Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Shintani.
Hi Christopher, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Started photography through obtaining my BFA in Creative Photography in 2006. Fine art and commercial are such opposite groups… mainly in income. In order to make rent and not starve, I began assisting a commercial photographer as well as doing portfolio “test” shoots for agencies. After a few years of that, I went corporate in-house with Revolve Clothing. At the time, the owners were very generous to letting the creative team stretch the bounds of what was possible with e-commerce and we let loose and had some fun creating a wonderful turn of aesthetic and industry respect not previously given to the e-commerce world. After enough of the full-time grind in-house, I decided to make my schedule even more intense by going freelance, starting with a ton of swim and fashion brands and then eventually going into more commercial advertising.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think the idea of any creative career being a smooth road would have to be of either insane natural talent or a very wonderful backing to not have to think about things like…. rent….. or food. Main struggles would have to be figuring out rates, understanding that clients are not bound to you as loyal friends even with as much as they may make that seem and that your worth is valid as long as you can ask for it… actually ask for it. Like typing it into an email and telling your prospect/current client what your rate is without bending to their budget. Finding time for yourself to not burn out is also one of the hardest parts of the journey. I always compared it to a mountain that had some breaks but still meant you weren’t at the top. Take a breather and then keep the grind going.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
For personal work, I enjoy working with florals as well as body contours and nudes. Commercially I do a decent range of work, everything from fashion to food. I’m most proud of the fashion and portraits I do commercially since it’s the closest reflection of my personal voice through directing and capturing. I think what sets any artist apart from any other is their capture of the direction they can give their subject.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Haha, Los Angeles….. we have the most consistent weather ever imaginable. We also have decently affordable space to run private studios out of without completely breaking the bank. With the growth of e-commerce, denim, swim and lingerie brands we also have had a significant growth in talent that is accessible here now as well.
What I like least about Los Angeles….. aside from traffic? We’re a city that’s too divided by freeways to connect with ourselves in industries outside of the annual party that’s hosted by agencies or companies. I think we’re also too cliquey as a city.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shintaniphotography.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/shintani/
