Yuichi Takasaka: Chasing the Northern Lights

Chasing the Northern Lights

When one hears the words chase, capture and consume the mind immediately wanders to that of a hunter in the wilderness eyeing his prey so that he may nourish the very hungers that dwell within. In the same vein, consider Yuichi Takasaka, an artist who has been recognized around the world for his precision, aim and appetite for netting awe inducing photographs of natural surroundings on this earth and in the heavens. His photos have been published by NASA, the Oxford University Press (China) Ltd., and the Canadian Tourism Commission.

Yuichi, now living in Canada, was born and spent his formative years in Japan. As a youth he had a longing to explore and expand his horizons. "After graduating from the high school in Tokyo, I wanted to do something different. I was expected to go to university like most of the other students, but my parents did not force me." Yuichi shares.

After finishing school he worked for a couple of years to save money and obtain a work visa from Canada. Once in North America, Yuichi found himself immersed in his work at a production company. It was there that he began to take an interest in photography, teaching himself and learning from those around him. "When I moved to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories I gained much of my expertise from conferring with professional photographers who shared their love of the craft with me. I was lucky to be in that environment." Yuichi explains.

As time went on, Yuichi honed his skills and invested in equipment that would become his tools in the hunt for pictures that went beyond words. "I use Pentax system. I like their medium format (645) system for landscape, 35mm system for hiking etc. since they are smaller, and digital SLR system for wildlife. Also I can use most of the medium format lenses to attach to 35mm and digital SLR, I do not have to carry lenses for each system."

With the right camera, the images to capture came easy to Yuichi. He just looked towards the things he enjoyed. "I love being in the wilderness, camping, kayaking, skiing etc. It was natural for me to concentrate on nature photography."

Over the years Yuichi has gained recognition for his renderings of the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis. When he speaks of his encounters with the phenomena one thinks again about the hunter who has been tracking and following a mark that seems unattainable. "My love of colors in nature led me to my love affair with the Aurora Borealis. We learn about Aurora in Japan at school, so everyone knows about it. And to see Aurora is a very strong wish to most of them. I have seen them over 1,000 times but they are always different shapes and colors, it is hard to explain. Photographs of Aurora are very different from the actual lights. To show the moving lights into one image is hard to do but very rewarding. I have been creating motion clips from the photographs as well."

After years of work Yuichi was in need of a way to package his work to share with clients and fans during presentations. This need led him to Presto Photo. "I wanted to create some quick catalogues for my photography exhibition. I used to make them by home printer but it was costly and very time consuming. I was very happy when I found PrestoPhoto."

Now Yuichi leverages PrestoPhoto to aide in the production of his visual art and in the preservation of his works in a format that can be easily stored and transported. "To be able to order custom printing through the internet made my work a lot easier. I can order from one copy, so I can order several materials and send them to my clients directly from PrestoPhoto." Yuichi exclaims, noting that he can't fathom continuing his business without the services of PrestoPhoto.

Yuichi owns and operates Blue Moon Productions which offers tourism and photography services, including weddings and portraits. Of his interaction with PrestoPhoto, Yuichi speaks highly. "They respond to my questions and suggestions very quickly. Good work. I have been recommending Presto Photo to others already!" Yuichi says.

Yuichi's work is nothing short of extraordinary and Presto Photo is proud to assist such a visionary in making his visual art a feast for all to enjoy.