About Aya
I'm a Cologne-based photographer from Japan with a background that bridges art history, studio photography, and creative storytelling across fashion, portraiture, and food.
My journey began with a love for drawing and classical painting, which led me to study Western art history at university. My graduation thesis focused on Gustav Klimt, whose use of symbolism and atmosphere continues to inspire my visual language.
After university, I worked at a Tokyo-based photo studio, assisting on fashion, beauty, and portrait shoots for both advertising and editorial. I later apprenticed under a food photographer for over two years, working across a variety of print and digital media.
Alongside these roles, I also developed my own creative projects—focusing on portrait and fashion photography. I collaborated with an actresses, accesorry designer in Tokyo to co-curate a photo exhibition, and partnered with a vintage clothing store to create original photo T-shirts. My work has been presented in printed formats such as zines, artist books, and gallery flyers (DM).
In 2024, I moved to Cologne to broaden my creative practice and engage with the European photography scene. My photographic style captures quiet, poetic moments through natural light and a close, intimate perspective.
I'm currently open to freelance or part-time opportunities in Cologne and beyond—especially in editorial, portrait, fashion, or artistic collaboration. I'm always excited to connect with other creatives!
Japanese
Native or bilingual
English
Fluent
German
Conversational
Can work on-site
Köln (up to 50km)
Experience
- Tokyo-Ryori-ShashinAssistant photographerARTS AND CRAFTSMarch 2022 - October 2024 (2 years and 8 months)Tokio, JapanIch habe zweieinhalb Jahre lang als Assistent für Taku Kimura gearbeitet, der japanische Lebensmittelfotografie leitet. Als Assistentin werde ich mit Kochfotos in japanischen Rezeptbüchern beginnen und Erfahrungen in Zeitschriften, Anzeigen, Webmedien und Restaurantinterviews sammeln.
- Keywork Co., Ltd. TokioAssistentin n im FotostudioMay 2018 - October 2021 (3 years and 5 months)Tokio, Japan-Assistenz in einem Fotostudio, insbesondere für Editorial-, Mode-, Beauty- und Lifestyle-Shootings.-Hauptverantwortlich für die Leitung von Fotoshootings im Studio, z. B. Vorbereitung der Kameraausrüstung, Beleuchtung und Kundenservice. -Verantwortlich für das Studiomanagement, z. B. Reinigung des Studios, Beleuchtungsmanagement, Verwaltung und Bestellung von Verbrauchsmaterial.-Assistenzleistung im letzten Jahr, verantwortlich für Mitgliederverwaltung, Einstellung neuer Mitarbeitern.
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Education
- Bachelor of Arts - BAAoyama Gakuin University2018The Department of Comparative Arts at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo is a department that studies the three perspectives of art, music, and film/video, further dividing them into Western and Eastern perspectives, based on appreciation. I majored in Western art and wrote my graduation thesis on the opposing elements of documentary and fantasy in paintings after the birth of photography, based on the paintings of Gustav Klimt.