I started modeling for TV and print at the end of high school and loved the studio and darkroom, so it was not unusual for me to become a photographer. I'm a native New Yorker who went to California in the early 1970's, and in 1974, I started to assist photographer Albert Watson. When he and his family moved to New York, I moved back, luckily getting a nice apartment and renting a darkroom from O. Winston Link. At that time, I worked for Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, and also European Fashion Publications.

O. Winston Link taught me printing in the darkroom. When in California, photographer John Krawczyk helped me with medium and large format cameras; in fact, John built every darkroom I had from New York to California.

I lived bi-coastal for 35 years. In the 1980’s, I photographed the only all B&W campaign for Rockefeller Center and also did the covers for their in-house magazines, winning many ADDY awards. In California, I photographed the opening and ongoing events for 2 Rodeo Drive and also had photo exhibits in all the store windows along Rodeo Drive. In the 1990’s, I also did portraits of movie stars for William Morris Talent Agency. In New York, I did portraits of known politicians. I also worked with Louis Vuitton – documenting their centennial celebration in New York, all their events, portraits of corporate leaders, and interiors of all their stores around the country. I became an official photographer for Lincoln Center openings as well as for major New York City museums, documenting and portrait photography. On 9/11, I was in New York and went into Ground Zero for the Salvation Army, photographing for 3 ½ long, sad days.

This site is a small retrospective of my 35 plus years as a professional photographer and of some of my personal work for exhibitions. To view more photographs of a subject or my DVD on Ground Zero, contact me at jlawnephoto@mac.com.

Thanks for taking a look.