John Godfrey Morris (* 7. Dezember 1916 in Chicago; † 28. Juli 2017 in Paris) war ein amerikanischer Bildredakteur und eine bedeutende Figur in der Geschichte des Fotojournalismus. Besondere Bedeutung hatten die von ihm publizierten Bilder aus dem Vietnamkrieg.

Karriere

Das Leben des Journalisten John Godfrey Morris war seit seiner Zeit als Student der University of Chicago in den 1930er Jahren davon geprägt, Fotografien für Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zu editieren. Er arbeitete mit Hunderten von Fotografen zusammen, unter denen sich die größten Namen des 20. Jahrhunderts befinden.

Während des Zweiten Weltkriegs arbeitete John G. Morris für das wöchentlich erscheinende Magazin LIFE. Als Bildredakteur für LIFE in London war er für die Berichterstattung über die Landung der Alliierten in der Normandie am 6. Juni 1944 (D-Day) verantwortlich und editierte die historischen Fotografien von Robert Capa. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg folgten Positionen als Bildredakteur der amerikanischen Zeitschrift Ladies’ Home Journal, Executive Editor von Magnum Photos, Assistant Managing Editor for Graphics der Washington Post und Bildredakteur der New York Times.

1983 zog er als europäischer Korrespondent für National Geographic nach Paris, wo er bis zu seinem Tod lebte, schrieb, editierte und sich für den Frieden einsetzte.

Auszeichnungen

• 1971 Joseph A. Sprague Memorial Award, National Press Photographers Association (NPPA)
• 1999 International Center of Photography (ICP) Writing Award for Get The Picture: A Personal History of Photojournalism
• 2002 Professional Achievement Citation University of Chicago
• 2003 Dr.-Erich-Salomon-Preis Lifetime Achievement Award für Fotojournalisten von der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Photographie
• 2004 Prix Bayeux-Calvados des Correspondants de Guerre
• 2009 Chevalier der französischen Ehrenlegion
• 2010 International Center of Photography (ICP) Lifetime Achievement Award

Ausgewählte Veröffentlichungen

Seine Autobiographie Get the Picture: a Personal History of Photojournalism wurde 1998 von Random House veröffentlicht und 2002 in einer Neuauflage als Taschenbuch von The University of Chicago Press herausgegeben. Sie wurde übersetzt ins Französische (Éditions de La Martinière, 1999), Japanische, Polnische (Wydanie pierwsze, 2007), Italienische (Contrasto Due, 2011) und Spanische (La Fabrica, 2013). Morris ist zudem Co-Autor von Robert Capa: D-Day, erschienen in Französisch und Englisch (Point de Vues, 2004).

• Daily Maroon (The Chicago Maroon), Studentenzeitung der University of Chicago, 1933–1937
• Pulse, University of Chicago Studenten Magazin, Editor, 1937–1938
• LIFE Magazine , Editorial Staff, New York, Los Angeles, Washington, London, Chicago, Paris 1939–1946
• Ladies’ Home Journal, Associate Editor (Pictures), 1946–1952
• Magnum News Service, Editor, 1961–1963
• IPS Contact Sheet (Independent Picture Service), 1973–1974
• The Washington Post, Assistant Managing Editor (Graphics), 1964–1965
• Time/Life Books, editor, 1966–1967
• The New York Times, Picture Editor, 1967–1974; Editor, NYT Pictures, 1975–1976
• Quest/77-79, Contributing Editor, 1977–1979
• National Geographic, European Correspondent, 1983–1989

