Paul Tocatlian has spent years developing a distinctive approach to fashion photography that refuses to choose between aesthetic polish and emotional depth. His studio, Kisau Photography, produces work that lives in the tension between those two forces. What he calls the “through two lenses” philosophy, where fashion narratives and human stories exist in the same frame.
The results speak for themselves. Tocatlian’s work has been published in over 150 trade publications, including L’Officiel, and he’s shot fashion editorials across continents, from CFDA New York Fashion Week runways to location shoots in France, Austria, Spain, Australia, Bali, Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea. His cinematic fashion photography has earned attention not just from fashion editors but also from the broader photography community. Both of his photo books were featured on The Art of Photography by Ted Forbes.
Those books, “The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode” and “Fashion and Editorial Photography: Sixteen Tales from Around the World,” represent something beyond typical portfolio publications. They’re long-form visual narratives that demonstrate Tocatlian’s commitment to storytelling that extends past the single campaign or seasonal lookbook.
Building Beyond the Single Shoot
The studio operates with a core team that includes wardrobe stylist Hannah Do and magazine consultant Pia Gould, who handles placements for editorial features. Together, they work with fashion brands, independent designers, model agencies, and creative teams across major markets including the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York City, and Paris.
What Kisau Photography offers isn’t just technical execution. The studio provides comprehensive services spanning model portfolio development, brand campaigns, editorial content, and runway coverage. For emerging models, this means everything from digitals and comp cards to magazine submissions and designer collaborations. For brands, it translates to campaign visuals and editorial content designed for both e-commerce and press distribution.
The studio maintains its own clothing collection of over 200 garments, allowing for greater creative flexibility during shoots without the constraints of limited wardrobe options.
A Visual Signature That Travels
Tocatlian’s plans for the studio involve expanding the scale of productions while maintaining the collaborative process that defines the work. He’s focused on deepening the editorial publishing footprint and developing photo book projects into an ongoing series rather than isolated releases.
The goal is to establish a recognizable visual signature. Imagery that brands and creatives specifically seek out, while keeping each fashion photography production grounded in what Tocatlian calls an “emotionally honest” approach. It’s an attempt to build a fashion photography practice that doesn’t sacrifice the human element for the sake of the aesthetic one, proving that commercial work and genuine storytelling don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
