Sam Tokita

I’m Sam Tokita (@samanthatokita ) and I’m an award-winning photographer that recently put down roots in Los Angeles. ✨ I’m obsessed with color, low angles, strong shadows, and getting a little weird sometimes. I’ve been taking photos for over 10 years, and by far my favorite part of this gig is watching people recognize their own beauty and power. My DTLA studio was made for deep connections and self discovery. Come shoot with me! Here are some of my favorite snapshots - there are too many to count! I’ve met so many wonderful humans! [Video Description: Sam, a Japanese American woman with colorful tattoos, curly dark hair, and a prosthetic leg, stands in her studio space holding a camera. She smiles and waves, then holds her camera up to her eye, while text above her head reads, “the photographer & her photos” and 30 portraits flash on screen at a fast pace.] #losangelesphotographer #fashioninclusionnow #disabledartist

Muay Thai & Me EP.12 - Sam Tokita Sam Tokita, a below-knee amputee talks about her journey with Muay Thai and how she has fought to overcome critics and trolls online to eventually stepping into the ring for her first competition. Sam is a true inspiration and a great person, and we are honored to share her story. Filmed by Stefan Scherperel. Edited by Aom Pinyopusarerk.

Me & my boys.🦵🏼(Some of them.) You can tell I never wore shoes outside. These are some of my prosthetic legs from when I was a kid. I got a new one every year as I outgrew them. They were provided to me free of charge by the @shrinershospitals in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Portland, and the quality of the care I received never changed, even when my family moved to different states. The Shriner’s Hospital mission is to provide high level care to all pediatric patients regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Please consider donating to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children monthly - contributions like these are life changing for folks like me.

Another day, another life saved! WHEW. That was a *close* call. That’s the magic of librarians & archivists 📖 @greysabc how’d we do?! Written by: @bionickick #bookish #comedy #readerforlife #library #books Video description: this is a very chaotic video. The text on the screen is of two red siren emojis with “book emergency.” There are open captions as well. It’s a short sketch about 4 librarians who work on a damaged book in the ER room, aka, in the library on a book cart. Once the book has been “healed” the girls celebrate by dancing around the book cart. Then Kat tells Brooke that she can turn off the heart monitor.

It’s giving [fill in the blank]. [ID: Sam in red, Angel in green, Jo-Marie in blue. They pose together against a studio backdrop. Following images include the powerpuff girls, Alvin and the chipmunks, Thomas and friends, Pokémon, rowdyruff boys, and Sleeping Beauty’s good fairies, all in similar color schemes.]

My brother was supposed to get married today. Instead, he’s in a metal jar that sits in the doorway. We started doing family trips instead of Christmas and birthday presents because we had everything we needed except enough time together. Audi knew Gannon so well that he struggled to figure out how to propose to her without her catching on. He’d held onto the ring for over a year trying to figure out the perfect plan. I suggested doing photos on Big Island - because it’s something we would do anyway. It was our first trip away all together, to Ross’s hometown so his family and mine could meet. The first night, I said the code word, and Gannon got so nervous and chickened out. The second night, I said the code word, and he chickened out again. This doofus got 3 photoshoots out of me! But thank goodness, because now I have all of these images of him with the love of his life. Few things brought as much light into his eyes as this woman. She brings light to mine too. She is the sister I always wanted and now need. I don’t know what else to say. Shit sucks. Jericho and I should be standing next to you in front of our family. We miss you, Gannon. [ID: couples and engagement photos of Gannon and Audi in Hawaii. They’re full of laughter, love, and trust.] #siblingloss #griefjourney #griefandloss

Material for the coolest girlie pop show ever @thepaisleylibrary 📚🌟 [ID: Four librarians pose on a couch and against the bookshelves. Paige, a blonde wearing heels, a plaid skirt and fluffy accents. Brooke, a redhead with pigtail braids and a book on her head. Grace, a brunette with a button down and vest with a bow around her neck and a presidential smile. Kat, with black hair, a leopard print top and pinstripe blazer with her shoes on the couch.]

