Nobuyoshi Araki photographer Japan

Araki was born in Tokyo, studied photography during his college years and then went to work at the advertising agency Dentsu, where he met his

future wife, the essayist Yōko Araki (荒木陽子). After they were married, Araki published a book of pictures of his wife taken during their honeymoon titled Sentimental Journey. She died in 1990. Pictures taken during her last days were published in a book titled Winter Journey.

Having published over 350 books by 2005, and still more every year, Araki is considered one of the most prolific artists alive or dead in Japan and around the world. Many of his photographs are erotic; some have been called pornographic. Among his photography books are Sentimental Journey (1971, but later reissued), Tokyo Lucky Hole (1985), and Shino.

He also contributed photography to the Sunrise anime series Brain Powerd. In 1981, Araki directed High School Girl Fake Diary (女高生偽日記 Jokōsei nise nikki?), a Roman Porno film for Nikkatsu studio. The film proved to be a disappointment both to Araki's fans, and to fans of the pink film genre.

The Icelandic musician Björk is an admirer of Araki's work, and served as one of his models. At her request he photographed the cover and inner sleeve pages of her 1997 remix album, Telegram. More recently, he has photographed pop singer Lady Gaga. Araki's life and work were the subject of Travis Klose's 2005 documentary film Arakimentari.

His works are held in numerous museum collections including the Tate and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Araki was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008, and has since undergone surgery which successfully removed the tumor.

In 2008, he was awarded the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art.

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父・長太郎は下駄職人だったが、近所でも有名なアマチュアカメラマンとして活躍し、荒木がカメラマンになるきっかけを与えた。また生家の近所には「投げ込み寺」として有名な浄閑寺（吉原参照）があり、その存在が彼の死生観を決定付けたと語っている[要出典]。

写真集の発行点数がきわめて多い写真家であり、私家版を含め、400冊以上の写真集を発表している。ヌード写真や近年では少女をも含めた人物写真を得意とするが、花などの静物写真、東京を対象とした都市写真の作品も多い。人情味溢れるスナップ写真でも有名である。

尊敬する人物は岡本太郎。好きで好きで堪らなかったが遂には太郎にレンズを向ける機会に恵まれなかった。2006年、岡本太郎の正体をつかむ為彼の作品達をカメラに収めることを決意した。

1990年に亡くなった妻、陽子を撮影したことで世間に衝撃を与えた。この写真を発表した写真集『センチメンタルな旅・冬の旅』をめぐって、意見が対立した篠山紀信としばらくのあいだ絶縁状態が続いた（→「センチメンタルな旅・冬の旅」論争）。

2006年9月には、ベルギー・シャルロワの写真美術館にて個展を開催中に、美術館外壁に貼られていた女性の写真に火炎瓶を投げつけられる事件が起きた。

弟子に写真家野村佐紀子がいる。ダンサーのKaoRiとは2002年ごろから共同作業をおこない、生涯のモデルとして長期の撮影を続けている。