Makita Ryosuke: The Japanese Photographer Who 'Strikes with Light'

Makita Ryosuke (Yokohama, 1976) is a Japanese photographer based between Tokyo and Milan. In 2021 he founded his production company Mofo Milano, followed by Mofo Tokyo in 2022. His work was featured in Photographers File 2023 (Commercial Photo Series). Ryosuke moved to Milan at age 19 without knowing Italian, initially to study design, but was captivated by the high-quality editorials in Vogue Italia and Grazia. He began as an assistant to a stylist and later worked with photographer Andrea Buso. Influenced by Carlo Mollino's polaroids and Paolo Roversi's sensitivity, Ryosuke developed a style characterized by direct, hard light—a contrast to Japan's softer aesthetic—which he describes as 'striking with light.' He prefers photographing independent, strong women, citing Akaya Mihoshi and Naomi Watanabe as examples. Since the 2010s, he has also made videos, including documentaries for the band Måneskin during their 2022 and 2023 Japan tours. Ryosuke speaks Japanese, Italian, and English.