Naohiro Yako’s Tokyo Portraits

In his Instagram posts, art director, photographer, and video jockey Naohiro Yako presents a fantastical image of Tokyo. The city he captures through his lens is dazzling, as if straight out of a dream. His urban scenes show the main roads lit up by a multitude of neon lights. These night-time photos recall those taken by photographer Thibaut Buccellato.

Contrast as a signature trait

This otherworldly ambiance is heightened by the artist’s post-production work; he does not hesitate to use colour saturation to intensify the contrasts. The photographer also takes advantage of his night-time walks to take portraits. On the corner of a busy street, in the glow of a blue-tinted neon light, he captures the beauty of young women who wander through this city that never sleeps. 

However, Naohiro Yako does not limit himself to urban photography. He also posts photographs of typically Japanese landscapes on his Instagram account: cherry blossom, temples hidden under red maple leaves, and the sun rising and setting on peaceful scenes in nature. The signature trait in all of his images is sharply contrasting colours.

Naohiro Yako’s work can be found on his website and on his Instagram account.