JOHN DOMINIS: Major exhibition celebrates career of legendary LIFE photographer

Santa Fe--Monroe Gallery of Photography, 112 Don Gaspar, is pleased to announce a major exhibition celebrating the career of the legendary LIFE magazine photographer John Dominis, now age 87. The exhibition opens with a public reception on November 28 from 5 - 8, and will continue through January 25, 2008.

The exhibition of more than 60 photographs features numerous classic images and never-before-exhibited photographs that are sure to surprise and intrigue. Included are historic vintage photographs – the actual prints used for LIFE magazine stories, with important archive information inscribed and stamped on the back of each photograph.

John Dominis was born June 27, 1921 in Los Angeles and attended the University of Southern California, where he majored in cinematography. However, he credits a teacher, C. A. Bach, from Fremont High that offered a three-year course in photography for his skills. Remembers Dominis, "He'd give assignments, ball you out, make you reshoot." Eight of the photographers that Bach trained later got staff jobs with LIFE magazine. From 1943 to 1947 Dominis served as a second lieutenant in the U. S. Air Force photographic department. After three years as a free-lance photographer, he became a member of the LIFE staff in 1950.

A consummate photojournalist, Dominis covered the Korean War for LIFE, and recorded the beginning of what became the Vietnam War. He photographed the firing of General Douglas MacArthur, and he covered John F. Kennedy's emotional “I am a Berliner” speech. He travelled with the New York City Ballet, photographing Director George Balanchine and principle dancer Jacques D'Amboise in 1962.

Dominis traveled the world constantly, and in 1966 he made two long trips to Africa to photograph the “big cats”: leopards, cheetahs, and lions for a remarkable series of picture essays in LIFE which later became the basis for a book. This project resulted in several awards for Dominis, including Magazine Photographer of the Year (1966).

Dominis covered five Olympics, capturing the now-iconic "Black Power Salute" by Tommie Smith and John Carlos after winning Olympic medals during the 1968 Mexico games. Dominis was the LIFE photographer assigned to the Woodstock Festival, and represented both TIME and LIFE during President Richard Nixon's 1972 trip to China. Many of the editors and photo-chiefs at LIFE considered Dominis to be the best all-around photographer on staff. After LIFE ceased regular publication, Dominis worked for People and Sports Illustrated. Returning to freelance photography, Dominis shot the photographs for five Italian cookbooks, on location with Giuliano Bugialli, food writer and teacher.

“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 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." -- John Dominis

Monroe Gallery of Photography was founded by Sidney S. Monroe and Michelle A. Monroe. Building on more than four decades of collective experience, the gallery specializes in classic black & white photography with an emphasis on humanist and photojournalist imagery. The gallery also represents a select group of contemporary and emerging photographers.

Gallery hours are 10 to 6 Monday through Saturday, 10 to 5 Sunday. Admission is free. For further information, or to schedule an interview with John Dominis, please call: 505.992.0800; E-mail: info@monroegallery.com. Media kit with images available upon request.