Lynn Johnson (born 1953) is an American photographer known for her contributions to ''

National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...

'', ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...

'' and ''

Life Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...

'' among others. Johnson is known for photographing vanishing languages and challenges to the human condition, with a focus on Africa and Asia.

Biography

Johnson received her bachelor's degree in

photojournalism Photojournalism is journalism that uses images to tell a news story. It usually only refers to still images, but can also refer to video used in broadcast journalism. Photojournalism is distinguished from other close branches of photography (such ...

in 1975 from the

Rochester Institute of Technology The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a private university, private research university in Henrietta, New York, a suburb of Rochester, New York, Rochester. It was founded in 1829. It is one of only two institute of technology, institut ...

. Upon graduating she became the first woman staff photographer at the ''

Pittsburgh Press ''The Pittsburgh Press'', formerly ''The Pittsburg Press'' and originally ''The Evening Penny Press'', was a major afternoon daily newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for over a century, from 1884 to 1992. At the height of its popul ...

'', until departing in 1982 to pursue freelance work with Black Star Publishing Company and the Aurora photo agency. In 1984 the

University of Pittsburgh Press The University of Pittsburgh Press is a scholarly publishing house and a major American university press, part of the University of Pittsburgh. The university and the press are located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The press ...

published her book ''Pittsburgh Moments''. She photographed

Fred Rogers Fred McFeely Rogers (March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003), better known as Mister Rogers, was an American television host, author, producer, and Presbyterian minister. He was the creator, showrunner, and host of the preschool television s ...

several times between 1980 and the early 2000s, and her photographs of Rogers were featured in the 2018 documentary '' Won't You Be My Neighbor?'' Johnson's photos of and working relationship with Rogers appeared in an NPR photo story titled "The Man Behind Mister Rogers, Away From The Neighborhood Of Make-Believe." After working for nearly 30 years as a photojournalist, Johnson attended

Ohio University Ohio University (Ohio or OU) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Athens, Ohio, United States. The university was first conceived in the 1787 contract between the United States Department of the Treasury#Re ...

's School of Visual Communications in the Scripps College of Communication as a master's student and recipient of the school's Knight Fellowship, graduating in 2004. In 2011 she donated her collection of analogue film photography to the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections at Ohio University Libraries. Johnson is a recipient of Golden Quill awards in photojournalism and

World Press Photo World Press Photo Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Founded in 1955, the organization holds the annual World Press Photo Contest for press photography. Since 2011, World Press Photo has orga ...

Awards in 1985, 1988 and 1992. In 2013 she was selected by her peers to win the National Geographic Photographer's Photographer award. In 2019 she was awarded the National Geographic's Eliza Scidmore Award for Outstanding Science Media, highlighting scientifically rigorous storytelling related to environmental and conservation issues. Since 2013, Johnson has been a visiting professional at

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

in the multimedia photography and design department (MPD).

Notable works

Winner, Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for Coverage of the Disadvantaged, 1985 Finalist, Pulitzer for Explanatory Reporting to National Geographic Magazine's ''Gender Revolution'' issue, 2017 Her work has appeared in the following books: * ''Women of Vision: National Geographic’s Female Photographers,'' 2013 * ''Through the Lens: National Geographic Greatest Photographs,'' 2003 * ''Edward Curtis: Coming to Light,'' 2002 * ''John Muir: Nature’s Visionary,'' 2001 * ''Nature’s Medicines: Plants that Heal,'' 2000 * ''Women Photographers at National Geographic,'' 2000 * ''Women in the Material World,'' 1996 * ''Power to Heal,'' 1990 * ''Men’s Lives,'' 1984

References

External links

*
Lynn Johnson on Photo SocietyLynn Johnson Collection at Ohio University Libraries
1953 births Living people National Geographic photographers Rochester Institute of Technology alumni Ohio University alumni American women photojournalists American photojournalists 20th-century American women photographers 20th-century American photographers 21st-century American women photographers 21st-century American photographers {{US-photographer-stub