Cole Ichikawa
Aloha and Welcome
My name is Cole, though some peers also know me as Ichi or Cole Ichi altogether. I wear many caps, both literally and figuratively, but here's a little bit about me:
I always seek the road less traveled, I sneeze in waves, I scratch my scabs, I shaka in every picture, I go out of my way to say hello, it's hard for me to dislike a movie, I wave at statues, and I need to stop the microwave before it hits zero. I'm normal, just like the rest.
I'm a simple guy, I'd say, but if there is one thing that people really know me for, it's where I am from. I am a local boy from an island, a home that is beyond special in so many ways. But as much as I cherish the island itself, I am even more grateful for all that it has managed to teach me. Much of who I am is because of this place that you all know as Hawai'i.
I am Hawai'i-born and raised and I strive to be a reflection of all that it stands for.
Currently, however, I am based in Los Angeles, and the journey across the Pacific was a big step for me. I received my bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount University in 2024, studying Environmental Studies and Business, and have remained in LA since. My time here has given me countless opportunities to share where I am from and what we are about in Hawai'i. We look after each other, we treat others like family, and we are called to always spread aloha. The idea of "aloha" can best be described as a lifestyle founded on a love that is meant to touch everyone, friends and strangers alike. I embody this through my work with clients, not just as a way to set myself apart, but simply because it is how I was raised. Whether I am here in LA or halfway across the world, my expectations for myself will never change. Spreading aloha is something the world could use a little more of!
Photography
My journey in photography and the arts began long before I even picked up a camera. I was the type of kid who observed and appreciated everything from afar. Whether it was lying down to view the world through my dog's eyes or hiking the tops of mountains just to catch a glimpse from unseen heights, I believed that the ability to see from all perspectives was my blessing. But it wasn’t easy for me to learn to see things this way. As I will share, my love for photography was never fueled by the perfect shot, with the perfect lighting, on a perfect day. It's actually quite the opposite. My passion for what I do actually emerged from me at my lowest.
There was a point in my developing years where I was forced to realize just how much of a privilege life itself was. When I was twelve years old, I learned that it was, in fact, not guaranteed. Back in 2014, I was diagnosed with a brain abscess that was tracking toward vital functioning areas of my left brain—an infection that ultimately could have taken my life. Doctors estimated I would remain hospitalized for several months. But by God's grace, love, prayers, and outstanding doctors, my hospitalization was shortened to a fraction of the projection. It was through this humbling time that I gained a renewed perspective and gratitude for everything big and small. In that hospital bed I dreamed of all the places I had yet to see, things I had to do, and people I had to meet.
Since that day, every photo I take serves as a reminder that I get to see this. I get to be here. I found confidence in my perspective through my own eyes, and sought out to share my revived love for the world around me. My true why became clear—I came to understand that a camera's superpower was the ability to eternalize a moment in time with the press of a button. With that, I hope to impart that our most valuable gift on this earth is time—an asset that can never be brought back. To me, that is the value a picture holds.
Portrait photography allows me to work with and for you, and through this, my genuine wish is for you to see yourself through a lens that presents you at your best. As much as I love the process of taking pictures, my enjoyment has always stemmed from creating relationships with those I work with along the way. Simply put, you are at the heart of it all.
Here's to the journeys ahead and mahalo for being here!
