Tsuneko Sasamoto

Tsuneko Sasamoto (笹本 恒子, Sasamoto Tsuneko, born September 1, 1914) is Japan's first female photojournalist.[1] She turned 100 in September 2014.[2]

Tsuneko Sasamoto
Born (1914-09-01) September 1, 1914
Tokyo, Japan
OccupationPhotojournalist, photographer
Known forJapans first female photojournalist
HonoursLucie Award for Lifetime Acheivement

Early life

Sasamoto was born in Tokyo, Japan. She went to college of home economics, but quit because she had an ambition to become a painter. After the dropout, she went to an institute of painting (without telling parents) and a dressmaking school.[3]

Career

Sasamoto started her career as a part-time illustrator on the local news pages in Tokyo Nichinichi Shimbun (now Mainichi Shimbun, one of the newspapers in Japan). At 26, she got promoted to a probationary employee in 1940 when she joined the Photographic Society in Japan, officially becoming the first female photojournalist in Japan. She calls Margaret Bourke-White a major influence in why she became a photographer.[4] Sasamoto photographed subjects from General Douglas MacArthur during the American occupation of Japan to striking coalminers and protesting students.[5]

She published a photo book in 2011 called Hyakusai no Finder, or Centenarian’s Finder.[5] In 2014, Sasamoto had an exhibit of her work from her 2011 book called Hyakusai Ten, or, Centenarian’s Exhibition.[5] In 2015, Sasamoto published another book, Inquisitive Girl at 101.[4] She broke her left hand and both legs in 2015 but continues to photograph. Sasamoto is currently working on a project called Hana Akari, or Flower Glow.[6] The book is in honor of her friends who have died.

Awards

2016: Lucie Award for Lifetime Achievement[7]

References
  1. "Japan's First Female Photojournalist is Still Shooting at the Age of 101". Petapixel.com. Retrieved 2015-10-07.
  2. Birmingham, Lucy (2014-09-02). "Tsuneko Sasamoto: 100 Years, 100 Women". artscape Japan. Dai Nippon Printing. Retrieved 2014-09-19.
  3. 東京都写真美術館 (2000-01-01). 日本写真家事典: 東京都写真美術館所蔵作家 (in Japanese). 京都市: 淡交社. ISBN 4473017508.
  4. "At 101, Japan's First Female Photojournalist Reflects On Her Career". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  5. "Pioneer photojournalist blazed trails for women". The Japan Times. The Japan Times. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  6. "Meet Japan's First Female Photojournalist". Retrieved 2016-09-06.
  7. "2016 Lucie Awards". Lucies.org. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
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