Portrait

Professional Portraits

Photographed with medium and large format film cameras.

A person in a black patterned dress sits in a dark studio setting with dramatic lighting and long straight hair.
A person in a black dress poses elegantly against a neutral gray background in a series of portrait shots.
A series of moody portraits showing a woman in a black dress seated against a dark olive green background.
A person in a white long-sleeve shirt sits contemplatively at a table with coffee cups in a black and white photo.
Person wearing traditional black kimono with decorative obi sash shown from multiple angles in monochrome studio photos.
A series of black and white studio portraits showing different angles of a person with curly hair in a sleeveless black top.
A person in a white sweater poses against a neutral background in a series of minimalist portraits.
Asian man in black polo shirt stands with arms crossed against dark background in professional portrait.
A ballet dancer in a white tutu performs graceful movements in a dramatic black and white studio portrait series.

When it comes to portrait photography, my goal is simple:

To create authentic, film-based portraits — photographs made just for you.

Not for social media, not for branding, not for anyone else’s approval — just for you.

As a professional portrait photographer based in Toronto, I focus on capturing who you truly are through the timeless process of film portrait photography.

That might sound a little abstract, so let me explain.

We live in a society that constantly imposes expectations — telling us how we should look, act, and live.

Many of us spend much of our time trying to meet those standards.

But in doing so, we can slowly lose sight of the most important person in our lives: ourselves.

A personal portrait session can be a quiet act of self-recognition.

Sometimes, looking in the mirror helps us reconnect with who we are.

Other times, it’s not about selfies or external validation,

but rather the experience of creating a fine art portrait solely for yourself —

an image that reflects who you are, not who you're expected to be.

If any part of this message resonates with you,

then perhaps this film portrait studio in Toronto is the right place for you.

Price

Digital Portrait Session

CA$280

Package includes:
Pre-session consultation 30 minutes
(Will be done online on another day)
Approx. 2 hours shoot
6 medium format digital images

Digital + Film Portrait Session

CA$380

Package includes:
Pre-session consultation 30 minutes
(Will be done online on another day)
Approx. 2 hours shoot
5 medium format digital images
5 curated film scans

“As someone who’s not used to being photographed, I started off quite nervous, with awkward eye contact and posture.

Thanks to the many ideas you gave me and the atmosphere you created that helped ease my tension, I was able to relax. How should I put it? You brought everything together into a soft, warm world.

The skill of a professional is truly amazing...

Looking at these heartwarming photos, I realized once again that a photographer’s personality really shines through in their work.”

—Terumi

“Magician of light and composition”
—that’s how I see Mr. Ichikawa. His skill in combining lighting and posing consistently brings his work to life, and I’ve been moved by it time and again.
For portraits, I only had to share a vague idea, and he offered perfect backdrops and poses. We also had him take our annual family photos, with thoughtful adjustments based on our children’s growth, creating cherished memories.
I highly recommend regular sessions with Mr. Ichikawa, whether for portraits or family phots”

—Sonoko Arai

Frequently Asked Question

How long will a session typically last?


A session will typically last around 2 hours. It is the time I find most people will tire out. However, since I only have one session in the morning and one in the afternoon, we can continue no matter how long it takes.

What is your satisfaction guarantee?


The most important thing to me is that you get the photos you like and I am proud of making. So if in any case the photos are not satisfactory, I offer free reshoot until we get them right.

In what format will my images be delivered?


Your image will be delivered in 8-bit sRGB JPEG format in the highest quality setting. The typical file size is 60MB for color and 30MB for black and white. They are more than enough for any imaginable use case. However, if you want fine art print, you should consider ordering the print form me directly as I will make the prints myself using the raw 16-bit files and render the absolute best print quality possible.

How and when will the photos be delivered


After the session, you will receive a preview link within two days. After you have selected the photos you want to keep, it will take me up to one week for retouch, after which you will be able to download the full-sized image in the aforementioned link.

Do you shoot couples? How about family?


Yes I do shoot couples as an add-on service to my individual sessions. I can also shoot small families. However, due to the space limitation, I can shoot no more than two adults and one child at a time.

What should I wear to the session?


Take what you would normally wear and dial it up one notch. Think of going to a nice restaurant or a date. But don't wear something that you would not feel comfortable in.

Please note because of the way light reflects, do not wear polyester or synthetic fabric. Lululemon is a hard pass since it will create moiré. Also avoid corduroy or anything with strong pattern. Natural material such as wool, cotton, and silk always work.

My personal favourite material is linen, as I find this material works very well with my setup. So if you have any linen garments make sure to bring them along!

Do I need makeup?


This is really a personal choice and it all depends on what you are used to. Just like wearing glasses: some people are more used to looking at themselves with glasses, so are some people with makeups on.

How should I do my makeup?


If you are doing our own makeup, make sure you do it using a daylight balanced makeup lamp. Otherwise your face would appear overly white under the studio flash which I will be using. Also please apply some shine control as flash will make the skin shinny and you don't want that look, trust me.

If you don't know what you are doing, book a makeup-artist. Their service worths every penny.

Can I bring someone to the shoot?


I work best when completely undisturbed. So I kindly request that only the person(s) involved in the shoot be present.