Best known for his 44-year collaboration with David Bowie, including the iconic Heroes album cover shoot, Japanese photographer Masayoshi Sukita has created some of the most recognizable images in music history.
His era-defining portraits of Iggy Pop, Marc Bolan, Joe Strummer and many more artists helped shape the visual identity of generations of musicians.
Sukita has now been announced as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Abbey Road Music Photography Awards, delivered by DHL – a prestigious honor celebrating a lifetime of influence in music photography.
Born in 1938 in a small coal-mining town in northern Kyushu, Japan, Sukita's creative journey was shaped by early memories of his father taking photographs before his death on the front line in China during World War II, as well as cinema trips with his uncle.
Those experiences inspired a lifelong fascination with storytelling through images, eventually placing some of the world's most iconic musicians in front of his lens.
The making of a music photography legend
In the early 1970s, Sukita immersed himself in the creative energy of New York and London, drawn to the connections between art, film and music.
In New York he photographed Jimi Hendrix in the months before his death, while in London he captured the rise of artists including Marc Bolan and T Rex.
His career changed forever in 1972 when he first met David Bowie, after being drawn to a concert poster before even hearing his music.
A portrait session followed that summer, beginning a remarkable 44-year collaboration between the two artists. In 1977, Sukita created his most famous image of Bowie: the iconic cover photograph for the Heroes album.
Beyond Bowie, Sukita photographed generations of influential musicians including Yellow Magic Orchestra and The Sex Pistols, while continuing his work across fashion and advertising.
His photographs have been exhibited around the world, including the record-breaking David Bowie Is exhibition at London's V&A museum, cementing his legacy as one of music photography's defining figures.
A lifetime capturing music history
"Masayoshi Sukita is one of the true visionaries of music photography," explains Abbey Road’s director of marketing & creative, Mark Robertson. "His images have not only documented some of the most influential artists of our time, they have helped define how we see them.
"Sukita created photographs that have become part of cultural history, with work that is timeless, intimate and instantly recognisable, demonstrating the power of photography to shape the identity of artists and entire eras. His influence and legacy continue to inspire across music, fashion and visual culture."
You might also like...
Take a look at the best lenses for concert photography.
Looking for competitions to enter? Here are 10 global photo contests now open for entries from July 2026 to January 2027.
