NAGANO Shigeichi

NAGANO Shigeichi 長野 重一 (1925.3.30- ) Oita, Oita Pref. Acclaimed documentary and street photographer of urban scenes in Tokyo.

Major themes Tokyo street scenes

Education Graduated from Keio Univ. in Economics in 1947

Career Had planned to become a normal white-collar worker and did not intend to become a photographer until a chance meeting with NATORI Yonosuke through MIKI Jun. Both were graduates of the same university.

Natori hired him as an editor for the newly-launched magazine Sun News in 1947. Observed top photographers such as KIMURA Ihee, FUJIMOTO Shihachi, and INAMURA Takamasa on location. Left in 1949 to become a photographer for the Iwanami Shashin Bunko series, and traveled all over Japan to take documentary pictures for over 60 volumes in the series.

After taking purely objective photographs for informational purposes, he began to become more subjective with photography. His pictures began to reflect his own viewpoint and subjective response. Turned freelance in 1954. Involved in the filming of the Tokyo Olympics for the documentary movie directed by ICHIKAWA Kon.

Best known as a street photographer of urban scenes in Tokyo. He hunts for images while placing an emphasis on the current times and what he feels is the "now" of the time. His "Japan Dream Age" series of the 1960s and the "A Strange Perspective" series of fleeting scenes of Tokyo in the 1980s-90s are prime examples. Some of these photos can be seen in the exhibition catalog, A Chronicle of Japan. (2000.12.16)

Awards Camera Arts Award and Artist Award, Japan Photo Critics Association, 1960; Ina Nobuo Award, 1986; Award of the Year, Photographic Society of Japan, 1991; Medal with Purple Ribbon, 1993; Award of the Year, Photographic Society of Japan, 1995.

Book reviews A Chronicle of Japan