Sensing and Capturing the Essence | 10 Questions for Riku Takiyama | ISSUE #1

I am Riku Takiyama, born in 2004 in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Currently, I am attending the Cross-Tech Design course at Kyoto University of the Arts. During high school, I won a prize in the 'Epson Photo Grand Prix'.

I might have taken photos in my childhood, but honestly, I don't remember much (laughs).
The first time I bought a camera was in my first year of high school. I wanted to start as a hobby. I got it as an early birthday present. I became interested in cameras after seeing the art club's photos and thinking they were beautiful.

I was also in the art club, which was divided into dance, illustration, and photography courses. In my first year, I was mainly focused on dance. However, after that moment, I remember pouring my energy into photography, though I continued with dance as well.

I often use the camera. In fact, this was the first camera I mentioned earlier. I have several other cameras, but I have an attachment to this one because I've used it for so long.

I switch lenses depending on the purpose. For instance, when I want to photograph people or subjects, I use Nikon's 50mm prime lens, and for landscapes, I use a telephoto lens. I also occasionally use a macro lens.

As for filters, I favor the PL filter I stumbled upon when I went to buy a macro lens.

I've been listening to a lot recently.

In my work, I may not be particularly influenced by specific individuals. However, the person who helped shape my broad mindset was probably my high school art club advisor.

Honestly, at first, I didn't really like them, or rather, I disliked them (laughs).

They were like a philosopher, always speaking logically. It felt like they were lecturing me, which I didn't like. But the teacher was genuinely dedicated to creative pursuits like photography and illustration, achieving results without boasting about it. Watching them gradually changed my way of thinking.

Until this question, I hadn't particularly considered that I was influenced by the teacher, but I feel like I've been unconsciously influenced, especially in the titles of my works. Now that I think about it, I might have learned the attitude of creating works by seeing the 'essence of things'.

Moreover, the reason I entered Kyoto University of the Arts was also because of the teacher. Even now, when I think about 'why do art?', I often remember the teacher first (laughs).

I'm interested in film cameras, particularly using 120mm film. It's often referred to as roll film or medium format film.

It seems challenging to get used to the slower shooting speed, but I definitely want to try it.

I like shooting in the rain. It's interesting because not many people take photos, and people tend to avoid each other.

Since it's problematic if the camera gets wet, I cover it with a towel or plastic while shooting. I originally liked photographing things wet with water or the rain itself.

I might have liked capturing the unique atmosphere that rain brings.

It's really difficult, but maybe people who post small text on a black background on Instagram (laughs).

I often buy clothes at vintage shops in Sanjo and Shijo in Kyoto Prefecture. I like vintage clothes, so it's more about finding favorite items than liking a specific shop.

I don't use particularly elaborate settings. I generally prefer the default settings. However, I make fine adjustments to capture the moment carefully.

It might deviate from favorite settings, but I generally prioritize the f-stop. I adjust the depth of field to create beautiful bokeh, especially when photographing people. Also, as a basic principle, if the brightness can't be adjusted with just the f-stop, I change the shutter speed to adjust the brightness.

I usually use an ISO sensitivity of around 800 and don't change it much.