KOJI AOKI

Born in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, he travelled to Switzerland in his early 20s to study philosophy and religion. While in Switzerland, he obtained a ski instructor's license and for five years he worked as a professional ski instructor, both there and in Japan.

He began his photography career as a commercial photographer in 1976, before switching to editorial assignments for ski and golf magazines. By 1990 he was shooting for both editorial and commercial imagery, thanks to his global experiences worldwide and his language skills. He has a long track record in shooting both Summer and Winter Olympic Games since the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, where he was leader of the official photo team. Extensively awarded for his photography, he has been responsible for a number of exhibitions and photo books, on numerous occasions producing the official show and publication for the Japanese Olympic Committee.