The president of New York-based firm The Maurice Blond Agency, Laurel Blond oversees the operations of a company that has provided life, health, disability, and long-term care insurance to a remarkable clientele. Among the many distinguished clients Laurel Blond has assisted is the photographer Yasuomi Hashimura. Better known by the sobriquet Hashi, he has provided images to more than 200 advertising agencies around the world. He serves as principal at HASHi International Photo Juku, or H-IPJ.

1. By Laurel Blond

2.  The president of New York-based firm The
Maurice Blond Agency, Laurel Blond oversees the
operations of a company that has provided life,
health, disability, and long-term care insurance
to a remarkable clientele. Among the many
distinguished clients Laurel Blond has assisted is
the photographer Yasuomi Hashimura. Better
known by the sobriquet Hashi, he has provided
images to more than 200 advertising agencies
around the world. He serves as principal at HASHi
International Photo Juku, or H-IPJ.

3.  Founded in 2010, H-IPJ offers training to both
novice and experienced photographers seeking
to cultivate the technical abilities to work in an
increasingly global market for photo images. The
core curriculum teaches techniques required to
succeed in commercial photography and is based
on Hashi’s extensive experience on advertising
campaigns for clients such as Coca-Cola, Levi’s,
Toshiba, and the NFL. Instructors at the academy
are professional photographers personally
selected by Hashi. Classes are primarily held at
Hashi Studio locations, but also at schools,
colleges, and other studios.

4.  While the emphasis at H-IPJ is on commercial
photography techniques, students may also
elect to study digital and fine arts, including
the Action Still Life technique. A photographic
method utilized by Hashi in his fine art work
“a moment’s eternity,” Action Still Life
employs strobe light flashes at speeds up to
one millionth of a second to capture images
not perceivable to the unaided human eye.