{"id":19953,"date":"2023-08-10T08:10:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-10T08:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/muse.international\/?p=19953"},"modified":"2023-08-10T08:50:17","modified_gmt":"2023-08-10T08:50:17","slug":"interview-with-mariko-okubo-from-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/muse.international\/index\/interview-with-mariko-okubo-from-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Mariko Okubo from Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mariko Okubo is a curious Tokyo-based Portrait\/Street photographer that is inspired by her love for movies, books and the ordinary but mostly her love for her wonderful daughters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q1. Can you introduce yourself and talk about how you got into photography?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My name is Mariko Okubo, Tokyo based Portrait\/Street photographer. I am curious about the people who are living or visiting to Japan from other countries. My main question is, “How come they decide to come to Japan?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would like to keep taking their pictures to prove their history of life in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q2. Where did you study photography?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I studied under Shinobu Imai who is a wonderful and skilled kids\/family photographer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q3. Do you remember your first shot? What was it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I remember my first shot back to when I was a junior high student, I took a picture of a flower by using my father’s film camera. It was a black and white film and I still like it, I am very fond of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q4. What equipment do you use?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sony 7iii and Canon EOS90D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q5. What inspires your unique storytelling?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Movies, books, the ordinary but mostly wonderful days with my daughters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q6. What THREE (3) words describe your photography style?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creative, classy and modern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q7. Congratulations! As the winner of the MUSE Photography Awards, what does it mean for you and your team to receive this distinction?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you so much for choosing my pictures and giving them a place in your Hall of Fame of wondrous photographer winners! It is very big deal for me and it encourages me a lot to do better. You gave me great confidence!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q8. Can you explain a bit about the winning work you entered into the 2023 MUSE Photography Awards, and why you chose to enter this project?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main theme is “Japanese beauty”. You can find various styles of beauty that is reflected in my pictures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q9. How has winning an award developed your career?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is definitely something to boast about! I can include this in my resume about this prize and hopefully some companies offer me a job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q10. Name 1-3 photographers who have inspired you.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Claxton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daido Moriyama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michaela Noroc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q11. What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out, by a mentor or your role model?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t hesitate to begin new things!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q12. What advice would you give someone who would like to become a photographer today?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trust your instincts and Just follow your photographer’s eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q14. What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thought long and hard about envisioning a good future that I want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q15. How do you stay in that space of being receptive to new information and knowledge?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the Internet and books! They\u2019re a great motivation for me to be susceptible to new information and that would lead me to being in a more creative space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q16. Anything else you would like to add to the interview?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you so much. I am truly honored to be the recipient of these rewarding prizes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Winning Entry<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traditional Japanese kimono style under the cherry blossom (sakura) tree\u2026 (Read more at MUSE Photography Awards<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more about this interview<\/a> with Vinci Weng of VINCI WENG Studio for Digital Fine Art here!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mariko Okubo is a curious Tokyo-based Portrait\/Street photographer that is inspired by her love for movies, books and the ordinary but mostly her love for her [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":19955,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[372],"tags":[12,17,382],"yoast_head":"\nInterview with Mariko Okubo from Japan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Winner interview with Mariko Okubo from Japan for sakura, the Gold Winner of the 2023 MUSE Photography Awards.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/muse.international\/index\/interview-with-mariko-okubo-from-japan\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Interview with Mariko 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