Artist-2-Artist: Building a Photography Career + Live Demonstration with Seiya Taguchi

WORKSHOP LENGTH: 2.5 hours
LOCATION: Level 6.9 - City of Sydney Creative Studios (CoSCS) 

This workshop gives emerging photographers and creatives a practical look at how to build a career, paired with a live photography demonstration that shows how a real shoot comes together.

Freelance photographer Seiya Taguchi will break down how careers are formed in the creative industry: part-time work that supports early growth, personal projects that shape identity, how clients discover new talent, and what helps work stand out. From there, Seiya will lead an interactive lighting and shooting demonstration, building an image from scratch. Participants will see how he interprets a brief, chooses lighting, directs a subject and works through a portrait session. Volunteers may be photographed during the demo.

The session combines discussion, group exercises and hands-on learning so participants can connect ideas directly to practice.

About Seiya: 

Seiya is a freelance Japanese-Australian photographer based between Tokyo and Sydney. With over 15 years of experience in photography, he has shot for clients which include: Amazon Prime, Spotify, Nikon, Virgin Active, Audible, Netflix, and more.

While he primarily focuses on Commercial Photography, the common thread within all his work is the humanity of the moment. Being born in Tokyo and growing up in Sydney, his unique perspective places human experience at the fore - Seiya captures those moments authentically through the use of light and composition, his eye for detail, and his zest for life; distilling them into an all-encompassing image.

Seiya's Website: www.seiyataguchi.com
Seiya's Instagram: @instaguchi

What you'll learn:

• Understand common pathways into photography and creative industries

• Learn how personal projects and self-initiated work shape opportunities

• See how to interpret a brief and build a lighting setup step-by-step

• Gain insights into directing, shooting and on-set workflow

• Leave with practical next steps for career development

Who is this session for?

Emerging photographers and creatives of any background.

Participant experience required:

Beginner to intermediate. No formal training required.

What to bring:

Please remember to bring:

• A notebook or laptop

• Comfortable clothing if volunteering for the demo

• Optional: examples of their creative or photographic work

Access requirements:

We welcome all visitors to the City of Sydney Creative Studios.

If you have access requirements, please add your accessibility requirements during the booking process. This includes booking companion card tickets. 

A Brand X team member may be in touch to ensure we understand your requirements. If you require an interpreter, or would like to contact someone about access, please email Dean Nash (Accessibility Coordinator) at access@brandx.org.au.

How to get there:

• Train: Town Hall Station 2-minute walk.

• Light Rail: 2-5 minute walk from light rail platforms

• Metro: Gadigal Station is a 1 minute walk from the Bathurst Street exit/entrance

• Bus: 5 minute walk from Elizabeth Street, Stand C and D

• Car: Wilson Parking, 14 Wilmot St, Sydney or Meriton Suite Parking, 100 Bathurst St, Sydney

Community tickets:

We offer free tickets for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people experiencing financial hardship. To access these tickets please email marketing@brandx.org.au for a no questions asked spot (unless sold out).

Register for a building tour:

Email programs@brandx.org at least 4 days before the event to organise a tour of City of Sydney Creative Studios! We’ll meet you 30 minute before the session starts and show you our Performance, Music, Digital and Visual Arts spaces.

Exchanges and refunds:

Want to cancel your ticket? Please email us at programs@brandx.org no less than 24 hours prior to workshop commencement. We can refund your tickets minus transaction fees of 1.75% + 30c.

Artist Pass discount:

Sign up now for an ARTIST PASS! Holders receive a 100% discount on all Artist-2-Artist sessions. ARTIST PASS holders use your promo code when confirming the purchase (one discount ticket per ARTIST PASS per session).

Banner image by by Seiya Taguchi. 

This project is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW and the City of Sydney Creative Studios.