Interview with Yuta Takeishi, Runner-Up in the 2024 Okinawa Resort Wedding Photo and Video Contest

Photo & Video Contest 2024
Grand Prix Announcement!

 

Based on the results of votes from everyone and those of members of the Okinawa Resort Wedding Association
The “Okinawa Resort Wedding Photo & Video Contest 2024”
The Grand Prize and Runner-Up winners have been announced!

We received comments from the winners of the Contest.

 

Runner-up

Title: “`AME`zing”

Photographer: Yuta Takeishi

A memorable photo from the end of the shoot, when it started pouring so hard that umbrellas were practically useless. Truly amazing.

Category: Photography Category

Affiliation: Member of the Okinawa Resort Wedding Association

Location (City/Town/Village): Naha City

Location: Kokusai-dori

 

Runner-upInterview with Yuta Takeishi

Acceptance Speech

Thank you very much for awarding me the Runner-Up Prize in the Photography Category. While I feel both proud and a bit disappointed to have won the Runner-Up Prize for two years in a row, I am truly delighted. In fact, Okinawa Prefecture has one of the lowest amounts of sunshine in the country (ranking around 40th nationally), and it actually rains quite often. I wanted to show, even just a little, that you can capture wonderful photos in Okinawa even when it rains—that Okinawa offers more than just sunny beaches! That’s why I’ve continued to shoot in the rain, just as I did for this contest. I would like to express my gratitude to the clients who entrusted us with photographing their special day, as well as to the staff who always support us, everyone who voted, and the Okinawa Resort Wedding Association for hosting this wonderful contest every year.

About the Award-Winning Works

Toward the end of the shoot, we were hit by a downpour so heavy we couldn’t see ahead. Normally, we would have called off the shoot, but since we wanted everyone to enjoy themselves even in the rain, we went ahead with it—getting soaked to the bone together. As a result, we captured a special photo that could only have been taken in the rain, and we were able to create a memorable shoot that helped everyone learn more about Okinawa and grow to love it even more.

 

What Led Me to Become a Photographer and Videographer

It’s a story from about 20 years ago. At the beginning, I was working as a wedding photographer. At that time, the end credits for photos were just starting to be used, and I ended up taking photos as a side project, and from there, I became fascinated with photography and video, and it eventually became my job.

 

Future Activities

By using photos and videos to attract more fans who love Okinawa, we will continue to create works that make people want to come back to Okinawa. And we will continue to train photographers (staff) who are capable of taking such photos.