Michael Yamashita

Education

In 1971 he graduated from Wesleyan University with a degree in Asian studies and later went to Japan for seven years.

Career

He began working for the National Geographic in 1979 and since then traveled to places as diverse as Somalia, Sudan, England, Ireland, and Papua New Guinea. Foreign the past ten years he has specialized in Asia, including China and Tibet. He is also an author of more than nine photographic books, including "Shangri-Louisiana ", Zheng He: Tracing the Epic Voyages of China’s Greatest Explorer, Japan: The Soul of a Nation, Marco Polo, A Photographer’s Journey, and many others

He is also a frequent lecturer and conducts workshops across Asia and the United States.

Achievements

• He has won numerous awards from the National Press Photographers Association and the Asian American Journalists Association.