We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Adam Okimatsu. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Adam below.
Adam, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Keeping your creativity alive can be really challenging. I think one of the most important ways to do that is by giving yourself the space and availability to be creative, and allowing your mind to be in a state to accept creativity. Entertainment is so easily accessible whether it be through Instagram, Tik Tok, Netflix, etc… and, for me at least, when I’m watching something like that my mind is tuned into whatever it is I’m watching. Personally I find myself most creative or have new ideas when I’m bored or doing tasks that don’t require much thinking (dishes, laundry, etc…). To keep your creativity alive I think its important to be comfortable being bored and not constantly entertained.
I also think staying curious and wanting to push the needle forward is important in keeping your creativity alive. As a wedding photographer, during the busy season it can be easy to fall back to the same setups or ways of doing things. But I think the real magic happens when you ask a lot of questions and are curious about who the couples are that you’re working with and what really matters to them on their wedding day. Having those conversations can always spark a new way of doing things or help pave the way of documenting their day.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m the owner of Adam Okimatsu Photography and specialize in wedding photography in the New York/New Jersey area. I’d say my style of photography is a blend of documentary and editorial. One of the reasons I fell in love with wedding photography is because there are so many different styles of photography that are present throughout the course of the day, so I like to blend those styles into my own. I love the approach of photographing weddings with a documentary eye, and some of my favorite images I’ve captured are ones that people maybe didn’t realize I was taking. I think those are some of the most valuable images I can deliver, ones that show people in the honesty of the moment, not pretending for the camera.
I really love getting to know the couples I work with and believe a strong and trusting relationship with your photographer helps get some of the most honest photography.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Being Creative In The Work But Also As A Business
– Being a creative entrepreneur means using your creative mind in all aspects of the business, not just in the product itself. Between the marketing, sales funnel, and admin work that goes into running a business there are so many outlets to be creative in those spaces and using it to your advantage will help immensely.
2. Using Your Network
– When you’re starting out make sure you tell your friends/family/coworkers what you’re doing or what your creative business is. Without a body of work its really hard to get strangers to buy into your business so start with people who know you, and let it grow from there. It can be embarrassing to tell everyone you know about something new you’re starting but in the long run it’ll help get to where you want to be.
3. Know Your Camera
– This is more specific to wedding photography and kind of a no-brainer, but some people starting out miss this step. On a wedding day everything is moving extremely fast and you don’t have time to really think about your camera settings and taking time to change things. Making adjustments have to be second nature and happen instantly when you’re working a wedding day.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is someone who values their wedding photography for the long run and not just for images on trend. They trust me in documenting their day, which I take extremely seriously, but don’t want to feel forced into doing things that don’t feel like them, just because it’s something that normally happens at a wedding.
One of my guiding principles is the concept of Wabi-Sabi which is the Japanese idea that focuses on beauty in imperfections, and that those imperfections can make something more interesting and unique. I take that concept with me on wedding days and am always looking for couples that share that mentality.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://adam-okimatsu.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamokimatsuphotography/
Image Credits
Adam Okimatsu Photography
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