The year was 2006. Youtube was on the rise, 10-megapixel consumer DSLRs were hitting the market and I had just arrived in Tokyo with my black Nikon FM2n and a couple of prime lenses, determined to find my place as an analog documentary photographer.
My only contact in town was Paula – a half-Brazilian half-Japanese friend who had been working there as a model for a year or so. We did a few weekend collaboration shots and she kindly introduced me to her modelling friends so we could do some more casual shots with no particular goal in mind.
It didn’t take me long to notice that most of my new friends had a distinct visual characteristic. They were haafu, which in Japan refers to individuals who are biracial, half-Japanese and half non-Japanese. Paula worked for Elite Models, and in a brief chat with one of her managers I was told that in advertising, the looks of haafu with their big eyes and tall noses was becoming increasingly popular as it represented an international version of the Japanese image, the materialization of an aspirational concept in which “ethnically homogenous” Japan co-existed with universal beauty standards.
Back in my tiny apartment, as their portraits came to life in the developing tray I realised how what we were doing collectivelly contributed to a growing transnational conscience in Japanese society, while also questioning the kind of transnationality that was being constructed. How much of it was based on reality and how much was based on consumption-driven imagination?
Those darkroom thoughts and images became my first photo story in Tokyo, named At Mid Distance and published/exhibited in 2010. It was all done on Kodak Tri-X film and printed on Ilford Multigrade Fiber-based paper. Here on 35mmc I present a selection of those images.
Full article published in 2010: https://discovernikkei.org/en/journal/2010/1/7/meia-distancia/
See other essays here: https://ricyamamoto.wixsite.com/images
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Martin Siegel on Tokyo Portraits on Tri-X
Comment posted: 06/03/2026
Comment posted: 06/03/2026
David Pauley on Tokyo Portraits on Tri-X
Comment posted: 06/03/2026
Comment posted: 06/03/2026
Ibraar Hussain on Tokyo Portraits on Tri-X
Comment posted: 06/03/2026
And having pretty models to photograph is a Huge plus!
Nice one!
Comment posted: 06/03/2026
Comment posted: 06/03/2026
Gary Smith on Tokyo Portraits on Tri-X
Comment posted: 07/03/2026
Comment posted: 07/03/2026
Art Meripol on Tokyo Portraits on Tri-X
Comment posted: 07/03/2026
Comment posted: 07/03/2026
Jeffery Luhn on Tokyo Portraits on Tri-X
Comment posted: 10/03/2026
I really liked these shots. Great models! They all have sultry expressions. Any active or smiling poses, or were they locked into their 'model mentality' all the time? Clothing advertising seemed to encourage sultry faces for decades, although some youth brands have lightened up a bit now. I found it difficult to get models to be casual during my pro years 1975-2005. Especially men. Do you have any contact with these subjects now? I wonder how they are fairing in Japan, or whether they are still living there. It's a fascinating country. I always enjoyed my visits there.
Comment posted: 10/03/2026
Scott Peterson on Tokyo Portraits on Tri-X
Comment posted: 11/03/2026
Ricardo Yamamoto on Tokyo Portraits on Tri-X
Comment posted: 12/03/2026
Those were developed in Kodak D-76, printed and then scanned at that time. It's hard to replicate the film experience because they smell so good!