Katsu naito

Katsu Naito is a Japanese-born photographer who has lived in New York City since 1983. Known for his portraiture and street photography, Naito’s work centers on individuals living at the margins of society—approaching each subject with a quiet, observant eye and deep respect for their dignity.

In 2010, he released West Side Rendezvous, a groundbreaking series of portraits capturing trans women sex workers in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District in the early 1990s. Celebrated for its intimacy and rare access, the project marked Naito’s emergence as a powerful documentary voice. His second monograph, Once in Harlem (2017, TBW Books), is a lyrical study of life in Harlem during the late 1980s and early 1990s, a period during which he lived in the neighborhood and formed long-standing relationships with its residents.

Naito’s practice is defined by patience and sensitivity, often spending extended periods with his subjects before photographing them. His images are grounded in stillness and emotion, capturing the humanity of everyday lives with subtle power.

He continues to live and work in New York, creating photography that bridges cultures, time, and memory through the lens of lived experience.

katsunaito.com

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Our Digitization System was made possible by a 2024 Capital Grant by New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.