• 1946: Photographers Ran the War. Text by John G. Morris. Popular Photography, February 1926.
• 1946: Married Veterans Take Over The Campus. Text by John G. Morris, Photographs by Myron H. Davis. Ladies’ Home Journal, November 1946.
• 1947: Tenth Reunion. Text by John G. Morris. University of Chicago Magazine, June 1947.
• 1948: Your America. Text by John G. and Mary Adele Morris. Ladies’ Home Journal, June 1948.
• 1948/1949: People are People the World Over. 12 articles by John G. Morris. Ladies’ Home Journal, April 1948 – March 1949.
• 1949: The Soul of a Town. Text by John G. Morris. Pageant. December 1949.
• 1950: Confessions of a Picture Editor. Text by John G. Morris. New York. Photo Notes, Spring 1950.
• 1950: Let’s Make Honest Pictures. Text by John G. Morris. Modern Photography, June 1950.
• 1952: The Face of My Enemy. Text and Photograph by John G. Morris. Pageant, May 1952.
• 1954: An Appreciation: Robert Capa, Werner Bischof. Text by John G. Morris. New York. Infinity, May 1954.
• 1954: Magnum Photos – An International Cooperative. Text by John G. Morris. New York. U.S. Camera, 1954.
• 1957: Chim … was Chim. Text by John G. Morris. London. Photography, January 1957.
• 1957: Magnum. Text by John G. Morris. Popular Photography, September 1957.
• 1957: Tribute. ASMP Picture Annual. Ridge Press. New York. 1957.
• 1957: The World of David Seymour. Text by John G. Morris. New York. Infinity, Winter 1957.
• 1958: Elliott Erwitt. Text by John G. Morris. Lucerne. Camera, March 1958.
• 1962: Photographers Don’t Think! Text by John G. Morris. Popular Photography, December 1962.
• 1965: Poverty in Perspective. Text by John G. Morris. The Washington Post, May 30, 1965.
• 1965: Extra, Extra--a Good Picture! Text by John G. Morris. Popular Photography, September 1965.
• 1966: The New Look in Newspapers. Text by John G. Morris. National Press Photographer, June 1966.
• 1966: Great Combat Photos. Text by John G. Morris. Dateline, New York, Overseas Press Club, 1966.
• 1966: Cliff Edom: The Man in Missouri. Text by John G. Morris. Popular Photography, September 1966.
• 1966: Where is the Money in Photography? Text by John G. Morris. Popular Photography, October 1966.
• 1967: And/Or. Preface by John G. Morris. Harper & Row, New York, 1967.
• 1968: The Art of Seeing: A Guide to Travel Photography. Text by John G. Morris. Holiday, March 1968.
• 1970: How to Preserve Past and Present. Text by John G. Morris. The New York Times, June 21, 1970.
• 1970: An Editor Speaks Out – From The Other Side Of The Desk. Text by John G. Morris. NPPA, 1970.
• 1972: This We Remember. Text by John G. Morris. Harper’s Magazine. September 1972.
• 1974: How Not to Sell Your Pictures. Text by John G. Morris. Popular Photography, January 1974.
• 1976: World Press Photo 1976. Foreword for annual publication by John G. Morris. World Press Photo 1976, Amsterdam, Teleboek bv., 1976.
• 1977: Eliot Porter, André Kertész, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Peter Magubane. Profiles for each of them by John G. Morris. Quest/77 et seq., Beginning in 1977.
• 1977: White House. Text by John G. Morris. Popular Photography, August 1977.
• 1978: Camera Courageous: John G. Morris remembers Eugene Smith. Text by John G. Morris. Quest/78, 1978.
• 1978: A Gentle Vision: Photographs by André Kertész. Text by John G. Morris. The Sunday Times, October 29, 1978.
• 1982: John G. Morris: A Photographic Memoir. Text by John G. Morris. Exposure, Society for Photographic Education, Spring 1982.
• 1983: A Century Old, the Wonderful Brooklyn Bridge. Text by John G. Morris, Photographs by Donal F. Holway. National Geographic, May 1983.
• 1985: W. Eugene Smith, Let Truth Be the Prejudice. Illustrated biography by Ben Maddow; Afterword by John G. Morris. Aperture, 1985.
• 1986: FD Paris 1986. Introductory Chapter of Fodor’s 1986 Travel Guide to Paris by John G Morris. Fodor’s, 1985.
• 1998: Get the Picture: A Personal History of Photojournalism. Autobiographical Book by John G.Morris. First Edition, Random House, 1998. ISBN 0-226-53914-8 Second Edition, University of Chicago Press, 2002. Foreword by William H. McNeill, Afterword by John G Morris. ISBN 978-0-226-53914-0
• 2004: How LIFE Covered D-Day. Text by John G Morris, International Herald Tribune. June 6, 2004.
• 2004: Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Photographer, The Artist, And My Friend. Text for Cover Story by John G. Morris. News Photographer, September 2004.
• 2004: Robert Capa: D-Day. Texts by Robert Capa and John G. Morris. Point de Vues, 2004. ISBN 978-2-9516020-7-6
• 2010: MoMA: Cartier-Bresson, Visionary. Online Article by John G. Morris. Vanity Fair, April 2010.
• 2010: Enough is Enough. Photoessay by John G. Morris. Frontline Club Broadsheet, Winter 2010.
• 2011: Depression or Recession? Parallels with 1929. Article by John G. Morris. INSEAD Knowledge, June 2011.
• 2011: Robert Capa – Traces d’une Légende. Preface by John G. Morris. Bernard Lebrun and Michel Lefebvre. Éditions de la Martinière, Paris France. 2011.
• 2012: An American from Paris. Article by John G. Morris about Berenice Abbott. Vanity Fair, February 2012, p. 107.
• 2012: Time in Turkey. Feature Article by John G. Morris. NewsPhotographer National Press Photographers Association, January/February 2012.
• 2012: D-Day: Getting the Picture. Online Article by John G. Morris. The Fickle Grey Beast, June 2012.

