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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Which three street photographers have influenced your work the most?

    • Garry Winogrand

    • Mary Ellen Mark

    • Of course, our Queen, Vivian Maier

  4. Describe your work using up to four keywords.

    • Social

    • Documentary

    • Photo essays

  5. 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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