Taku Kumabe
Taku Kumabe
Taku Kumabe is a celebrated freelance photographer and enthusiastic educator based in Toronto, Canada. With a profound ambassadorship under his belt for notable brands such as Nikon Canada, f-stop, and Fusion TLC, Taku brings a rich blend of professional experience and passion to the world of photography. His relentless pursuit of capturing the essence of natural beauty and urban charm has not only seen his works published in prestigious publications like Canadian Geographic, enRoute, and Islands but also featured in prominent media outlets including The Toronto Star and CBC Radio.
Taku’s fervor for the outdoors is evident in his striking landscape and nature photography. From braving -40 degrees Celsius temperatures to hiking rugged terrains, he embraces every opportunity to explore and photograph the world’s scenic wonders. This dedication extends locally through his ongoing Toronto Sunrise Series—a personal project that began in 2013. This series beautifully documents Toronto’s waterfront at sunrise, encouraging others to discover and appreciate the beauty in their surroundings.
Beyond his photographic pursuits, Taku is deeply integrated into the photography community in Toronto. He is the founder and host of the annual Toronto Sunrise Meetup, a gathering that marks the end of Daylight Savings each November and celebrates the vibrant local photography scene. This event, along with his engaging workshops, highlights his commitment not only to his craft but also to fostering a supportive and creative community.
Taku’s diverse clientele spans a range of industries, including major corporations like Visa Canada, Mazda Canada, and The North Face, as well as cultural and tourism organizations such as Nova Scotia Tourism and the Toronto International Film Festival. His versatility and skill also shine through in event photography, with notable assignments at events like Luminato Festival and the Reel Asian Film Festival.
With a straightforward and hands-on approach, Taku not only captures meaningful images but also provides valuable insights into the art and technique of photography, making him a respected and approachable instructor.
Nicole
I really enjoyed the photography workshop with Taku on Saturday. The event was very informative and enjoyable, exactly as advertised.
Taku was really knowledgeable, patient and friendly. He took the time to explain and answer my questions. I realized that I finally understood a few things that were explained to me before but that didn’t “click” until Taku explained them to me. As I told Taku “I finally saw the light”! 🙂
I would recommend this workshop with Taku without any hesitation.
Thank you!
Susan Anderson
The workshop exceeded my expectations. Taku was excellent! And I was thrilled of his connections to Nikon. He helped me tremendously with settings on my Nikon camera helping me ensure I am using the correct ISO, F-Stop Aperture and Shutter Speed. Truly a joy to spend a morning at a beautiful park receiving his expert recommendations for photography as well as explaining the finer details of my camera. I was also thrilled Taku has the same model of camera as mine, which made the whole workshop that much more of a true hands on experience. Thank you so much for your help, Richard and Taku. Much appreciated.
Connie Crosby
Thank you, Taku. I had a lot of fun.
Sharing a few of my favourite photos from the day.
Steven Albrecht
It was nice to take pictures in a group, it makes me feel I stand out less…
Here are a few of mine.
Raymond Li
“Thank you, Taku, for your professional Composition in the Field workshop yesterday, Victoria has learned a lot during your 3+ hours session..She liked it, and hopes to have more chances to learn more in Digital Photo Academy in the future.”
-Raymond
Maria
“It was a great day and Taku was a really patient instructor. Gave me just the right amount of information to focus on so the day wasn’t overwhelming. If you’re new, like me, I highly recommend taking the Master Your Camera Controls class first. You’ll definitely get more out of the Composition in the Field workshop. I did, and it was the best investment I could have made!”
-Maria
Cyrillene
“Richard and the staff at Digital Photo Academy was kind and helpful when I booked my session and then had to reschedule. We had a good group and Taku, the instructor great. Thanks to Taku for your instructions, guidance and the thought of looking at my world in a different way. I even took a different route home in order to capture more of my world.”
-Cyrillene
Farhana
“Thank you Richard and Taku for a wonderful photography experience! Certainly, we all braved the weather!I’m so glad I was able to participate – I definitely walked away learning some key tips and ideas, and which camera would best suit my lifestyle. I highly recommend this workshop for anyone looking for a fun, interactive and explorative experience. I love connecting with new people, and such experiences are a great opportunity!”
-Farhana
Nam Hoang
“Hey guys, thought I’d share some captures from Saturday.
Thanks again Taku for your patience with us beginners, and some below beginners :)”
-Nam
Anya Handa
“Taku, thanks so much for the great tips during both classes yesterday! I feel that I have a better idea now of how to position things in the shot to have a more effective outcome.
My dad and I walked away with some great pictures, and more extensive knowledge of how to use the various settings on our cameras.”
-Anya
Evan Delaney
“Hi Richard,
I really enjoyed today’s workshop. Taku was very helpful in showing us how to take interesting photos and providing feedback on the pictures we took. I learned a lot from him in the three hour session today!
Taku: thank you for everything! ”
-Evan
Sharon Carty
“Hi Richard
The class was very good. Taku is a talented and patient teacher. For me Saturday was about practicing with my new camera. Its always good to go out with other photographers and I learned a few things about composition. ”
-Sharon
Michelle
“Hi Richard, I really enjoyed my day, I still have a lot to work on. My screen on my camera was hard to see the pictures, so needed to delete a lot after viewing them at home. Unfortunately I love the sailors picture, however disappointed that I did not see at the time that I cut part of his arm off.
Will be looking to take another class to improve.
Thank you so much”
-Michelle
Kathleen
“Hi Richard,
The class on Saturday was awesome. It was my first ever photography class and I loved it. Thanks to Taku for being such a helpful instructor with loads of patience. When we were by the water, there was a lot of glare, so it was difficult to see what I was shooting. When I got home, I had to scrap some shots because of that.
I love how there is so much experimentation I can do now. I also look forward to taking more classes!”
-Kathy
Michael Martin
“I enjoyed learning about the camera session before the camera shoot. It has opened up the camera’s features to me and made me much more confident and relaxed with it when photo situations arise.
Thanks.”
-Mike
Linda Du
“The class was good. learned a lot. i just need practice now. ”
-Linda
Sara Bowker
“Good morning Richard,
Our workshop was amazing, Taku was great we had a great time and learned a lot. I only used my iphone, it was a gift for my fiancé to learn to use his camera better as he used photo and video a lot in our training studio to promote the business. I will get a hold of the camera tonight and download images to share. Thanks for checking in! I will be sure to share our feedback on the site”
-Sara
Katia Marten
“Thank you so much Taku,, I had a great time and learned a lot ‎!
The picture is amazing I love it!!!!!!!
With gratitude and respect”
-Katia
Allan Rowe
” Thanks we are very happy that we did attend the training and was blessed to have an instructor like Taku who had so much patience with us and we learnt so much in the time we had. Lots of what we were told were some things that we took for granted and pointed ion the right direction not we can walk around with our cameras and feel good. I did some photos on the website for you and everyone to see. Thanks again guys and keep the good work up.”
-Allan.