The ancient temples of Japan offer a unique atmosphere that no modern studio can mimic. Under these hallowed eaves, history creates a quiet weight, making every motion feel monumental. This was the setting for my recent shoot featuring a practitioner of Iaido (居合道).

Iaido is the traditional Japanese martial art centered on the controlled, fluid movement of drawing and striking…

In recent months, I have been putting a fair amount of my time and efforts into a personal project in which I'm photographing people involved in some of the traditional arts and cultural trades of Japan. With several of these shoots already completed, and several more in the planning stages, I'm well along my way into creating a new collection of work.

One of the more recent shoots that I've finished was for a practitioner of kendo. Long a traditional activity of Japan, kendo is a type of martial art/sport derived from an extensive history of Japanese swordsmanship…