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This 89-year-old has crafted an awesome late career as a photographer

Kimiko Nishimoto only picked up a camera for the first time in her seventies.
Kimiko Nishimoto only picked up a camera for the first time in her seventies. Kimiko Nishimoto only picked up a camera for the first time in her seventies.

These are the charmingly playful self-portraits taken by an 89-year-old photographer who only got her first camera when she was in her seventies.

Kimiko Nishimoto was born in Japan in 1928 but it wasn’t until she was 72 that she decided to give photography a go for the first time.

Photograph by Japanese artist Kimiko Nishimoto (Kimiko Nishimoto)
Photograph by Japanese artist Kimiko Nishimoto (Kimiko Nishimoto)
(Kimiko Nishimoto)

She attended a lecture given by her son, an art director, and was soon hooked on creating bizarre and fun images which she shared on her Facebook account, where she has amassed a loyal following.

At the age of 82, she held her first exhibition in the Kumamoto Prefecture art gallery in western Japan.

Photograph by Japanese artist Kimiko Nishimoto (Kimiko Nishimoto)
Photograph by Japanese artist Kimiko Nishimoto (Kimiko Nishimoto)
(Kimiko Nishimoto)

Now nearing 90, she is exhibiting at the Epson Imaging Gallery in Tokyo known as epSite, showing 60 of her most recent works.

A gallery spokesman said: “Although this is an exhibition by what you could call a mature photographer, Kimiko Nishimoto’s age was not really a factor in the enjoyment we got from the works she created and the spirit that goes into them.

“This was why we decided to hold the exhibition. The exhibition includes some of the works that caused such a sensation on the internet and others that have not been seen so far.”

Photograph by Japanese artist Kimiko Nishimoto (Kimiko Nishimoto)
Photograph by Japanese artist Kimiko Nishimoto (Kimiko Nishimoto)
(Kimiko Nishimoto)

For many of her self-portraits, Nishimoto uses a wireless camera remote control to capture the moment.

At other times she focuses on still life, capturing the tiny, beautiful details of flowers with her own unique additions.

Photograph by Japanese artist Kimiko Nishimoto (Kimiko Nishimoto)
Photograph by Japanese artist Kimiko Nishimoto (Kimiko Nishimoto)
(Kimiko Nishimoto)

On Facebook, she has a five-star rating as a photographer.

Fan Lucas Pinto Dos Reis wrote: “Awesome photography! Very creative and fun stuff. Highly recommended.”

V-Jo Roa added: “Your photos always make my day.”