Born in Gamagori city, Aichi in 1957, Yamamoto was originally into painting before he became a freelance photographer in his 20s. He discovered his passion for photography when he first saw original prints of Ansel Adams, American master of landscapes. Yamamoto's tranquil and poetic monochrome works caught an American art dealer's attention which created a chance for his first solo exhibition in San Francisco, 1994. His recognition in the US was further raised when a later exhibition in New York was picked up by New York Times. Yamamoto's publications include é, Omizuao, The Path of Green Leaves, Nakazora, A box of Ku by Nazraeli Press and Small Things in Silence, a joint publication between Seigensha, Japan and RM, Mexico and Barcelona.