A couple of weeks ago I shot this portraits of Emi Nishimura Canavan. 

Emi is a brilliant Japanese actress now living in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband Phillip. 

I met Emi and Phillip pretty soon after I first arrived in Melbourne last year. We met at a bar in Fitzroy during a Creative Meetup and the conversation starter between me and Emi was her surprise in seeing a big bald dude (aka: me) walk in the bar with a t-shirt that said "SAPPORO", a city very close to where she was born in Japan. 

We became good friends straight away and met in some other occasions. 

Recently she commissioned me to take some portraits of her. Specifically, she said: "Take portraits of me in the way you do your 100 Strangers project" You can imagine my excitement in hearing that!

We headed to one of the spots where I shoot strangers most often and started firing away. 

It was most interesting to apply my vision for that project to a person I know well. It took a few tries (instead of the ONE FRAME per person thing that comes naturally with my 100 strangers project) but we got our keeper to bring home.

beside the hero shot, we also worked on some more portraits on the way there and after, while she was inspiring the living hell out of me telling me what her goals and dreams in life are.

You'll go to distance, Emi! Don't ever give up on your beautiful dreams! 

Nico