Paul Kitagaki Jr. has spent nearly half a century behind a camera for the Sacramento Bee. His byline appeared on more than 5,000 photographs, covering everything from wars and wildfires to Kings games and community events. His work has also appeared in National Geographic, Time, and Smithsonian, and he shot a Sports Illustrated cover in 2014. Along with his wife, Renée C. Byer, he’s part of a rare duo of Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalists living and working in our region.
Now that he’s retired from the Bee, Kitagaki is focusing on a deeply personal project.“Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit”documents the Japanese American incarceration during WWII. The project started after he discovered that famed photographer Dorothea Lange had captured his own family in those camps. He didn’t grow up knowing those images existed. Now he’s dedicated to making sure that history isn’t forgotten. The traveling exhibit will be shown in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and later at the Morikami Museum in Florida.
Kitagaki’s approach has always centered on emotion. He’s said that the subject is the most important person in the frame, and that photography has to capture their story. That philosophy guided him through five decades and continues to guide him now. Retirement, for him, isn’t about stopping. It’s about telling the stories that matter most. What story would you want to preserve for future generations?
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
