Lynn Johnson is the type of photographer whose images you don’t just see, you feel. Since her beginnings as a photographer for The Pittsburgh Press, Johnson’s portfolio has grown to include a broad range of subject matter. 

Johnson built a name for herself as an artist who could not only shoot the most elusive subjects, but also ask tough questions. Over her 50-year career, she has photographed for such publications as National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, LIFE and others. She’s been a finalist for several Pulitzers, and the recipient of numerous awards, grants and fellowships.

Storybench spoke with Johnson to talk more about her craft, her career, and what she sees as the future of visual storytelling.

How did you start working with National Geographic?

I worked in a newspaper in Pittsburgh for seven years and then decided I wanted to do more long form work. I got a call one day to be a part of a team that was photographing fishermen in Long Island. I have no idea where they got my name, but this guy named Clark Worswick called. So, I left the newspaper to do that project. Then I joined Blackstar, a respected picture agency. Then I started working for LIFE magazine, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, Business Week, and National Geographic. The nature of the businesses is that editors or directors of photography are always looking for photographers who have a new eye or are doing interesting work.

What were the biggest differences from working in news to working at a place like National Geographic?

It’s completely different. I was working for a newspaper when you were basically doing news and features, so you had an hour to do an assignment. If you had a day that was extraordinary. The discipline was excellent. You really learned how to be creative on demand. So those years were formative in many, many ways. And bringing that discipline to storytelling in a longer form is beneficial. But long form was what National Geographic did then. There aren’t many outlets doing that kind of work. I don’t even know what National Geographic is anymore [Ed. note: the magazine has seen rounds of layoffs since being bought by Walt Disney Corp. in 2019 and recently laid off its writing staff and ended newsstand sales]. And LIFE doesn’t exist. A lot of the magazines that were a real force when I was working are now a shadow of themselves.

Do you know of any other organizations who are doing this type of long form storytelling at a high level?

Honestly, no. There are some publications, you know, The New York Times, Sunday Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic. I’ve been working with the Virginia Quarterly Review which is a literary publication, on a couple of things and that’s like working for the old National Geographic. There’s respect for the work. People call you back. There’s a level of professionalism that’s just so refreshing. It’s completely gone at Geographic. I think the problem in part is that there are a lot of young people that have come into these positions of power, and they don’t yet have the experience to know how to navigate the current complexities in publishing or have never been taught integrity and ethics. One must be steeped in that culture and have mentors and bosses who hold that high ground.

How do you decide if you want to pursue a story? Do you have any specific criteria you look for?

I think one of the good things about having a newspaper beginning makes you a generalist. And so, it’s about solving the problem of the story. And so the more diverse the stories, the better, And then it’s a question of like, how are you going to see it? How will you honor it? And make the reader do the same? I think because of the way I was able to understand and make visual, information that wasn’t considered visual – I don’t know why I could do that – but the editors saw that trend. And so, then those are the assignments I would get, the ones where things were amorphous.

Your work often captures people in incredibly difficult or vulnerable circumstances, how do you make people comfortable, especially in front of the camera, in situations like this?

I don’t judge. I don’t bring that kind of [judgmental] energy into their lives, and I spend a lot of time with them. I think at some point people just decide enough, I need to speak out. I’ve also met families who are not ready to speak, and I also spend time with them if they are open to that. But as a rule, people have to have reached a point where they believe their story is worth telling because something needs to change. Also, the quality of listening and making a commitment to someone, is really important. I think that’s why I couldn’t work for Geographic anymore. I knew I couldn’t trust them to keep the promises I might make to the families.

What advice would you give young storytellers, especially those wanting to do the type of powerful long form storytelling that you have made a career out of?

If this is your calling, if this is who you are, you simply must do the work – wherever you find it and however you can. Also, if you have the chance to work in a newsroom, take it. It’s amazing to feel like you’re in the center or something really special – not just the energy, but the sense of responsibility. You see day by day how the work you do impacts people’s lives. And you see the damage done when you put out information that is not true, not vetted, not sensitive. But you have to do the work. That’s all. And if the work is not there, if you can’t find it, you make it. You go out and find projects that feel meaningful; not being given the work is not a barrier to not doing the work. There is always work to do and it has to come from within you. I think young people, sometimes they just don’t know how hard you have to work to deserve it, to deserve someone’s story.