TAIKAN BY: CHLOE NAKATSURU

What are your opinions on the use of social media and online presence in presenting creative work?

I think in this generation most people have become reliant on social media, it has become an essential tool to express ourselves, meet like minded individuals and receive criticism. All of these things are beneficial, especially for self established artists. However, as someone who has used it for all of these reasons I have found that recently it has become something that has obstructed my personal and creative growth. With this realization, I decided to permanently delete my Instagram account. After removing myself from Instagram, I noticed an improvement in my mental health and some changes in my creative mindset that I never realized were connected to my use of social media. I know seeing other creative people express themselves is very inspiring to me but I think when I was seeing so many different people on social media everyday, it started to become overwhelming. Especially, as someone who is still figuring out their own self expression, it can be confusing seeing all of these people who seemed so secure in themselves and their art. I got so absorbed in the platform that I forgot that it's all an illusion. That being said, I think Instagram does have a purpose and I understand why people use it. I think a break is the right thing for me right now and who knows, maybe one day I will return.

 

Where do you get your inspiration for your unique style of film photography? Can you talk about your editing process?

I see so many inspiring things everyday, I don't think I could name one particular thing. However, a person who has inspired me a lot growing up, was my dad. He introduced me to photography and video from a young age and gave me my first film camera. He was also a musician and showed me a lot of music growing up. Something that I have always found fascinating is the visual representation of music (album covers, music videos, etc.). I always wanted to create my own album art and when I found out about Photoshop and Lightroom, I became obsessed. Obviously my editing was not great when I started. I think my editing style has definitely just developed into what it is now, simply through practice.

 

What are your hobbies or interests outside of photography and art that may influence your work? 
A main interest of mine is videography. I am very much into analogue video right now. I have been experimenting a lot with old vhs cameras and tapes and it's been very fun. I think that video is starting to become more interesting to me than photography. I hope to make a music video in the near future.  

 

What is the most important element of a successful shoot for you? Models, location, weather conditions, etc.
I think location is the most important to me. As someone who is an introvert, I have accepted that capturing people is not a main focus of my art. Although, sometimes I do capture people, I find that I’m most fascinated by landscape imagery. Many may find this type of imagery boring and overdone however I see that as a challenge. With my recent experimentations with analogue video, I believe I could bring a whole new perspective to landscape photography/videography.

 

What kind of gear do you shoot with and how big of a role does special equipment play in your photography?
I would say equipment plays a big role in my creative process, each of my cameras offer a unique aesthetic. For my video projects I use my Sony Handycam, iPhone camera and Casio Exilim. For my film photography I use a Fujifilm 645 Zi and a Konica 35mm point and shoot.
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