Born on 18th July 1954, Takashi Amano is a aquarist, designer and photographer. He founded Aqua Design Amano in 1982. It provides equipment for aquarium plants’ growth.
In 1992, his photographic book, Nature Aquarium, and Mizu Shizen eno kaiki, were interpreted into seven languages. He was the author of the 1994 book series, Nature Aquarium World, that portrays aquarium fish and plants, as well as on aquascaping. In addition, Aquarium Plant Paradise has also been published by him.
Amano has written about aquascaping with freshwater. Moreover, he has created a unique style of laying out plants. Amano employs the concept of gardening in Japan, such as Zen, and Wabisabi arrangement. He used Riccia fluitans and Glossostigma elatinoides as materials for plants and for algae growth control, he uses shrimps.
From 1975, Amano has been to stifling rainforests in Western Africa, Borneo and Amazon. He has also visited pristine Japan’s forests. He has captured the beauty of these locations with his large format camera
In the recent years, the photographer has given lectures describing his expeditions of photography and the experiences he had with nature. In addition, since he is ‘in love’ with nature, he has also been a great supporter of programs educating masses about planting trees to safeguard the environment of planet Earth.
Takashi Amano is the member of the several organizations including the Society of Scientific Photography, Japan Professional Photographers Society, the International Environment Photographers Association, and Japan Advertising Photographers’ Association.
Amano produces exotic landscape photographs, particularly focusing on freshwater arrangements of plants, rocks, cave-work, stones, driftwoods and etc, to produce an aesthetically appealing scenery.
His works have been displayed in many exhibitions such as, Japan’s Fuji Photo Salon, 1998; Japan’s Niitsu Art Forum, 2004; Japan’s Forest Art Museum, 2004; Japan’s Nature Info Plaza, 2006; Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, 2007; Japan’s Niigate Prefectual Civic Centre, 2007; Japan’s Amusement Sado, 2008; Qatar Photography Society, 2009; Italy’s ARCHIVIO CENTRALE DELLO STATO, 2009; Japan’s View Fukushimagata, 2010; and at many other museums and galleries.
The names of these and more exhibitions were, Urin-Ujou; Dare mo Shiranai Amazon; The Rio Negro; Sozo no Genten Amazon; Sado: Sea bottom to the Pristine Forest; Kusatsu Amazon; Daremo Shiranai Sado; Sado – Japan’s Natural Treasure; ARCHIVIO CENTRALE DELLO STATO; Sado – the Pristine Cedar Trees; Beautiful Landscapes of Niigata; and etc.
He uses the following equipments for his photography: Wisner Technical Field, 8 x 20 inches; Deardorff, 8 x 10 inches, 11 x 14 inches, 5 x 7 inches; Aero Tac for aerial photographs; and Ebony SW45.
Amano won the Fuji Film Nature Photo Contest in 1992. He was also given the Niigata Daily News Culture Prize.
Through his photographs, it seems that Amano’s aim is to outdo or mimic nature, he has outstretched his photography to various aspects of nature that he is interested in from around the world.
Takashi Amano is not simply a photographer, he understands his subject extensively and has researched and studied about it. This is why no doubt, his photographs are awe-inspiring or perhaps what he often photographs is beautiful. Either way, Amano has the eye to capture the exquisiteness of nature and aquatic sceneries. His photos are in color, displaying an array of hues. He is fond of building aquariums and some are huge enough to hold around 3,000 gallons of water or are thirteen feet wide.
