All photos by Ulana Switucha, including banner.
Ulana Switucha is a Canadian photographer currently based in Hong Kong. Her upcoming book Torii will be released in mid-November 2025. The book gathers years of travel and quiet observation in Japan, capturing its spiritual landscapes and the iconic Torii gates found in both familiar and remote places. In her own words, “This is a journey not finished.”
We begin with an introduction by Kahsia Hartwell, Ulana’s friend and one of our VCC members, before following the story behind her project and book. Ulana also shares how she created the photograph on the book’s cover: a sea Torii covered in ice and snow.
A Friendship Across Two Countries
Kahsia met Ulana in 2019 when she was living on Salt Spring Island. Ulana had a show at the Hedgerow House, and a friend told Kahsia she “simply must check out” Ulana’s work, since it was very much like the kind of photography that Kahsia enjoys: long exposures, black and white minimalist photography.
Every summer since then, when Ulana visits Salt Spring Island, the two have explored and photographed together in interesting spots on both Salt Spring Island and Vancouver Island. Once, they braved rough, bumpy roads to Carmanah Walbran, chartered a boat, and cruised up into Desolation Sound, photographing along the way. They’ve even travelled in Japan together. Kahsia says it’s been amazing to share these adventures with such an accomplished photographer and friend.
Kahsia pointed out that Ulana has received many international awards, which are listed on her website along with more information about her and her work. Most recently, Ulana won first place in Architecture and Design at the Sony World Photography Awards for The Tokyo Toilet Project. Japan has some remarkably striking public toilets, and Ulana has captured them masterfully. And if you’ve visited Japan, or plan to in the future, Kahsia recommends Ulana’s book Torii.
Ulana Behind the Lens
Ulana believes the camera is a powerful tool of communication and expression. In her photography, she often uses simple, minimal compositions to create a sense of awareness and connection with her subject. It is important to her that each image conveys story and emotion. She is always exploring new ways to express what she sees and experiences. In her view, every new project calls for a fresh approach, and every photograph demands a unique expression suited to its purpose. The best advice she ever received was that photography is an evolutionary process, and that one learns and grows by pushing boundaries and experimenting.
Ulana’s Artist Statement About Torii
In Ulana’s words, Torii symbolize the essence of Japanese culture and spirituality. In the Shinto tradition, a Torii gate marks the transition from the secular to the sacred world and reflects the harmony between humans, nature, and Kami (deities).
“When I see a Torii in a natural setting, I feel at peace with the environment. I slow down, observe the world, and reflect. I see the soft colours of Sakura (cherry blossoms). I experience the brilliance of autumn and the scent of a forest. I feel the vigour of ice-crusted firs. I hear the gentle, rhythmic sound of waves. I am especially drawn to Torii in the sea, where I feel the strongest connection.”
Ulana’s body of work in the Torii project focuses on Torii gates, Meoto Iwa (the sacred rocks), and other spiritual symbols. By juxtaposing the elegance of these human-made structures and the natural rock formations with the surrounding beauty of the Japanese landscape, her aim is to communicate a sense of stillness and tranquility in a world filled with motion.
Torii — Project and Process
Ulana’s portfolio of Torii in bodies of water and of Meoto Iwa took shape about ten years ago. Once it became clear that this collection could stand on its own as a photographic series, Ulana explored remote and lesser-known places that reflect not only the spiritual tradition, but also the diversity and complexity of these gates in the spiritual practice. While some of the Torii in this project are familiar, many are in hidden locations, found through both careful research and unexpected discovery. She enjoys the solitude and hospitality of local places, the adventure of exploring away from popular sites, and feels grateful for the warmth ad kindness she’s experienced in Japan.
Photographing Torii gates in their natural surroundings has become a meditative practice for Ulana. She tries to convey not only the diversity and elegance of these architectural forms within the landscape, but also the stillness that comes from being fully present. She has often waited for the right conditions, or returned to a location many times, drawn by a sense of connection and the wish to experience it under different circumstances. As she waited and watched for the right light or for the tide to come in, each visit became a form of meditation and of mono no aware: the awareness of life’s transience. It is a precious experience to observe the beauty of the natural world, to see the sun rise behind a Torii, or to watch the full moon emerge from the horizon and drift across the sky.
