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My first memories of photographs and cameras were as a child in the 1960’s and it always seemed to interest me. Growing up in Southern California it was a time of cultural shifts and a time when the world was becoming more visually dramatic each day. It was the time of Elvis, The Beatles and we had gone to the moon!

 Movies in Technicolor, Color TV, Glossy magazines of all subjects and respected newspapers with large circulations. I was fascinated by the pictures and stories in National Geographic, Life, Saturday Evening Post, Time and many others. These stories educated and informed me and also planted seeds in my mind that I wanted to explore as much of the world as I could. Cultures, art, food, music were all part of my quest and desire to learn.

We would always have a camera around taking pictures during holiday times. I enjoyed photography classes in high school and when enlisting in the Naval Reserve during the Viet Nam war in 1970, as a young airman I was given the opportunity to become a Photographers Mate and attend the prestigious Naval School of Photography in Pensacola, Florida. 

It was there that my life long love affair with film and photography was forged. Following my training at Pensacola I was assigned to a photo unit at Los Alamitos Naval Air Station. NAS Los Alamitos had a long Hollywood connection and tradition. Members of our unit at the time were working for George Lucas at night making his first film THX 1138. 

We travelled to Europe and spent time on different ships filming anti submarine exercises. I loved operating the 16mm Arriflex film camera with three lenses of different focal lengths. Experiencing Rome, Naples, Barcelona the Mediterranean Sea all excited my senses and reinforced my desire to see more of the world.

My life was soon to change. Personal computers were emerging with games and simple applications. Arcade games were becoming digital with video displays. Pong was the first of many games to fascinate people. Pac Man and Asteroids became iconic. SNK a Japanese game company part of the Pac Man success was opening an office in California a I was asked to be the first American to join the company and help the new office in America navigate the world of International business not that I knew that much about any of it but I worked hard and we became successful importing video games from Japan.

During this time working for SNK I travelled to Japan every 2 or 3 months. Eventually after five years I established my own company and I was again traveling to Japan frequently and I would for the next 20 years. During this time digital photography was emerging and I began taking pictures again. I remembered how immersive my time photographing was and the diversion it provided. Every morning usually the first week or 10 days I would awake at 3am because of jet lag feeling fresh and ready to go. 

Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo was always busy in the early morning. Full of fast and hectic activity, hundreds of people buying, selling and processing fish and marine products from around the world including fresh Blue Fin Tuna the most expensive being $ 3.1 M sold in 2019. It was here I would come early in the morning to experience and photograph the incredible place. Later in the morning around 8 am I would finish with breakfast of sushi, hot ramen or grilled fish from small stalls on the perimeter of the Tsukiji fish market.

After 25 years producing games for Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft game platforms I decided it was time to return to my passion of film and photography. This web site and the work you see represents more than 30 years of traveling the world, fulfilling my desire to learn about people and places far away. I sincerely hope you enjoy seeing and experiencing what I have.

With appreciation and thanks to all who allowed me into their lives.

John Rowe

April 24, 2025