PROFILE

For more than 60 years photographer and author John Robert Young has travelled the world, from the Great Wall of China to the rain forests of South America and the remote regions of Africa documenting war, famine and devastation. In quieter moments, he photographed famous politicians, actors, artists, musicians, beautiful women, a Nobel Prize winner religious leaders, commissioned to be campaign photographer to two future Prime Ministers, not forgetting encounters with the odd terrorist.

Along the way, he produced a best selling book on the French Foreign Legion, is given access to the People’s Liberation Army of China, visits Doctor Albert Schweitzer at his jungle hospital, in French Equatorial Africa (Gabon), experiences famine in Ethiopia, and has lunch with Hitler’s filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl.

His magazine and newspaper credits are endless and worldwide. Time, Readers Digest, Stern, Epoca, Grandes Reportages, Sunday Times Magazine, Woman’s Own, the New York Times and The Toronto Globe and Mail are only a few of the titles that published his work.  His books also have found a worldwide readership.  His highly acclaimed The French Foreign Legion published by Thames & Hudson entered a best seller list. When the French edition of the book was published the Legion honoured John Robert Young with a reception at Les Invalides in Paris attended by the Minister of Defence and all the Colonels of the Regiments which he had visited.

In the eighties, Leica UK invited him to appear in a national advertising campaign publicising the Leica camera.  He comments: “Photography by itself can be extremely limiting. It is important to explore other art forms for inspiration.  For myself, playing  a piece of classical music such as Brahms or Telemann on my two hundred year old German violin is calming to the mind, body and spirit.”

A Tribute

My nomadic life with a camera would not have been possible without the unwavering help of my devoted and beloved wife Jenny.  In so many ways she was a vital part of my wanderings in arranging flights, hotels, equipment, film stock, travellers cheques, clothing, visas along with a myriad of other details. On my return, her lovely smiling face was always at the airport to meet me. Film would be immediately dispatched for processing, edited and magazine editors contacted.  All this while pursuing her own career as a speech and language therapist.  On my travels, I knew that Jenny was always at my side praying for my safe return. 

  • " John Robert Young is one of those real rarities, a photojournalist in the true sense of the word. Being able to combine the skills of photography with a strong writing style. "

    Amateur Photographer

  • " John Robert Young is a most talented and imaginative photographer whose work is full of style and with a special personal quality. "

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