Name Michio Hoshino Role Photographer | Education Keio University | |
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Died August 8, 1996, Kurile Lake, Russia Books Hoshino's Alaska, Nanook's Gift, Grizzly, Moose Similar Mitsuaki Iwagō, Naoya Hatakeyama, Sakae Tamura (nature photographer) |
Michio hoshino teaser
Michio Hoshino (星野 道夫, Hoshino Michio, September 27, 1952 – August 8, 1996) was a Japanese-born nature photographer. He originally hailed from Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture. Called one of the most accomplished nature photographers of his era and compared to Ansel Adams, Hoshino specialized in photographing Alaskan wildlife until he was killed by a brown bear while on assignment in Kurilskoye Lake, Russia in 1996.
Contents

Lynn Schooler's book The Blue Bear relates the story of the author's friendship with Hoshino, a man he admired greatly for his skill as a photographer and his humanity. Schooler is a wilderness guide who became a photographer in his own right under Hoshino's tutelage. Another book, The Only Kayak by Kim Heacox, describes Hoshino's journeys to Glacier Bay as well as his own close personal friendship with Hoshino.

A memorial totem pole was raised in Sitka, Alaska, on August 8, 2008 (the 12-year anniversary of Hoshino's death), in honor of his work. Relatives and witnesses from Japan, including his widow, Naoko, attended the ceremony. Hoshino's wife and son survive him.
Gfm homenatge michio hoshino
Life
Michio's interest in Alaska began at the age of 19, when he bought a photo book showing the village of Shishmaref. Wanting to see it for himself, he sent a letter to the village's mayor, who replied 6 months later inviting him to visit. The following summer, he spent 3 months there, taking photographs and helping to catch fish.