Life & Work with Aika Taguchi of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aika Taguchi.

Hi Aika, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Aika Taguchi. I’m a photographer/videographer/filmmaker based in Los Angeles. My passion for creative work started with filmmaking. I watched a lot of Hollywood movies when I was in high school in Japan. I think many fantasy movies, such as Harry Potter, Avatar, Now You See Me, and many Disney and Pixar films, influenced me. I loved being in a different world from my real life as I watched those movies, and I started feeling that I wanted to make movies like them, movies that can take people to a fun, exciting world and bring joy to them. So, I came to LA to learn filmmaking. I started at Santa Monica College, and as I keep learning, I found my passion in camera and lighting. The photography class I took at SMC was an eye-opening experience. I found photography so fun, and I started taking a lot of photos on the streets. That eventually led me to purchase a camera, Nikon Z6, which I still use, and I started taking headshots, event photos, live concert photos, and other creative photos as well as continuing to take street photos. Currently, I would like to focus on music and live concert photography, and I am working on building my portfolio for that field.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think I have ever had a major struggle so far in my creative works. However, I find it difficult to make a good connection with people/peers. A lot of film set work and photography work come from people I know; therefore, building a connection is a very important part to keep my work. As an introvert, it is hard to get familiar with people instantly. It takes time for me to feel comfortable talking to people and opening myself up, but a lot of times, I don’t get such a luxury time to talk to others enough. I sometimes envy extroverted and outgoing people, as they seem to be able to keep the conversation flowing so easily and become friends. Therefore, I always try to observe how people are talking to others and try to talk and be more friendly with people as much as possible. Acquiring soft skills is so much harder than hard skills, but this is something I need to keep trying my best to improve for the future.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I think I am such a visual person. In everything I do, whether in film, photography, or videography, the most important element I always pay the most attention to is the camera, lighting, and color. In film, I have been working as a grip and electrician who sets up lighting on set. I have also done some projects as a gaffer who is in charge of lighting on set, and a cinematographer who oversees the whole camera and lighting. Especially dealing with lighting equipment on set is physically hard work, but whenever I see how those lights are making a difference in the scene, it is the most exciting and rewarding moment. In photography, the principle is the same. If it’s a studio setting with strobes, I carefully coordinate the lighting, and that’s what I enjoy the most. I also talk to a model to choose the outfit as it affects the color and mood. Even if it’s not a studio setting with coordinated lighting, I still look at the lighting. If the sunlight is too harsh, I might go to a shaded area or adjust the exposure in post. Also, the framing is a key component. It can change the dynamic and the feeling.

In both photography and filmmaking, I believe lighting and camera framing can greatly affect the scene, and I am obsessed with seeing the beautiful result.

Also, I have made some educational/corporate videos as a project manager. It involves talking to clients and asking what they are looking for, assembling a team, coordinating a shoot schedule, commenting on the post-production process, etc. It has less visual work than photography and film work; however, it is such a wonderful experience to oversee a project from both a creative perspective and a technical perspective from the beginning to the end.

In any field, film, photography, and videography, I really enjoy being creative, and I would like to keep doing what I love!

How do you define success?
I think success means doing what I am passionate about and being able to support myself. As a filmmaker/photographer/videographer, if I’m not doing any of these works, I don’t think I’ll be happy. At the same time, it is a hard field to sustain enough income just from the creative work. As I’m still in school and have my parents’ support, I don’t have to worry about next month’s rent; however, I don’t want to be dependent on them for long, and I shouldn’t. As I’m graduating later this year in December, thinking about supporting myself has been a great fear for me. So, I’d love to get a steady job, but I also want to keep being creative. If I could get a steady creative job, that would be perfect, and I am working on that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://aikataguchi.myportfolio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taguchi_aika/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068917343993
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aika-taguchi-4353bb21b/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aikataguchi9794