Retired Hartford Courant photographer to be inducted into Connecticut Journalism Hall of Fame

JohnLongThe Connecticut chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will induct John Long into its Connecticut Journalism Hall of Fame on May 23 at its annual dinner.

Long was a staff photographer for The Hartford Courant for 35-years.

He covered everything from political conventions, to golf tournaments (especially The Masters), to the plight of the homeless and all the local events that defined the Hartford area during the time. Every storm, every heat wave, every performance of the Hartford Ballet. He was on a first name basis with everyone from governors to the drug addict on Park Street.

He won many awards and was twice named the Connecticut Photographer of the Year. He was awarded the Joseph Sprague Award in 2007, the highest award given by the National Press Photographers Association.

“Photojournalism is a craft and I consider myself to be a journeyman craftsman.” Long said. “Accurate photographs help the members of the public understand the world in which we live, especially on an emotional level”

“It has also been my great honor to defend the integrity of the images photojournalists continue to make every day. It has been a profound honor for me to be involved in this profession.”

Long has been deeply involved in protecting access for Connecticut journalists to news scenes. He was a member of the first and second Connecticut Cameras in the Courts committees that created the rules and monitored the results as Connecticut approved the use of TV and still cameras during court proceedings. He was a founding member of the Media Access Task Force, a group that sought to improve relations with law enforcement in Connecticut. He served on the media / law committee of the Connecticut Bar Association.

John Long’s work has extended beyond Connecticut’s borders. Since 1998 he has been the Ethics Chairman for the National Press Photographers Association, and he served as its president in 1989-90. He headed the committee that rewrote the NPPA Code of Ethics in the early 2000s, a code that has become the industry standard for photojournalists. He is a much sought after speaker on “Ethics in Photojournalism.” He has lectured throughout the United States and in many foreign countries including South Korea, Denmark, Ireland, Mexico and others.

After retiring from The Courant in 2006, he served as an adjunct professor at the Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University. Previously he taught part time at Manchester Community College in Manchester, Conn. for five years.

He attended St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore (philosophy major) and earned a B.A. in English at the Catholic University of America in 1967.

John Long lives in Manchester with his wife Mary. They have three grown daughters.

Tickets to the CTSPJ Annual Dinner may be purchased here.

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