The flow

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
Well, I’ve been working on a few different projects lately. All of them are related to photography, but in different formats.

One of the projects focuses on a few shoots I did with Asami Hime, an American model currently living in Barcelona. The idea of the project is simply to publish a book together, as a form of collaboration, so to speak. And that actually pushes me to photograph while thinking about an actual subject to explore, which is not what I usually do; I just like to go with the flow.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on them?
I’ve learned to think a little bit more about the shots that I want, and I’ve also unlearned the need to focus on getting the perfect picture while working on such a project. I think when you think less, you naturally create something more coherent.

What words, ideas or emotions were going through your head?
I tend to think about how one shot will look on paper, and which picture I can pair with another, and how that will look. My imagination kind of runs wild all the time. Every time I’m designing a book or planning a shoot for a book or a magazine, I need to think about all kinds of things: the cover, the content, and the side story of the story I want to tell.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
I’m very inspired by the latest works of Purienne published by Idea. They make very minimalistic books, filled with pictures of beautiful women, nature, and essentials such as garments, perfumes, and things like that, and it all goes really well together. My style of photography also focuses on similar elements, trying to emulate the look of the ’70s and ’80s through the use of film photography, sometimes pushing the film to create tones unique to that era. It’s a type of study on its own.

I’m also very inspired by Japanese photography, I’m a huge fan of the Showa era.

What's been the most difficult thing you've faced recently in your creative process?
I’m always facing difficulties in my creative process. Most of the time it’s about not having enough time to do anything, as well as a lack of motivation and doubts. But I’ve learned to accept that as part of my creative process.

What is your favorite restaurant and what do you recommend we order?
Any Asian restaurant would do for me. Mostly  Japanese food but that’s fine if it’s not, and I would order a katsudon.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
Before Sunrise would be the movie, because I dream of having those kinds of deep conversations you can have with someone you’ve just met, somewhere on a bus or a train. The soundtrack would be written by Thomas Newman.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
I would recommend Ray Litsala. He is my closest friend and a very good photographer, with a very specific style and mood: very cinematic and just pure love.