I was excited when I got an email from Columbia Law School magazine, asking me to photograph Takesaki Hironobu, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan.On the shoot day I went to the main justice building in Tokyo, a giant, sprawling building with many angles, which looked like something out of a James Bond movie. Before the actual photographing took place, I had to wait about one hour while he was interviewed. During this time, Takesaki, his two associates, the interviewer and myself all sat in comfortable chairs in the large, rather palatial office. Coffee and bottled water were served by an impeccably mannered woman. I immediately started drinking my coffee, trying to catch as much of the interview as I could, with my limited Japanese. I noticed that nobody else touched their coffee or water until Takesaki did! I suppose that, because of his power and rank, it would have been considered rude to do so.
Takesaki was very polite and down-to-earth, and gladly posed for several set-ups. He was a very slender and slightly short man, so in order to show his power and character, I did some tight shots of his face, so that it fills the frame, and his intelligence and strength of character come through. While shooting, I asked him about Miyazaki movies, natto and other Japanese things. To an observer, it might seem that when I ask questions like this, I'm simply having fun, and of course I am; but the deeper reason is to get the person comfortable, and in a relaxed frame of mind. I want to get rid of those 'barriers' that we all use when interacting with strangers, and create a connection, a sense of playfulness, so that the person relaxes and their real self shines through.
