Articles

A stunning juvenile yellow goosefish, photographed on a blackwater dive, Osezaki, Japan
 

Japan has become a hotspot for world-class underwater photography opportunities and, as such, a whole host of talented local underwater photographers have begun to make names for themselves. Among them is Ryo Ito, an an underwater photographer and musician.

Ryo began his underwater journey in 2016, becoming a NAUI Master Diver, and shortly after took up underwater photography under the tutelage of well-known Japanese shooter Keigo Kawamura. As you’ll see in this feature, Ryo’s work focuses largely on macro photography, behavior, and especially blackwater imagery—Japan is quickly becoming one of the world’s top blackwater destinations. He combines close observation of marine life with experimental lighting techniques, aiming to create images that reveal unexpected perspectives on familiar creatures while exploring the boundary between documentation and artistic expression.

As a musician, Ryo’s musical practice is rooted in jazz and extends to classical music, free improvisation, and interdisciplinary collaborations with dance and visual arts. He says his musical endeavors increase his creativity with regards to image-making as it carries into his photography. Across both photography and music, Ryo’s work is driven by a curiosity about perception, improvisation, and the hidden beauty of the natural world.
 

Ortmann’s spider crab, a type of arrow crab, selectively lit by snoot, Kawana, Japan
 

Juvenile trevally use a beat up moon jelly for shelter, Ushibuka, Japan
 

A beautiful pair of backlit ornate ghost pipefish; the female is carrying eggs, Kawana, Japan
 

A rare football octopus, hiding inside a pelagic tunicate on a blackwater dive, Osezaki, Japan
 

Face to face with an alien-looking skeleton shrimp, Osezaki, Japan
 

A stunning glass squid poses for the camera on a blackwater dive, Osezaki, Japan
 

An intricately patterned pufferfish, photographed with a slow shutter, Osezaki, Japan
 

A larval eel strikes an aesthetically pleasing pose, Osezaki, Japan
 

A zebra crab delicately snooted on a backlit urchin, Osezaki, Japan
 

A pair of pelagic snails mating on a blackwater dive, Ushibuka, Japan
 

A spiky dragon shrimp photographed with a slow shutter drag, Osezaki, Japan
 

A pygmy squid has captured an enormous crab dinner, Iriomote Island, Japan
 

A creatively-lit Japanese fringehead peeks out from its burrow, Osezaki, Japan
 

A tiny skeleton shrimp has captured itself a massive feast! Osezaki, Japan
 

To see more of Ryo’s work from around Japan, please give him a follow on Instagram.