Wide Lens, Open Heart: The work of legendary photojournalist John H. White

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White feels that what he does is fresh, renewing, and exciting.

“You get up and have no idea what the day is going to hold, but you know at the end of it, no matter what, it will be recorded visually. The work will always be there,” reflects White. “I have one photo of the celebration when President Obama was elected in 2008. It was taken at an intersection. The attention of the whole world was right there. The next day, the streets were clear, everything was swept away, but that visual moment is there forever.”

White shares his vision when he teaches photography at Columbia College Chicago, reminding his students of a duty he holds near and dear. “I always tell them that the camera is a passport to the world. Be ambassadors of love. We can get to places that others can’t get to. We can see people when they are happy, when they are hurting, grieving or joyous — the whole realm of life. That is the unique and exciting thing about this profession.”

When it comes to staying relevant, White, who is well into his sixties, is on top of it. He’s not beneath shooting with an iPhone.

“There’s a place for it. Technology has changed, but I am looking out the same pair of eyes from when I was 13!” he exclaims.  But it’s his Nikon that is really an extension of his eyes. That’s what he uses to snap those magical moments he’s so famous for.

“The greatest thing to capture is God’s creation in nature, both human and environmental. I get so excited when I see people happy, when I see the reflection of the sun, a beam through the clouds, or snowflakes dancing as they fall. And I love the pureness of children.”

Images as a serenade for humanity

“My favorite photographs are the ones that capture the pure raw intimacy of life,” he says. “I love it so much. I love what I do. It’s a serenade for humanity.”

Anyone who has spent time with the North Carolina native knows that his mantra is, “Keep in flight.” It’s what has helped get him through the loss of his job. This is his phrase for inspiring his colleagues. 

“The day we were laid off, I never heard the words ‘thank you’ from the editor,” remembers White. “Nothing. Just bang. I’m hurt, of course I’m hurt, but I won’t desecrate all the blessings that the paper has brought me throughout the years. Now my priority is to make sure that I can keep my colleagues in flight, be the wind for their wings and let them know that the sun still shines, and that they have a gift and talent. That’s why they were there, that’s why they have been successful.”

White remembers a time when occasionally the publisher and the editors would come out on assignment, and wishes more people could get a taste of life in all its terrifying variety.

“In Chicago, we have gangs, poverty, housing problems, and they would at least see things,” he remembers of his former managers. Just last year, he was covering as story so dangerous he wound up donning his bulletproof vest.

“I captured what I needed and left. But then you go back to the office and people don’t have a concept of anything beyond their coffee,” he says of today’s media managers. “It’s a real world out there and photojournalists, we are out there, we are the heartbeat.”

An outpouring of support for the master

The outpouring of support that he has received in the aftermath of being part of a mass firing has moved this humble and well-loved man. “That’s what touches me most,” says White. “I never look back on things; I’m just running with the ball. Sometimes you get knocked out of bounds, so to speak, and you look to see those who are there, reaching to help you out. All at once, there is kindness and support and you’re like, wow… it makes me thankful. I was flying… my wings got broken, but the support and love I get from people has been the wind for my wings, and I realize, you can fly with broken wings.”

What was his secret for longevity in this industry? “It’s from God. I like to think that I’m doing his will and I get this divine fuel for my journey. Like right now:  I’m realizing that I’ve never actually had a time out! People are asking me what I’m going to do next, and I’m thinking, ‘I always walk with God, I would not walk ahead of him, but while I’m waiting for my new syllabus, I’m going to polish my wings. I am going to recharge, reboot, restore, and renew because I will fly.’”

White, who has actually been working on a book for many years, will finally dedicate more time to that endeavor. And his camera is always in hand. “Yes, it is. Every day. I’m not going to miss anything, not in this lifetime,” he says. “I live and breathe this. I have to be the heartbeat for humanity.”

Whether you agree or disagree with the Chicago Sun-Times’ decision to rely on writers armed with iPhones to capture pictures, you must admit — you cannot replace the work of a photojournalist such as John H. White. His spirit is just as strong as his shots. That always came through on the page.

“Everybody has a song, I believe it,” affirms the photojournalist. “The idea is not to die with your potential. You’re not supposed to. You have to share it.”

How fortunate that his potential is forever captured for the world to see in White’s stunning images.

Suzanne Rust is a writer, lifestyle expert, on-air talent, and a native New Yorker. Follow her on Twitter at @SuzanneRust.