us through your photoshoot planning process?
I asked the models and brands to share their favorite photos with me and delved into what they "somehow liked" about them to identify the specific elements they found appealing. I scheduled the shoot based on the position of the sunlight.
5. As a photography expert, what sets your work apart from other photographers?
My career as a photographer stems from filmmaking. While I mainly produce videos professionally, photography often leads to new discoveries. Conversely, I also apply the lighting and composition skills I've acquired from filmmaking to my photography.
6. Where do you get your ideas for photoshoots?
I constantly seek new ideas in my daily life. For instance, while waiting at a bus stop, I often look at nearby fashion advertisements and wonder about the lighting techniques and how they edit the skin texture.
7. Can you tell us about the most memorable moment you've had as a photographer and what experience you gained from that?
I believe that a great photograph should have a story in a single image. In filmmaking, layering frames creates a timeline, making it relatively easy to tell a story. However, with photography, a single photo must capture the subject's past and their future. This is the challenging aspect that demands a higher level of artistry.
8. What are the most important components of an extraordinary photograph, in your opinion?
9. How do you strike a balance between your artistic expression and your client's expectations during a shoot?
In my view, when working with clients, their goals are the top priority. Clients have diverse objectives, and sometimes they don't require artistic elements. Since clients understand their products best, communication is crucial. Within this framework, my artistic expression is likely reflected unconsciously in the photographs.
10. How do other artists influence your work? Are there any other photographers you look up to? Who?
Alan Schaller's monochrome photographs are always impressive. I'm practicing to capture cool photos with his level of insight, but it's quite challenging.
11. How do you enhance your vision after a session by post-processing your photos? Do you have a best-kept secret for editing processing that you'd like to share?
First, I'm conscious of excluding unnecessary backgrounds during the shoot to make the subject stand out. During editing, I adjust the exposure, contrast, and saturation of both the subject and background, separating them to a natural extent to avoid looking unnatural.
12. Can you tell us about the most difficult photographic challenge you've ever had, including lighting, unexpected situations, and how you managed the issues on set?
13. What are your top tips for aspiring photographers on skill development and finding their own creative voice? How did you develop yours?
I'm also still in the process of discovering my style. I believe it's something that comes with looking at many photos and taking my own every day. Additionally, I think it's necessary to avoid unnecessary blur in photos to improve. While blur might initially seem cool, without a reason for it, you're abandoning the creativity of choosing backgrounds.
14. What is your favorite piece of work you've ever shot? (Include links)
15. Can you tell me about an upcoming project you're working on and the idea behind it?
Since my focus is primarily on filmmaking, I'd like to discuss that aspect. For an upcoming project, in late July, I'll be filming a short documentary for the "Fiestravaganza International Music Academy" in Berlin. This summer academy is designed for young pianists from around the world. I aim to capture the interactions between the esteemed European instructors and the children, as well as any emotional transformations that occur.
16. Where can we view more of your work and connect with you?
