Meet Naoki Fukuda | Professional Photographer & Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Naoki Fukuda and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Naoki, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The reason I started taking photos was when I was in university studying film. The classes mainly focused on theory, criticism, and history of films. However, I’ve always been a curious person by nature, so I wanted to try shooting myself. I started making independent films with friends. I taught myself about visuals, and the equipment and knowledge didn’t differ much, so I naturally began taking photos as well.

At that time, I was also involved in music. As my graduation approached, I couldn’t bring myself to consider working for a company somewhere. I was wandering aimlessly, but I heard from an acquaintance that a photographer was looking for an assistant. As soon as I graduated, I moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. That’s how I gradually learned about the world of photography.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I specialize in photography, and I take pride in being able to turn my greatest passion into a profession. Being a photographer is a profession that doesn’t require any formal qualifications, so I think starting out is relatively easy, but it takes resilience and talent to sustain it. It’s certainly not easy, and I continue to face challenges every day, but I still feel a sense of improvement and enjoy my work. It continues to have a positive impact on my life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One of the best aspects of being a photographer as a profession is the opportunity to travel extensively. I’ve traveled to countless places and countries, so I take pride in having a certain level of persuasion when it comes to saying, “I’d love to live here!” And that’s exactly how I felt about New York, where I currently reside.

While a week wouldn’t do it justice, New York offers a unique experience with its diverse culinary scene from around the world. Additionally, there are so many incredible museums and art galleries that you could never see them all, and simply strolling through the city allows you to absorb a sense of freedom and positivity.

Upon moving here, I often found myself thinking it’s one of the messiest cities, but I love it! Especially, I have a fondness for the streets and atmosphere around Brooklyn and SoHo.

On the flip side, I often recommend Tokyo to my American friends. It’s a completely different world, for better or worse. Since moving to New York, I’ve been able to see the good things about Tokyo from a different perspective, so even though I used to dislike it, now I get excited every time I return to Tokyo.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Many people have helped me, and that continues to this day, but I especially want to dedicate my deepest gratitude to my wife. In my twenties, I had a dream of living in New York and building a career as a photographer, but I faced significant visa issues and had to give up on it. However, meeting her, she put in tremendous effort to make my dream come true. We were able to start our married life in New York, and it still feels like a miracle that we are here today.

Website: https://fukudanaoki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naokifukuda/