Japanese photographer Kishin Shinoyama, known for portraits of Beatles musician John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono among other celebrities over his five-decade career, died of old age Thursday, his office said. He was 83
Words Emanuela Zini
Renowned Japanese photographer Kishin Shinoyama has passed away at the age of 83. He is best remembered for capturing the iconic 1980 album cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Double Fantasy,” featuring the couple sharing a tender kiss. Notably, this photograph stands as one of the last images of John Lennon, taken just three months before his untimely death. In 2015, Kishin Shinoyama unveiled his portrait series documenting the day of the photoshoot with Taschen.
The series, comprising 174 pages, provides a glimpse into the intimate moments of the couple. It was at the request of Yoko Ono that the photographer documented and compiled the book “Double Fantasy.” Today, it serves as a poignant tribute to the esteemed Japanese photographer and a reflection on the couple’s photographic journey during a five-day session—portraits that Yoko Ono fondly refers to as “images of my happiest time.”
