
MEMBER OF THE MONTH
Barry Johnson
I’m Barry Johnson, a Northern Ontario Métis photographer whose journey began in the late 1970s when my father let me try his Pentax K1000. That moment sparked a lifelong passion for photography. At 17, I moved to Alberta to work as a roughneck in the oil patch—a short-lived venture that taught me I wasn’t cut out for hard-drinking conservative culture. I soon relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where a warehouse job funded my first camera: a Nikon FM, and my go-to guide, The 35mm Photographer’s Handbook by Julian Calder and John Garrett. The News and Documentary sections of that book deeply influenced me.
Winnipeg’s public library became my sanctuary. I immersed myself in the works of photojournalism and documentary masters, drawn to the power of real-life storytelling. I primarily shot Kodachrome 64 and Ilford HP5, honing my craft with weekly study and practice. Over the next year, I added a Nikon 135mm f2.8, a Manfrotto tripod, and a Nikon 20mm f2.8 to my kit—tools that helped me explore sweeping, cinematic views.
By 1982, I felt ready to pursue photography professionally. I moved to British Columbia, where the community newspaper scene was thriving, and landed a staff photographer role within months. I thrived in that environment, working through the 1980s and ’90s, eventually joining a newspaper chain on Vancouver Island. That job marked the high point of my journalism career dream come true for a kid from Northwestern Ontario.
What one piece of advice would you give street photographers just starting out?
Shoot every day, on the way to work / home. Find a neighbourhood you like and shoot lots there – it’ll keep you focused.
What are your top two places in Vancouver for shooting and why?
I photograph exclusively at Commercial and Broadway – that’s where I have been doing a project since 2018.
Which three street photographers have influenced your work the most?
Garry Winogrand
Mary Ellen Mark
Of course, our Queen, Vivian Maier
Describe your work using up to four keywords.
Social
Documentary
Photo essays
Tell us about (up to 5) books, music or other art forms that influence your photography.
35mm Photographer’s Handbook, Julian and John Garrett Calder (1979).
Susan Sontag’s books.
Life and Look magazines from the 70s.
National Geographic.
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