Canon Brings Photographer Stephen Johnson to UK
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 30, 2009) - The University of Kentucky Department of Art and Canon USA will present Canon Explorer of Light Stephen Johnson. The noted landscape photographer will visit UK to work with photography students and present a public lecture on his work. The free public lecture is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, in the Briggs Theatre, located in the UK Fine Arts Building on Rose Street.
Stephen Johnson is a landscape photographer, designer and teacher. Photographing since 1973, his work has been featured in Communication Arts, Life, American Photo, Outdoor Photographer and on "ABC Discovery News," among many others. His books include "At Mono Lake," the award-winning and critically acclaimed "The Great Central Valley: California’s Heartland," "Making a Digital Book" and the new "Stephen Johnson on Digital Photography."
Internationally recognized as a digital photography pioneer, Johnson's photographs have been exhibited, published and collected in the United States, Europe, Mexico and Japan. In 1994 he embarked on "With a New Eye," the groundbreaking all digital photographic look at American national parks, to be published in due course. In 2003, Johnson was inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame.
Canon named Johnson to their Explorers of Light program in 2006. The photographer is well known for his passionate lectures and love for the traditions of fine photography. From Photoshop features, to cameras, printers and papers, Johnson's consulting with high tech imaging companies has helped shape the very tools used today. His photography studios, galleries and education center are located in Pacifica, Calif.
This is the first Canon Explorers of Light visit to the university; UK Department of Art Chair Benjamin C. Withers hopes the department can team up twice a year with Canon to bring many of the world's most noted photographers to the Commonwealth.
"We are so excited to begin this partnership with Canon and thrilled to host such a noted photographer as Stephen Johnson," noted Ruth Adams, a photographer, digital artist and associate professor at UK.
The Explorers of Light concept came out of Canon USA in the mid-1990s as a broad ranging initiative for photographic education and inspiration. Today, the group is comprised of 62 of the most influential photographers in the world, each a master of his or her own creative specialty. Explorers share their photographic and technical expertise with eager audiences of photo professionals, hobbyists and enthusiasts in a variety of personal appearances, seminars and gallery showings throughout the U.S. Currently the Explorer program's photographers represent disciplines as varied as photojournalism, aviation, fashion, sports, wedding, nature, advertising, portraiture, food and travel photography. Explorers of Light use Canon EOS photographic equipment.