Profile (CHONO, Kenji)

Born in 1969, Raised in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, JAPAN.
As a student, visited Hokkaido Island several times and was turely impressed by
the encounters with wild animals, and decided to capture and deliver back those
wonderful experiences with photography, as a best method to share it with others.

After having graduated from OSAKA UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES,
resigned a company to pursue the course of wildlife photography as a freelance.
The long awaited dream had finally come true when set foot on the arctic world of
ALASKA for the first time in 1999. Going after the Alaskan wildlife in summers and
autumns, and the mysterious lights in the night sky of winters ever since.

Other than the Hokkaido Island, domestic field of photography includes Lake Biwa,
Omine Mountains in Kii Peninsula and northern areas of Osaka where wild animals still
freely roam in the backyard of truely big city.
However, prefer to enter those fields with binoculars rather than the cameras.

Favorite mammals are BEARS, FLYING SQUIRRELS and CATS.
Current residence: Osaka, JAPAN

　 Myself at Anaktuvuk Pass

PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS
2005
The 30th Japan Professional Photographers Society's Competition (Selected)
The 53rd Nika Photography Exhibition (Encouragement Prize)

EXHIBITION
JUNE, 2006 "Animals Living in the Wilderness"
(at Mt. Yatsugatake Visitor Center, Yamanashi Prefecture; as part of the annual event
"MICHIO HOSHINO Memorial Year 2006 in Kiyosato")

WORKS
Submitted several works to Alaska Department of Fish and Game as a donation.