ZEN MORIYA
I was born in Japan and resided there until age twelve, when I traveled alone to Oregon to attend school and live with an American family on their Christmas Tree farm.
Upon graduation, I immersed myself in the fast paced world of extreme sports, fashion, video games and film production—spending long hours, working my way up the ladder with nowhere to go.
In my thirties I became interested in sustainable living as an alternative lifestyle, which lead me to buy a plot of land on the Big Island Hawaii. I dedicated my time and energy to working the land, designing and building multiple dwellings and creating a slower, purpose driven, off grid life. For the past ten years, I’ve been nestled in a coastal pocket of jungle, growing food and living in harmony with nature.
My passion for photography began back in high school when I picked up my father’s old Canon 35mm and taught myself how to develop film.
For me, the magic lies in the ability a photograph has to capture a fleeting moment in time. That it’s a tool for which to immortalize souls that pass by the camera—a phenomenon that is easily missed with the naked eye.
Photography showed me how to see. And that beauty often lies in unexpected places. And how important it is to pay attention to the seemingly insignificant details in our world.
With patience and luck I can create magic.
Magic that continues to surprise and delight.
yosukemoriya@gmail.com