Keiichi Nitta has achieved notoriety through a rather odd artistic lens - just being himself. That vision, however, comes through another lens, behind the camera. He’s worked with Terry Richardson, photographed for Vogue, and lent his erotically charged view to American Apparel.

Born in Japan, Nitta hit New York in 1997. Three years later he became Richardson’s assistant, and his career in photography began in earnest. Since then he’s returned to Japan to set up his own business. Through that venture his solo star has risen, and last year he was subject of three exhibitions including “Everyday Is Like Sunday (Gogallery, Milan) and “I Think Japanese People Should be More Open” (Constant Gallery, Los Angeles).

Today O.H.W.O.W. releases Nitta’s first photo book, Bowery Boys. A compendium of images taken in the L.E.S., Nitta describes it as being all about his friends. We caught up with him just before drop.