• 1970: John Morris’ Changing Times. Text by Robert Warner. Editor & Publisher, June 13, 1970.
• 1972: A Talk with John Morris. Text by Mark Jury. New York Photographer, June/July 1972.
• 1974: The Last Happy Band of Brothers. Text by James Baker Hall. Esquire (magazine). April 1974.
• 1975: The Picture Picker. Text by Sarah Webb Barrell. Camera 35, March 1975.
• 1976: Magnum: Image and Reality. Text by Harvey V. Fondiller. 35 mm Photography, Winter 1976.
• 1982: A storyteller who speaks with pictures. Text by Laura Stewart. Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, New York, December 3, 1982.
• 1984: John G. Morris: For the love of the National Geographic Magazine. Photo-Reporter (Paris), April 1984.
• 1998: Image master recaps his life in photojournalism. Text by Jeff Bradley, The Denver Post, May 31, 1998.
• 1998: Nieman Reports: Get the Picture – A Personal History of Photojournalism. Edited excerpts from the Autobiography. The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard. Summer 1998.
• 2006: Flying Short Course: Evolving Newspapers Are Pushing Photojournalists For Video. Text by Marianne Fulton. National Press Photographers Association NPPA, October 21, 2006.
• 2007: Picture Perfectionist. Article by Robin Stummer. The Guardian, January 8, 2007. page 7.
• 2007: Paris match: Photo editor John Morris finds a home for a lifetime of words and images. Article by Mary Ruth Yoe. Photo by Dan Dry. University of Chicago Magazine, May/June '07 Vol.99 Issue 5, 2007.
• 2007: Interview: John G. Morris. Online Interview by Ignácio Aronovich. Lost Art, 2007.
• 2009: John G. Morris Awarded Légion d’ Honneur in Paris. Online Article by National Press Photographers Association NPPA, Photos by Peter Turnley. May 2009
• 2009: John G. Morris: An Interview with the Most Influential and Experienced Photo Editor in History. Interview and Photos by José Manuel Serrano Esparza. El Rectangulo en la Mano, September 12, 2009.
• 2009: John Morris: An Eye-witness to the Rise of Photojournalism. Article by Robert Marquand, The Christian Science Monitor, September 27, 2009.
• 2010: Picking the Images that Symbolized an Era. Interview by Cathy Nolan, Photo by Dana Maitec. Paris Magazine, Jan/Feb 2010.
• 2010: John G. Morris: The living history of photojournalism. Article by Kelly Ramundo. El País, May 8, 2010.
• 2010: Living Legend Photo Editor John G. Morris is bestowed the 2010 ICP Lifetime Achievement Award. Online Article and Photos by José Manuel Serrano Esparza. El Rectangulo en la Mano, May 10, 2010.
• 2010: Parlez-moi d’images : Le Meilleur du Monde. Conversation with Dimitri Beck, Polka Magazine No. 11, Winter 2010/2011.
• 2011: Imprint of a Tumultuous Century. Article in Newsweek, May 2, 2010.
• 2011: Get the Picture: The great master of photo-journalism tells his tale. Article by Andrea Zappa. Vogue Italia, June 28, 2011.
• 2011: Professione Reporter: Le Memorie Del Più Grande Photo Editor Del Secolo. Article by Antonella Barina. Il Venerdì, la Repubblica, July 8, 2011.
• 2011: La leggenda della Magnum. Article by Giuseppe Culicchia. La Stampa, August 6, 2011.
• 2011: Quegli scatti che fermano la Storia. Article by Giuseppe Montesano. Il Mattino, August 24, 2011.
• 2011: LIFE During Wartime: One Editor Remembers Pearl Harbor. Online Article by Jared T. Miller. TIME, December 7, 2011.
• 2012: The Most Interesting Man in The World. Online Article by Julie Callahan. The World in Between, January 15, 2012.
• 2012: A Greater Responsibility than Ever to Keep Telling the Truth. Online Article by Heather Faulkner, July 14, 2012.
• 2012: John G. Morris: Las fotos sin palabras no cuentan la historia completa. Article by Alfonso Armada, ABC (Spanien), November 4, 2012.

