John McDougall

John is always looking for a fresh take on his subjects. His first passion is directing, but as it turns out photography was a talent, too. He sees himself as a picture maker and not just a storyteller as each piece comes down to the composition of a frame, something he retained from his studies in fine arts.

With a background at ad agencies, John speaks the language of the creatives, and of clients. His disarming and collaborative approach brings a certain ease and levity to a shoot. And while he loves to draw those around him into the process, he always wears the hat of the protector and maker of the project. He’s known for always trying something unorthodox to see how it turns out (just ask him about taping his iPhone to the bottom of a peanut butter jar). He’s worked with some of the biggest stars of our time like Jamie Oliver and Justin Trudeau, but is just as at home with animals of any size and shape.

John gravitates towards finding human truth in a moment. The unscripted moments. Something you cannot really predict, things that come to life the moment you shoot. He tests what’s funny, and always allows for some time on set for those special sparks to happen. He patiently observes, waiting for those moments to emerge and be captured.