Tutorial led by Editor Michel Romaggi in collaboration with the author Tomoki Ishikawa 
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 14^th of May 2025

Your portraits are really great, Tomoki. What made you choose portraiture?
At first I approached photography from a purely business perspective. For example, I thought that taking pictures of models wearing power stone bracelets could help promote the bracelets. Over time, however, I became more and more fascinated by portrait photography itself. Now I just love experiencing art through portraiture. Of course, landscape photography also offers artistic expression, but it feels like "fishing" to me. You need patience to wait for the perfect moment and I realised that this style doesn't suit me very well. On the other hand, I have an impatient personality, and as a fortune-teller I am naturally good at communicating. In portrait photography, I enjoy the process of interacting with models and co-creating the work. Considering these factors, I feel that portraiture is my way of contributing to the world, which is why I continue to pursue it.

'Dissolve'

Some are natural and some are treated. What determines your choice?
Sometimes I decide during the shoot that a particular image will be manipulated, but more often than not, inspiration strikes when I am looking at the images. That's when I decide whether to keep them natural or to do some post-processing. I opt for a natural finish when I capture what I consider a "miracle shot" - a moment so perfect that adding anything else feels unnecessary. If altering it would diminish its impact, I leave it as it is. On the other hand, if I feel that the image has the potential to be even more expressive, I will edit it. Interestingly, my initial motivation for editing was simply to adjust details such as the model's eyes or nose - small refinements that sparked my passion for post-production.

Let's talk about the making of 'Beyond the light' for now.
Can you tell us the different steps to make it?

'Beyond the light'

This piece was taken in April 2021. The original photo actually features a woman lying on her back.

original

Colour Adjustments: I placed warm-coloured smoke both above and below, creating a sense of warmth and emotional depth. Meanwhile, the light entering her gaze was adjusted to a cooler tone, enhancing the mystical atmosphere.

after colour adjustment

I rotated the image to the left to create the composition where she appears to be gazing into the distance.

after rotation

The idea struck me when I accidentally dropped my phone while looking at the image, and it landed sideways on the screen. The unexpected perspective clicked instantly. This concept aligns with my monochrome work "Dissolve," where the subject appears to dissolve like smoke. I wanted to achieve a similar effect in a colour photograph, which led to this piece.

Equipment and settings
NIKON Z6II , NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S

ISO 6400, 57mm,F4,1/200 s

Technical Process: For this work, I used Photoshop brushes made from smoke images, applying them to specific areas of the model to make her appear as if she were dissipating. Layer masks and brushes helped refine the contours, while actual smoke overlays were added in difficult areas to create a seamless integration. Simply drawing smoke shapes can look unnatural, so I used blur filters strategically to maintain depth of field.

Composition Adjustments: The subject's gaze is crucial in this image. Before editing, the direction of her eyes didn’t connect well within the frame, making the composition feel disjointed. By adding light in the direction of her gaze, I created a sense of purpose and cohesion in the overall image.

in between stage

Upon reviewing the Photoshop file, I realized I had used over 80 layers for this piece. Though I am naturally impatient, I seem to enjoy meticulous work after all.

To end this most interesting tutorial, tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?
I am based in Japan and work in fortune telling and property investment. I am currently 34 years old and started taking photographs around 2021. I met 1X in November 2023. Originally, I was thinking of using YouTube to promote my fortune-telling business, and that naturally led to my interest in cameras. That was how I got into photography. Since I was going to make videos, I also wanted to make compelling thumbnails.
In May 2021, I shot the piece "Dragon Woman". From that moment on, I began to feel that photographs should carry a "message" beyond just visual appeal. This belief has only grown stronger since I joined 1X.

'Dragon woman'

'Woven into silence' 

'Unravelling soul'

'Resurgence'