John Dominis – Texas State Fair, 1951.

Texas State Fair, October 1951 | Photographer: John Dominis

(Images via LIFE photo archives)
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John Dominis (1921-) is an awarded American photographer who was born in Los Angeles. There he studied photography at Freemont High School with C.A. Bach, an instructor described as both demanding and exceptional. Eight students that Mr. Bach taught later went on to become staff photographers at LIFE magazine including Dominis. At LIFE, Dominis shot memorable essays covering the 1956 Olympics in Australia, the early years of the Vietnam war, the celebrations for Buddha’s 2,500th birthday in Burma, John F. Kennedy’s “I am a Berliner” speech, Woodstock, Nixon’s trip to China plus entertainers such as Steve McQueen, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford and Jacques D’Amboise.

LIFE magazine was a great success. If a man hadn’t seen a picture of a native in New Guinea, well, we brought him a picture of a native of New Guinea. We went into the homes of princes and presidents and showed the public how they lived. The great thing about working with LIFE,” says Dominis, “was that I was given all the support and money and time, whatever was required, to do almost any kind of work I wanted to do, anywhere in the world. It was like having a grant, a Guggenheim grant, but permanently.

Before returning to freelance photography, Dominis served as photo editor of People magazine (1974–78) and then Sports Illustrated (1978–1982).

(Bio via Alan Klotz Gallery)

See much more of John Dominis’ photography work online and offline:

Monroe Gallery – Santa Fe, New Mexico
Photographers Gallery – Los Angeles
Alan Klotz Gallery – New York City
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