Thanks to reporter Gillian Graham and the editors at the Maine Sunday Telegram for the coverage of the passing of great Guy Gannett Newspapers photographer Don Johnson (“Northeastern Exposure,” Nov. 20, Page B1).
Donald Johnson, in 1962, captured not only major cultural moments but also the pleasures of Portland life.
I had the good fortune to work with Don for a decade, as a reporter and editor at the Gannett Newspapers in Portland in the 1970s. Along with Don, the talented photojournalists at the papers at that time included Gardner Roberts, Milt Morrison, Charlie Merrill and Bill Curran, all with the same breezy personalities as Don and keen eyes for great pictures. Many of their photos were mini masterpieces.
As editors, our photo assignment slips were supposed to describe the end results wanted or needed for a job. A useless task. I simply asked for “The total visual experience” and let it go at that. They never disappointed.
Looking back, I regret that we sometimes missed using their great work to best advantage by not enlarging the printed result enough to get full effect. That’s a defect that present Press Herald and Telegram editors have long since corrected.
But, as Don would say: “Oh, don’t worry about it!”
Bob Moorehead
Paris
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