I Never Photographed for National Geographic. . .

Carrot farmers in northern Guatemala bring their produce up to the highway to sell.

. . .but I did get a portfolio review. And not many people get that far. Working for the Geographic was, in those days, the pinnacle of photographic success.

Actually, I got the review through the influence of my friend Don Rutledge, probably the greatest Christian photojournalist of the 20th century. He was friends with the Director of Photography at the Geographic, and asked him if he would look at my portfolio, which consisted of a tray of slides showing my best journalistic work from around the world. I dropped it off at their office in Washington D.C. 

A few weeks later, my tray of slides was returned by carrier, along with a very nice letdown letter. The editors praised my work, and complimented me on the way I used light in my photos.

They also said that it took about three years to train a photographer to shoot in their style (I was already past fifty by that time), and that they were up to their necks in photographers, but only ankle deep in ideas.

Not having any story ideas to suggest to them, I quietly gave up on my ambition to be a National Geographic photographer. The compensation was that not long after, I was commissioned to photograph and write Rock City Barns: A Passing Era, my greatest achievement.

I'm showing the particular photograph at the top of this post because my friend, the graphic design artist Michael Largent, took one look at it and said, "That's a Geographic picture! 

Although I did a lot of different things in my career as a photographer and enjoyed them all, my heart was always in photojournalism and I always regretted that I never got to work for the Geographic. 

The photo: Olympus OM2n, 24mm Zuiko lens, Fujichrome 100D film. 

Visit my online gallery at https://davejenkins.pixels.com/  

Signed copies of my book Backroads and Byways of Georgia are available. The price is $22.95 plus $4.95 shipping. My PayPal address is djphoto@vol.com (which is also my email). Or you can mail a check to 8943 Wesley Place, Knoxville, TN 37922. Include your address and tell me how you would like your book inscribed.

Photography and text copyright 2025 David B.Jenkins.

I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday unless life gets in the way.

Soli Gloria Deo -- For the glory of God alone.

Tags:   photography     travel photography    film photography     Olympus OM2n camera     Zuiko 24mm lens       Guatemala     National Geographic magazazine     Don Rutledge, photographer     Rock City Barns: A Passing Era