photo by Al Drago

Luke Johnson is a freelance photojournalist based in Washington, D.C. and an FAA Part 107 licensed drone pilot. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in the Field of New Media and Photojournalism at George Washington University. He is available for assignment throughout the region.

Luke is a moment driven photographer who is capable of covering everything from professional sports to national politics. He has a keen interest in documenting grief and disability, uniquely seeing how both manifest themselves within the larger scope of society.

His work has appeared in USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Sports Illustrated and the Associated Press among others.

Most recently he served as the photojournalism fellow at The Gillette News Record where he oversaw the paper’s visual direction. He was the sole visual journalist on a staff of four, and worked to edit, design and photograph for the paper while ensuring visuals played an important role in all coverage. While in Gillette, he worked on a documentary project capturing a pivotal moment in time for a community facing economic uncertainty. This project is in the process of being made into a book.

He is a graduate of Elon University, with a double major in Journalism and Cinema/Television Arts as well as a double minor in photography and psychology.

When not on assignment, Luke is often seen riding his longboard through the city or going on drives exploring his surroundings. He is a hiking enthusiast and loves spending time outdoors disconnecting from the rush of day-to-day life.

He can be contacted via email at lukergj5@gmail.com or by phone at (619) 905-3584.

Resume

Work Experience

- Adaptable and intrepid photojournalist with acute news judgement and the ability to visually localize national issues

- Strong reportage skills with the ability to elevate coverage by going beyond the expected and diving into the nuances of reported issues

- Employed by regional and national outlets to cover everything from the March Madness Finals, the state of local healthcare and natural disasters

Photojournalism Fellow | May 2024 — August 2024 | The Gillette News Record – Gillette, Wyo.

- Served as the sole visual journalist on staff, guiding all photographic coverage and leading the paper’s visual direction through editing, design and daily photojournalism

- Produced a documentary photo project detailing how coal mining manifests itself within Gillette and Campbell County

- Photographed for several stories a day ranging from brandings, the youth ballet and regional politics all while working on three in-depth documentary photo projects

Photojournalism Intern | June 2023 — December 2023 | The Seattle Times - Seattle, Wash.

- Broke a national story by visually reporting the city’s enforcement of open drug use and the first arrests made by SPD

- Led visual coverage of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and captured dynamic images from the outside crowd, openers and Swift

- Played an integral role in MLB season coverage and the All-Star Game events by photographing field action and the crowd

Photojournalism Intern | February — June 2023 | The Indianapolis Star - Indianapolis, Ind.

- Embedded with a storm chaser to photograph a historic line of storms and the following impacts felt by local communities

- Documented a group of Burmese Americans and how their love of sport has helped them build and sustain community

- Seamlessly covered both national stories such the NRA Convention and hyper local stories such as the soapbox derby

Photojournalism Intern | May — August 2022 | The Kansas City Star - Kansas City, Mo.

- Covered KC’s reaction to the FIFA World Cup Host City announcement, having the only live image syndicated to the NYT

- Spent time in the community photographing slice of life moments that went on to lead the metro section frequently

- Seamlessly chronicled news events throughout the region while capturing video and still photography simultaneously

Photography Intern | May — August 2021 | The San Diego Magazine - San Diego, Calif.

- Created striking images while utilizing the principles of design and working with both natural and studio lights

- Completed multiple assignments each day on deadline while producing and maintaining a high-quality of work

- Captured engaging and appealing photos that match the style and brand that the magazine has already built

Relevant Activities

Montana Photo Workshop | August 2024 | Missoula, Mont.

- Photographed the challenges a D1 basketball player faces, juggling sports, raising a kid and supporting his wife

- Worked with industry professionals to develop my ability to photograph intimacy and develop a visual narrative

Eddie Adams Workshop XXXVI | October 2023 | Jeffersonville, N.Y.

- Shared work with industry leading photographers and editors to get critiqued and learn from their vast experiences

- Generated ideas on how to further develop my visual style with mentors while making edits on my body of work

Mountain Photojournalism Workshop | October 2022 | Leitchfield, Ky.

- Developed a picture story on a logger whose son’s death thrusted the future of his family’s business into uncertainty

- Worked with a mentor to develop strategies on building rapport with a source amidst shock and grief

Skills

Adobe Photoshop/InDesign/Premiere/Illustrator, Photo Mechanic, News Writing, AP Style, Visual Story Telling, Photojournalism, Multimedia Journalism, Videography, News Judgement, Photo Editing, Page Design, Investigative Journalism, Disaster Coverage, Drone Photography

Certifications/Licenses

- FAA Part 107 Drone License

Memberships

National Press Photographers Association | Full member in good standing

Society of Professional Journalists | Associate Member in good standing