When I’m photographing, I feel a sense of aliveness—almost like magic. I’m not trying to prove anything, only to express what I see and feel. My goal is to create a visual poem. I love the quiet moment that reveals itself.
Where does one begin when sharing their "About"?
When I left for college, I planned to study biochemistry, dreaming of becoming a marine biologist. But everything changed the moment I read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. Suddenly, my focus shifted. I dove into poetry, devouring works by Pablo Neruda, Charles Simic, Nicanor Parra, and César Vallejo. The bold, striking sculptures of David Smith also deeply resonated with me. Poetry and sculpture became my new passions, and I found myself consumed by this fresh way of experiencing the world—Art.
I couldn't make a living as a poet - although I tried.
The energy of New York City pulled me in, and I knew it was where I needed to be to find my direction in life.
One of my favorite things to do in NYC was spend hours in Rizzoli Bookstore, finding a quiet corner to lose myself in the art and photography sections. I couldn’t always afford to buy the books, but I knew how to immerse myself in them. It was there that I discovered a book by George Tice, which really spoke to me. His work captured the ordinary in a way that felt deeply real – each photograph an intense, powerful moment in time.
When I found out that George Tice was teaching at Parsons, I didn’t hesitate to sign up for his classes. Photography quickly became my life’s true passion. Armed with new skills, I knew it was time to invest in my craft, so I headed to Willoughby’s Camera store, bought a couple of cameras, and picked up a range of lenses. With that, I bought an open-ended ticket and set off on an adventure with no fixed destination. I boarded a plane for Europe—and beyond!
A year and a half later, I found myself back in New York City, right in the heart of the Photo District. Union Square was buzzing with studios, labs, and set shops. At night, the windows lit up from every corner, with photographers hard at work and strobes flashing. It felt like the epicenter of the photography world, and I was right there in the thick of it. As thrilling as it all was, though, I knew I needed to find a job.
By chance, I ran into an old high school friend who was trying to break into still life photography. He told me he was planning to open a studio on West 32nd Street and needed a partner. I asked, “What would my role be as your partner?” He answered, “You’d do a better job than I would at bringing in clients.” And just like that, a new career path in photography began to unfold.
Forty years later, I've had the privilege of representing some of the most talented photographers and directors globally, working with brands like Apple, Nike, Absolut Vodka, Coca-Cola, The New York Times Magazine (thanks, Kathy Ryan), Toyota, Reebok, Microsoft, and many more.
Photography has always been, and continues to be, the way I express how I see and feel—writing visual poems through the lens of my camera. On this website, I share the unfolding of my journey.
I want to take a moment to remember George Tice, who recently passed, and honor the profound inspiration he brought to my life.
— John Kenney
The Red Wheel barrow
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
— William Carlos Williams
Select Accomplishments
Board of Directors/ Colorado Photographic Art Center 2020-2023
Jury/Judge: International Photography Awards / Lucie for 2015 - 2024
Reviewer: Creative Asia Plus
Reviewer: Palm Springs Photo Festival
Reviewer: New York Photo Festival
Reviewer: New York Foto Works
Panelist: APA New York & LA
Speaker for APA and SPAR New York
Member of APA
Member Ad Club of Denver/Boulder
Member of Colorado Photo Art Center
Member of Colorado Film and Video Association
A note about images:
The images on this site were shot using a variety of different cameras. I used Nikon F, Nikon F2, Nikon F3, Canon 5D Mark III, Fuji GFX 100, Sony aR7 iii, and assorted iPhones.
Most of the color analog images were captured on Kodachrome 25 & 64, and the black and white images captured on Tri-X, Pan-X & Plus-X films.
Regarding post-processing, the analog images on this site were edited, scanned and where applicable techniques such as color correction and image cleanup were applied. No AI or photoshop composting was used.