About
Born and raised in Chicago, John Simmons came of age at the height of the politically charged 1960s. His talent as a photographer was identified and nurtured by Robert “Bobby” Sengstacke. In 1969 Bobby received an artist in residence at Fisk University and presented John’s work to David Driskell and John was given a scholarship . It was a life changing experience where John studied with Carlton Moss, Aaron Douglass, Earl J. Hooks, Martin Puryer, Stephine Pogue and Greg Ridley.
His next educational milestone was receiving a scholarship and attending graduate school at The University of Southern California with support from Carlton Moss to study cinematography. He has been a member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) since 2004, serving as a Vice President in 2017 and 2018. John has worked behind the camera since the early 1970’s shooting documentaries with film director Carlton Moss. He then moved to music videos, commercials and features. He served as an Adjunct Professor in the Television/Film and Theater Department at UCLA for twenty-five years and continues to mentor many up and coming cinematographers.
At age 15 Simmons began shooting photos for The Chicago Defender newspaper — the oldest Black-owned publication established in 1906. After leaving Chicago he studied fine art at Fisk University and completed a Master’s degree in cinematography at the University of Southern California. In 2004 he was inducted into the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) where he currently serves as the co-chair of the ASC Vision Committee. He is also on the Board of Governors of the Television Academy and champions increased diversity on-set.
Simmons’ introduction to television began with movies made for TV. The Killing
Yard, The Ruby Bridges Story, Selma Lord Selma and numerous independent and network documentaries including PBS, Showtime and HBO. His first multi-camera prime time show was The Hugley’s which began an illustrious career in multi-camera sitcoms. Simmons has earned three Emmy nominations; twice for the Disney series PAIR OF KINGS for two consecutive years. In 2016 John won the Best Cinematography Emmy for the Nickelodeon primetime multi camera series NICKY, RICKY, DICKY AND DAWN. He is presently shooting and directing for various networks.
John Simmons, ASC and has had a prolific career as both a still photographer and cinematographer. He has filmed numerous music videos and commercials for artists such as Stevie Wonder, Britney Spears, Snoop Dogg and many more.
Through it all John Simmons has continued to carry a still camera everyday and his photographs are held in the collections of the Getty Museum, Los Angeles; Harvard Art Museums, Harvard University; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA; Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX; the Center for Creative Photography at The University of Arizona; American Society of Cinematographers; and the David C. Driskell Center, University of Maryland; Weasley and Missy Cochran Foundation, The Museum of Contemporary Photography of Chicago, IL.
“Every time I take a picture I bring my entire life experience to that moment. Every click of the shutter is a totality of the music I’ve heard, the love and pain I’ve seen and lived, and has shaped the way I see.”
“My earliest memory of photography is from about 7 or 8 years old. A man came to the house to shoot a family portrait. As he would finish a roll of film he’d hand it to me to put into its canister. He created a world of magic around the whole process and I couldn’t wait to see the images.”
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