Abbey Road will present Japanese photographer Masayoshi Sukita with its Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Abbey Road Music Photography Awards, according to Rolling Stone.
Sukita is widely known for his 44-year collaboration with David Bowie. His work includes the famous cover image for Bowie’s 1977 album Heroes, and he has also photographed artists such as Iggy Pop, Marc Bolan, Joe Strummer, Yellow Magic Orchestra and David Sylvian.
Born in Kyushu, Japan, in 1938, Sukita moved to Tokyo in 1965, where he worked in fashion photography and TV commercials. He later became a freelance photographer in 1970 and spent time in New York photographing Jimi Hendrix shortly before his death, as well as Marc Bolan.
Sukita first met Bowie in London in 1972, beginning a long working relationship that continued around the world. In a statement, Sukita said receiving the award is a big honor and that he hopes people will continue to enjoy his work.
The Abbey Road Music Photography Awards were launched in 2022 and will take place on Sept. 24 in London. This year’s competition received more than 24,500 submissions from 40 countries, according to the report.