Ausgewählte Medien

• 1987: Unterwegs. Werner Bischof – Photograph 51/52. Film by René Baumann and Marco Bischof. b/w, 50min. Switzerland, 1987.
• 1989: W. Eugene Smith – Photography Made Difficult. Film by Kirk Morris. Phaidon, 89 min. USA, 1989.
• 1997: Decisive Moments – The Photographs that made History. Documentary by Tim Kirkby and Deborah Lee. BBC, 1997.
• 1999: Booknotes – John G. Morris: Get The Picture. Interview by Brian Lamb. C-SPAN. October 1, 1999.
• 2000: Chosen People. Documentary about the 12 People are People the World Over families. Directed by Seona Robertson (Caledonia, Sterne and Wyld). BBC, 2000.
• 2002: Guerre Sans Images – Algérie. Documentary by Mohammed Soudani. Amka Films, 2002.
• 2004: Heroes Never Die (Los héroes nunca mueren). Documentary by Jan Arnold. Marea Films Spain, 2004.
• 2004: Taking the Beach. Documentary by John Giannini. ABC Nightline, 2004.
• 2005: Looking for an Icon. Documentary by Hans Pool and Maaik Krijgsman. Netherlands, 2005.
• 2010: John G. Morris- Eleven Frames. Documentary Film by Douglas Sloan, USA, 2010.
• 2010: In the Picture Exclusive with John G. Morris: Never Again?. Frontline Club Talk by John G. Morris (available as Podcast). Frontline Club London, October 2010.
• 2011: The True Value of Photojournalism. Radio Interview with John G. Morris, BBC World Radio, April 2011.
• 2011: Photo editor John G. Morris remembers D-Day. Interview with John G. Morris, France 24, June 2011.
• 2012: Interview with John G. Morris about photojournalism. Video Interview with John G. Morris by Zaman (Tageszeitung),Turkey Istanbul 2011.
• 2012: Report on John G. Morris’s new autobiographical documentary GET THE PICTURE. TG4, Ireland 2012.