A moment for this unbelievable @eragem treasure! 🌟🪎 this victorian necklace & onyx locket made me feel like the coolest shady lawyer in town. One thing about Lola is she’ll look cool as heck when she stabs you in the back. 💅🏼 (figuratively and literally) Congratulations to @theticket.film team for taking home 2 wins at @disabilityfilmchallenge - so proud and excited for what’s next. Starting with the premiere of the extended cut TOMORROW! [Video Description: Sam opens an antique necklace box to reveal a thick 14k gold necklace and separate onyx locket pendant with seed pearls. She puts it on her neck, then poses in front of a step and repeat wearing her full pinstripe suit along with the necklace.]

Crooked. Ass. B*tch. 💋 Happy awards night! This is our met gala! @theticket.film is nominated for 4 @disabilityfilmchallenge awards - stream it if you wanna. Lola and her crew will see you there. 💵 Styling: @verytarakelly Prosthetic Cover: @alleles Pin: @geek_and_chic_store Suit: @bellofcalifornia @lafashiondistrict Muaythai pendants: @ohmtogether Shoes: @melissaofficial Nails: @ohora_usa Studio: @samanthatokita @thetradelofts [ID: a series of studio photographs of Sam, a Japanese American woman with colorful tattoos and a chrome prosthetic leg. She wears her hair slicked back and curly with a lot of gel. A pinstripe shorts and trench coat suit adorned with pearl beads around the shoulder and a 14k gold vintage G pin to honor her recently deceased brother. Sparkly jelly loafers. Two necklace pendants hang around her neck - a pair of Muaythai shorts and a heavybag.]

We’re starting our first book club!! Just in time for summer reading 📖 Comment which fantasy book series we should start with! ⚔️ Fourth Wing 🧚‍♂️ ACOTAR 🧛 TWILIGHT 🧝‍♂️ LOTR #bookstagram #fantasyreader #acotar #fourthwing Video description: The video opens on Kat talking straight to the camera. She wants to read A Court of Thorns and Roses. Grace quickly shuts that idea down. Then Paige chimes in with Fourth Wing. Brooke jumps in to share her enthusiasm about 4th wing. Then Brooke & Paige sing a part of Opalite, which references Fourth Wing in vague ways. Kat then questions Grace what her book pick is & Grace reveals Twilight. The group is not happy with Grace for previously being so judgmental.

My Late Brother 🌻 late to class, supporting a friend late to lunch, caught up at work late to the party, helping some guy late to Thanksgiving, making amends late to dinner, something with the dog late to the show, work once again late to the hotel, broke down on the road late to the gate, misplaced I.D. late to appointment, something came up late to his birthday, work, always work late to the chapel, just fell behind late to his sister’s, forgot wallet at home late getting out from under the engine late afternoon call, “when can you get here?” late body transfer, the paperwork’s wrong late Autumn mourning a nightmare, a nightmare perhaps late was a rabbit’s foot for this cat how many lates evade falls? dodge crashes? Death can be cheated, but Death catches on his big heart protected him only so long before gravity and steel caved it in no longer late anymore just Late missed dinners, missed birthdays mostly miss him my late brother, My Late Brother lost track of time ran out of luck [ID: a digital collage of paper taped over an image of the desert at sunset, with glitter and sequin accents. A handwriting-inspired font is inscribed with the above poem.] #siblingloss #griefjourney #griefandloss #griefsupport

It’s Paige’s first day as a librarian at @thepaisleylibrary 📚 It’s actually her first adult job 😅 Do we think she’ll get along with her co-workers or what?! #librarians #bookgram #vertical #comedy Video description: the text on the screen reads, “1st day as a librarian.” The sketch opens up on Paige, an enthusiastic blonde girl, who wears a ruffled sweater and a sequined top. She talks directly to camera. Then she enters the lobby to meet her co-workers. Brooke, the security guard wears coveralls with all sorts of attachments to her jumper like scissors & hand sanitizer. Kat works the front desk. She’s got voluminous wavy hair & she’s wearing cheetah. Grace, head librarian, is dressed in a patterned long sleeve shirt & a vest. When Paige gives treats to Kat, it’s a box of @girlscouts cookies