Olympus Visionary Maki Kawakita

What do MTV’s hottest rap stars, Kabuki-style formalism and one of New York’s rising photography stars have in common? Olympus Visionary Maki Kawakita.

From fashion magazine covers to record label advertising, Kawakita’s Japanese, American and European influences make her a rising star in the New York photographic scene and one of the USA’s newest fashion photographers. Kawakita’s fashion and celebrity portrait photography is known for its lively, contemporary vibe. Kawakita has photographed celebrities and music artists from Beyoncé to Hilary Duff, and has shot advertising campaigns for numerous fashion design houses.

Visionary Perspective

Kawakita has two great loves: photography and dance. Since beginning her career as a fashion and portrait photographer, Kawakita has emphasized performance elements in her photographs, whether they feature ballerinas posing in 7-11s or hip-hop artists jumping through the air.

Armed with the Olympus E-System cameras, Kawakita sees her work as art. In her words, “Shakespeare said the world is like a stage in which we’re all players. I perform through the lens.”

In Her Own Words

“I shot this image at the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. The story was Kabuki surrealism for Victor Magazine (German) and I used the Olympus E-3 and Zuiko 12-60 mm lens.

“My photography is all about angles and taking photos from quirky perspectives. Before Live View, I would have to lie on the floor, but now it's so easy to get that photo without having to do that.”

Olympus Visionaries

The Olympus Visionary program celebrates the work of some of the most talented still photographers of the day. Olympus works with 25 artists that shoot a range of subject matter, including travel and documentary, fashion, food, people and places, nature and landscapes, street, commercial and fine art.

Photo Quote: Above all, I craved to seize the whole essence, in the confines of one single photograph, of some situation that was in the process of unrolling itself before my eyes. - Henri Cartier-Bresson