Published 10 November 2026

Photo: David Bowie by Masayoshi Sukita – © Sukita © 1973 Risky Folio Inc, Courtesy of The David Bowie Archive™

Celebrating Masayoshi Sukita – Recipient of the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award

Legendary Japanese photographer Masayoshi Sukita is the 2026 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards, recognising his extraordinary contribution to music photography and his lasting influence on visual culture.

Best known for his 44-year collaboration with David Bowie, which began when the two first met in London in 1972, Sukita went on to capture some of the most iconic images in music history, including the celebrated cover of Bowie’s Heroes album in 1977. His remarkable portfolio extends well beyond this celebrated collaboration, featuring era-defining images of Iggy Pop, Marc Bolan, Joe Strummer, Yellow Magic Orchestra and David Sylvian.

From his photographs featuring prominently in the V&A’s record-breaking David Bowie Is exhibition to solo shows spanning Japan, Europe, Australia and the USA, Sukita’s work has travelled the world, helping to shape how we see the icons of music.

To celebrate his remarkable career, we look back at Sukita’s phenomenal body of work in a special film, alongside a personal video message from the photographer accepting his Lifetime Achievement Award.