Today we’d like to introduce you to Yuuki Shimizu.
Yuuki, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I first picked up a camera when I was 13 and started experimenting with photography. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but my biology teacher at the time (who I still keep in touch with), always encouraged me to take photos and invited me into the school’s yearbook club. In the yearbook club, I started to find joy in the idea of taking photos with purpose and the creative aspect of it.
While I continued to take photos, I slowly got into video as well, and my experience in Cambodia made me realize the power storytelling photography and video holds. During my junior year of high school, I went on a charity trip to a rural area in Cambodia to teach English to students from families who were affected by the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide.
While I was on the trip, I shot some photos and made a short recap video to share and raise awareness of the harsh situations of poverty the children are facing in Battambang Cambodia. This experience made me realize that I can actually use my passion for photography and video to positively impact the world and the potential for me to pursue this as my career.
I then teamed up with my best friend Ayan Morshed (@ayanmorshed) to create videos and photo content for local businesses in my city from clothing brands to coffee shops. In the fall of 2020, we directed and shot a commercial for Warner Music Japan which aired on the billboards in Tokyo which was a huge milestone for us, adding on to our portfolios.
Now I am a junior at Savannah College of Arts and Design with a major in film and television with a focus on cinematography. I started to enjoy the narrative side of filmmaking and am involved in multiple student films to pursue my passion for cinematography and filmmaking.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I feel like nothing is a smooth road especially in the art industry, where we face rejections all the time. It is common for things to not go the way we want. I also constantly face self-doubt, however, I believe that there’s nothing worse than stopping which is why I keep trying to pursue the things I love.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
While I currently pursue cinematography and filmmaking, my passion as a creative started off from photography. I always love going out with my friends with my camera and just shooting around our city, or traveling and exploring new places to capture moments of light to tell the story of the environment.
Any big plans?
I plan to continue cinematography and photography, and it would be a dream of mine to someday shoot a feature film that could inspire others to go out and help others in need or pursue the things they aspire and dream of doing.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.yuukishimizu.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuukishimi.zu/?hl=en
