As visual culture evolves, we remain committed to recording what is real.
Photography, for us, is a practice of presence, context, and accountability.

Our History

Photography as practice. Photography as possibility. Photography in society.

1. The Beginning — Hiroshima Women’s Camera Club (2011)

In October 2011, Mariko Akimoto founded the Hiroshima Women’s Camera Club in Saeki Ward, Hiroshima. The initial group consisted of five members.

The objective was not merely technical improvement, but the exploration of photography’s potential.

• Refining sensitivity through visual practice
• Discovering overlooked perspectives
• Communicating ideas and emotions through photography
• Transforming images into wearable and printed forms

The community grew to over 200 registered members and organized exhibitions, workshops, and public events.

Photography was treated not only as artwork, but as a medium for expression, connection, and social engagement.

2. Professional Development (2017–2019)

In 2017, five photographers established the “Photo Communication Lab.” A renovated atelier opened in Yokogawa, Hiroshima, serving as a space for workshops and professional activities.

In 2018, Studio Tales was launched as a photography service based in Saeki Ward.

In 2019, Mariko relocated to Okinawa for a collaborative business initiative and launched the Earth Photo Project.

During this period, activities expanded into professional fields including:

• Wedding photography
• Event documentation
• Portrait photography
• Exhibition planning

3. Exhibitions and Public Engagement

Major exhibitions and projects include:

• Hiroshima Women’s Camera Club Photo Exhibitions
• Panasonic Gallery Exhibition
• 70th Anniversary Hiroshima Reconstruction Photo Exhibition
• Community-based collaborative exhibitions
• 2023: Art Furoshiki Exhibition at Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris

Additional initiatives include thematic photo events, cultural documentation projects, and public seminars.

4. Media Coverage

Featured in:

• RCC Radio (multiple appearances)
• Hiroshima Television
• TSS Television Shin-Hiroshima
• NHK Radio
• The Chugoku Shimbun (regional newspaper, multiple features)
• Spanish magazine SHIBUMI

These appearances reflect recognition of photography as a social and cultural practice.

5. Integration and Present Direction (2025–)

In 2025, Hiroshima Women’s Camera Club, Studio Tales, and Earth Photo Project were integrated into a unified platform.

Studio Tales now operates across Okinawa, Hiroshima, and France.

Core activities include:

• Photography (including 360-degree spatial documentation)
• Editorial and structured article production
• Cultural and social documentation
• An annual exhibition summarizing ongoing work

Studio Tales continues to inherit its founding philosophy, functioning as the production and documentation studio behind several international cultural and creative projects connecting Japan and Paris:

• Studio Tales produces editorial content, photography, interviews, and visual documentation for the Human Light Archive project.
• International cultural media and multilingual articles for PromosJapan are also produced through Studio Tales.

Operating between Japan and Paris, Studio Tales focuses on long-term cultural documentation through photography, writing, exhibitions, and visual media.

Founded and directed by Mariko Akimoto.