By Hiromi — I--- Kingpouge Laika 12 78 Photos Photography

  • Composition tips: Rule of thirds, leading lines, shallow DOF for portraits, negative space for mood.
  • Lighting: Use natural light for intimacy; off-camera flash with softbox for controlled portraits; rim lights for separation.
  • Variety: Capture wide, medium, tight; vertical and horizontal frames; candid and posed.
  • Backup workflow: Cull RAWs same day; maintain two backups (on-site HDD + cloud if possible).
  • Location scouting: List 6–10 candidate locations; note permissions, power, access, golden-hour times.
  • Equipment:
  • Crew & Subjects: Assistant(s), stylist, makeup, translator (if needed). Obtain model/release forms signed by Kingpouge Laika.
  • Schedule: Block shooting days; plan for 2–3x margin for reshoots.

    • Hiromi is known for rejecting digital post-processing. Kingpouge Laika 12 was shot using:

    The result is a surface that looks digitally corrupted but is, in fact, purely chemical. What appears to be a glitch is actually the emulsion delaminating. i--- Kingpouge Laika 12 78 Photos Photography By Hiromi

    Why Laika? In December 1978, the Soviet space program had long left Laika (died in 1957) in orbit. For Japanese counterculture, Laika became a feminist-punk symbol: sent to die so others could follow. Hiromi’s 78 photos supposedly center on a single anonymous woman – a bar hostess nicknamed “Laika” – who appears in 62 of the frames. Composition tips: Rule of thirds, leading lines, shallow