KISS Photography & Design

05/01/2026

Happy New Year 2026 to all!

It has been extremely difficult to figure out a good selection of shots from 2025.

This last year I pleasantly found myself more involved in supporting local regions in Scotland, and also indirectly supporting some of it in Japan from time to time while on holiday. Yet I was still involved in a lot of the usual event and commercial coverage I would cover from long time clients.

So instead of trying to fetch the absolute best shots, I would rather showcase a good mix of things and places I have been at over the last year.

A big thank you to all the clients, colleagues and friends that have been supporting over another tumultous year in this industry, as we keep moving forward with the ongoing change while finding ways to keep doing what we love, improving ourselves with some of the new practices and technologies ahead.

Lastly, I won’t repeat it enough, but I am back in Scotland 😅

So please don’t assume I am away when I am still posting about Japan unless I say it otherwise, and feel free to reach out if you need anything 😉

Best wishes to all over 2026, and catch you later! 😁

29/10/2025

Early morning snow in Shirakawago Village from early January 2025.

05/10/2025

🇯🇵

15/05/2024

Great day indeed networking and listening to inspiring speakers at Thrive (Networking) this morning with the full Permanent Pictures team on site at the Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in Edinburgh.

And congrats to our colleague Carlos Hernan for winning the magic 60 seconds for us!

More visuals projects to come with Permanent Pictures very soon!

Great day at my first Thrive Networking event as part of .pictures.studio . Very inspiring speakers and great to meet the other people there. The hotel is a cool venue

Atypically for me, I overdressed, so I look like and .ragni ’s chauffeur in this picture.

25/02/2024

23/10/2023

Throwback to Japan in May 2023.
High-school students coming back home from peak hours in Nagano City, near Zenko-Ji temple.

17/10/2023

View of Tokyo from the Skytree Tower in Sumida.

09/10/2023

Throwback May 2023 - Returning from work through the lively entertainment hub of Kabukicho in Tokyo, Shinjuku.

31/12/2022

What a year! For me 2022 got way busier than expected, but in all the more positive ways, with getting new connections and being involved in projects at other places than Scotland alone!

I am getting closer to a goal I have often talked about to folks: using my freelance work to travel more regularly and connecting with new people and cultures, while doing the work I enjoy, and even experimenting new ways of working.

This also marks the first year without further Covid restrictions and seeing many industries (the event industry especially) back to their usual productive rates.

Also the first year I travelled outside of the UK since Covid.

And finally, the first year I didn’t feel the urgency of looking for more work, but I have happened to share work to other photo / video colleagues more often. Which, despite being busy, made me feel more relaxed and at peace than previous years.

This was my best and most enjoyable business year by far!

And while I am fairly confident to carry out that success and making it better, I am still hoping for everybody’s sake that nothing else worse than we have been experiencing steps in our own paths.

On a personal note, mental health-wise specifically, there has also been some positive developments. And while I am bearing the winter blues much better than previous years, I also want to share my support to those who may be / are struggling over this term.

Last year I did mention I was so focused on work for years for the sake of financial stability, and that was partly because I thought that my work alone would be the only way for me to cope with my pain.

That actually made it worse back then. And so this year I took the leap to talk more regularly about things with relatives, and more recently with a therapist which did wonders and can’t recommend enough.

On that note, I want to thank everyone “so” dearly, all of you who kept on supporting me at dark times, and even more recently. Please keep on showing support / caring for each other as more people would need it right now.

Wishing you all a better and an even more fulfilling year over 2023, and all the happiness you deserve.

Take care everyone, and see you all soon!

05/10/2022

It was great to contribute with the “Smithes” for 56 Degree North 😁

17/07/2022

It’s not everyday that you get to shoot with Scotland’s first minister around!

Many thanks to Startup Grind Scotland , Code Base and all the staff from Scot Gov for this unique and enjoyable opportunity!

More photos to follow soon!

11/09/2021

❤️❤️❤️

A great testimonial for Maxime Ragni from Sarah at PCS Commercial Cleaning....

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for an amazing video you took and edited for our new marketing material.

Your professional approach and the care that went into the video was top class.

The finished product looked like a great time was spent preparing, such as the colour, sound and the quality of the image and I was so happy with the outcome.

You have a very cheerful personality and it is always great to have you around.

I have no hesitation in recommending KISS Photography and Design to my friends, family and anybody who is looking for a quality photographer and a videographer who takes care of the images.

Thanks again"

Kind Regards,

Sarah Aoki
Managing Director