OTAKE Shoji

OTAKE Shoji 大竹 省二 (1920.5.15- 2015.7.2) Shizuoka Pref. Prominent glamour photographer.

While in junior high school, given a camera which he used to enter the Asahi Camera magazine photo contest and won second place.

Entered school in Shanghai in 1940. Became a member of the Peking Embassy photo staff in 1944.

In 1946, became an assistant to a Life magazine photographer in Tokyo. Stringer for GHQ's public relations dept. in 1947.

Photographed the American singers and actresses performing at the Ernie Pyle Theater in Tokyo. Turned freelance in 1948.

Founding member of Nikakai Photo Club in 1953 and Gynee Gruppe in 1956. His nudes of housewives and office ladies were broadcast on Nihon TV in 1971, leading to numerous requests for wanna-be models.

Sample photos: https://fujifilmsquare.jp/profile/shouji_otake.html