‘I.D./ Private View’ by Mark Higashino focuses on the photographic process of capturing fame.  Stark and playful, Higashino considers these celebrity portraits to be creative and collaborative projects between himself and his subject. Using only black and white film and analog photographic techniques, these artworks provide a rare look into the world of a master photographer's creative studio process. 

I first set foot on the island of Manhattan in the spring of 1979. After graduating from Musashino Junior Art College in Tokyo, I came to New York City and found the culture to be the ultimate in stimulation.

I have always loved music so every night I would go to live clubs with my camera and photograph the musicians. However, I found the distance between myself and them to be hard to bear. I began to dream of having my own studio where I could invite people for more personal and private portraits. I developed concepts of photography to best capture the subject. The best of those concepts was to collaborate with the artist, and this series of portraits is the result. 

During my decades in New York City I came into contact with many people. These are the friends I grew up with, the people I worked with, the people who influenced me and who are my heroes. The essence of my photography is people: Fashion, Beauty, Music, Movies and advertisements. Models, Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Performance Artists, Art Directors, Producers, Movie Directors and more who have visited my studio to be photographed. 

I proposed an initial idea to the artist, and together we decided on the aesthetic of their portrait. With the first polaroid we began our photo sessions after confirming exactly what we would do together. After the session, the subject would choose their preferred image from the contact prints, I picked my favorite shot, and together we decided which shots were best. Each of them provided a quote, which you will see in the exhibition, to accompany each selected photo. This was the culmination of our collaboration. 

I call this series “I.D. / Private View.”  To quote filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, "It's hard to get lost when you don't know where you're going"

All the portraits were shot in my studio and all photos used very simple lighting, usually just one light, and I use only traditional analog technology. This approach may seem old-fashioned, but the simplicity of the technique and approach meant that we were required to prepare in advance, rather than editing after the shoot using digital tools.

 I thank all the artists who agreed to collaborate with me on this project, and thank my assistants, friends, and supporters.