Creating the Sea Torii Covered in Ice and Snow
Ulana’s image of the sea Torii, covered in ice and snow, was created in the winter of 2019 in northern Japan. This Torii was built by local fishermen in front of a nearby shrine as a prayer for protection from the seas.
The site faces west and is known for its harsh weather and deep snow. To reach it, Ulana climbed over snowbanks, passed another Torii half buried in a snow drift, and slid across patches of ice on the beach. In the depths of winter, water from the Sea of Japan had frozen onto the posts of the red Torii, creating wonderful, intricate textures and form.
To capture the ideal light, she visited the location twice that day: at dawn and again at dusk. The tides of the Sea of Japan vary little, so this was a minor factor in planning. The final image, taken at dusk, is a long exposure of 249 seconds. The long exposure softened the sea and waves, creating a mist-like surface that emphasizes the stark beauty of the subject against its muted background.
Photographing in cold and windy conditions requires a solid tripod, firm footing, and a cable release. It also means keeping spare batteries warm in an inner pocket and a quick-dry towel close at hand to wipe moisture off the camera.
Torii — Book and Exhibition
Selections from Ulana’s decade-long body of work have now found their way into her book, Torii. In addition to being unique, each of the locations shares an atmosphere that invites the viewer to pause and reflect. Some gates are simple, standing majestically, or appearing to float silently within their surroundings. Others are perched on islands or rocks, or form part of a Meoto Iwa, evoking ancient legends and traditions. All are symbols traditionally associated with Japan and the Shinto spiritual practice.
Ulana intended the book as more than a collection of Torii photographs; it is an invitation to embark on a journey of discovery through the landscapes of Japan. She writes:
“One begins by arriving at sea. The first Torii welcomes you to enter a peaceful space. From there, one wanders slowly from one floating Torii to the next before passing through a gate. There is a change in scenery, a change in the weather, and the landscape transforms. As one travels, there is the opportunity to admire and reflect on the lovely details of each Torii and Meoto Iwa, and their place within the natural world. Finally, one reaches the shoreline and is led through snowy scenes to reach a summit.”
The book is also an invitation to slow down, to observe, and to reflect on the beauty of the spiritual landscape that shapes the Japanese tradition. Through her images, Ulana seeks to share the splendour of these sanctuaries, as well as the calm and presence she felt while discovering and photographing them. She hopes that her photographs invite the viewer into their own visual meditation.
The book includes an afterword by Mr. Olivier Robert, “Torii, Symbols of Purity and Spiritual Transition.”
The launch of Ulana’s book will be accompanied by an exhibition in Hong Kong from November 15 to December 14, 2025. More information about the book can be found on its website, Torii Photobook.
You can contact Ulana on her website and find her on Instagram @ulana.
Kahsia Hartwell and Anke Weber
We would like to thank Margaret McNay
for her thoughtful review.
About Kahsia Hartwell
I have been a member of the Victoria Camera Club since 2020 and I served on the workshop committee for almost two years. My passion for photography has always bordered on obsession. For me, it is a feast of color, shape and form, ever changing and fleeting. The times when photography is able to extend the temporal, generates the most excitement in the craft. As my photography unfolds, my explorations sometimes extend beyond the documentary form of photography and into a more abstract view of my experience. These photographs are the fusion of my vision and reality. Awards include: 2018 Eclectic Visions People’s Choice; 2019 Eclectic Visions tied for People’s Choice; 2022 North Shore Photographic Challenge – Individual Silver Medal; Juried Shows: 2019 Sooke Fine Art Show; 2022-2025 Sooke Fine Art Show; 2025 PhotoPlace Gallery – Coastal Landscapes Show.
About Anke Weber
I live on the beautiful West Coast of Canada and love to be out and about with my camera. I enjoy how light shifts, how animals and moments appear, and how an image can hold the start of a story. Writing has always been part of my life, and I combine it with my photographs and sometimes my paintings to create colourful visual stories. One of my interests is nature and wildlife photography, but I like to shoot wherever I go. Right now, I’m learning about light-motion and night photography. I have a master’s in computer science and worked in several fun areas. I’ve also been a newsletter editor and website designer. I’m endlessly curious about discovering new tools, techniques, and media.
Edited by Anke Weber
Co-Editor, Close-Up Digital