Session Press is an independent photobook publisher based in New York City, founded by Miwa Susuda—a Japanese writer, educator and consultant with over two decades of experience in photography and publishing. The press is committed to amplifying underrepresented voices from East Asia, particularly Japan and China, by publishing both contemporary and historical works from emerging and established photographers.
Acting as a cultural bridge between Asia and the West, Session Press brings greater visibility to artists whose work often remains underrecognized outside their home countries. Through Susuda’s longtime role at Dashwood Books and her active participation in international art fairs, symposia, and institutional partnerships, the press introduces these photographers to curators, scholars, and collectors across the U.S. and Europe.
Each Session Press title is conceived as a collaborative effort—produced with Asian and Asian American creatives to honor the photographer’s original vision while pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling. Our books challenge reductive or stereotypical representations of Asian culture, offering instead deeply personal, nuanced, and politically engaged perspectives.
Since its founding in 2011, Session Press has become a vital force in the photobook field. Its titles have received critical acclaim and recognition from leading institutions, including the Foam Paul Huf Award for Momo Okabe (2015) and Daisuke Yokota (2016), as well as multiple nominations for Mao Ishikawa at Fotobookfestival Kassel, Les Rencontres d’Arles, and Libération.
Selected Activities
Session Press has been actively involved in exhibitions, workshops, juries, and public talks, including:
Pratt Institute, guest lecture (New York 2025)
AIPAD Armory “Japanese Women Photographers” panel (New York, 2025)
Penumbra Foundation Photobook Workshop (New York, 2021–present)
Fotografiska x AIPAD Talk (New York, 2024)
New School BFA Annual Portfolio Review (New York, 2022–present)
Chico Book Review, jury (Montana, 2024–present)
CPW Woodstock AIR Residency, jury (New York, 2024)
NYFA Fellowship, jury (New York, 2023)
ICP Photobook Festival, artist talk (New York, 2023)
Paris Photo / Aperture Foundation Best Book Jury (New York, 2022)
CONTACT Symposium, Women and Photobooks, artist talk (Toronto, 2019)
10x10 “How We See” at MFA Boston, artist talk (Boston, 2019)
Twelvebooks 4th Photobook Symposium, artist talk (Tokyo, 2018)
Toronto Library Project, artist talk (Toronto, 2018)
Museum of Sex, Nobuyoshi Araki exhibition (New York, 2018)
Visual Studies Workshop, Photobook Symposium (Rochester, 2016)
Ren Hang exhibitions at Klein Sun Gallery (New York, 2016) and Matchbaco (Tokyo, 2015)
Session Press titles are held in the permanent collections of major institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, The New York Public Library, SFMOMA, the University of Pennsylvania, and The International Center of Photography.
As one of the few Japanese-founded presses in the United States, Session Press continues to be a vital platform for supporting the work of Japanese and East Asian photographers while offering meaningful context for international audiences.
Contact
For inquiries: info@sessionpress.com
Credits
Website Design: Studio Lin
Website Development: Yeon Ryoo
Editor: Daniel González
ニューヨークで出版社を立ち上げ、日本と中国の写真を紹介しています。出版のほか、2006年よりニューヨークの写真専門書店ダシュウッド・ブックスでマネジャーとして勤務し、海外のコレクター、美術館、ギャラリーのコレクションに向け、日本の写真集を幅広く収集することを勧めています。講師として、海外の美術館や、ギャラリー、大学の講演会で、日本の写真を紹介する活動も積極的に行なっています。これまで、トロントのContact Photo、ボストンのMuseum of Fine Arts, Boston、ローチェスターのVisual Studies Workshop、サンフランシスコのCasemore Kirkeby Gallery、ニューヨークのドーバーストリートマーケット・ Paradigm Publishing 、トロントの Toronto Photobook Libraryなどでセミナーを開催しました。
セッションプレスから出版した写真集は、多くの賞をいただいていますが、特に、岡部桃さんと横田大輔さんの写真集は、オランダの写真美術館、FOAMからPaul Huf Awardを受け、同美術館で展示会を開催する快挙を成し遂げました。また、石川真生さんの『赤花』は、海外の多くのメディアに取り上げられ、数多くの賞を授かりまりました。荒木経惟さんの『青ノ時代・去年ノ夏』は、ニューヨークの美術館Museum of Sexと協定して、フィルムを上映し、多くの美術館の来場者に、アラキネマ（荒木さんの映像作品）を紹介することを務めました。
セッションプレスの全ての写真集は、テイト・モダン美術館、ニューヨーク近代美術館、メトロポリタン美術館、サンフランシスコ近代美術館、ニューヨーク公立図書館に所蔵されています。
また、東京のイマ・マガジンで、ニューヨークの写真事情を日本へ伝える執筆活動をしています。2018年夏には、東京、渋谷のケースギャラリーでtwelvebooks主催のシンポジュウムに参加し、海外の作家の活動について講演しました。