Natural Beauty

It was an instant love for Isamu Sawa when his father handed him his first camera at age eleven, igniting a spark that has led to a career spanning over 30 years and shows no sign of slowing down. At age 13, Isamu, known as Issey, got his first professional gig shooting for the local newspaper in Orange, New South Wales. By the time he was heading to university, he already had a wealth of photographic knowledge, and after just two years at RMIT (coincidentally, his father was in the same course studying), he was approached by the prominent commercial photographer John Gollings, who took him under his wing as his assistant. Issey never returned to university, learning on the job and taking every opportunity that came his way.

Since then, he has worked with the largest commercial companies and has had his images featured in Vogue and GQ, alongside a host of other publications. It’s a varied career that covers everything from capturing car engines in microscopic detail to photographing former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for Australian Financial Review Magazine.

“I started as a rock and roll photographer," Issey says of his early days in the business. “I went to a CD launch of Tommy Emmanuel and was just taking photos while in the audience. Tommy asked if I got any good shots and gave me his card. I ended up touring and documenting him until he left Australia.” Other rock and roll highlights include touring with Hunters and Collectors frontman Mark Seymour and becoming the official photographer for Neil Diamond.

If it sounds like a Cinderella story, it kind of is. It’s a magic moment when preparation meets opportunity, similar to how all the elements need to line up to capture a striking picture.

From the darkroom of NSW to the bright lights of stages across the world, Issey has photographed an eclectic mix of subject matter, and his longevity can be attributed to his adaptability across photographic genres. It also comes down to a clear passion for what he does: “I didn’t set out to have this career.” He says, “It was my father who instilled this passion in me; I just followed my passion and grabbed opportunities I wasn’t expecting.”

These opportunities include working with The Australian Ballet and Bangarra Dance Theatre for a series of portraits of native Australian flora. “I chose the ones that had a really interesting shape.” He says of the dozens of species on offer. “Traditionally, when you see flowers from a normal human perspective, you’re looking down at them. I wanted to shoot up and give them a more heroic presence.”

Through Issey’s minimalist approach, subtle and playful compositions accentuate the minute details of each flower. “It’s all about the plant, creating interesting shapes and capturing the textures through the way the light falls on each one.” He says, “I’ve always been inspired by nature; these natives all have really interesting shapes, mimicking dance and embodying movement."

For his next project, Sawa is heading back to his rockstar origins with an 80th anniversary exhibition celebrating Maton Guitars. Titled Virtuosity, the exhibition reunites Sawa with Tommy Emmanuel and pays tribute to the intricate craftsmanship of the artisans who handcraft these beautiful acoustic instruments.

Virtuosity opens Saturday, 16 May, and runs until Sunday, 24 May 2026.
For more information https://www.isamusawafineart.com/virtuosity