Bio
For over 25 years, John Gress has created stunning photography and video content for some of America’s largest companies and major international publications. His diverse portfolio spans lifestyle, advertising, and portraiture, tailored for the beauty industry, professional sports leagues, and high-profile campaigns. Recognized by Professional Photographer Magazine as “one of the nation’s foremost experts on lighting,” Gress is known for his bold, dynamic style— whether shooting on location or at his Chicago studio.
As a commercial photographer, Gress has played a key role in crafting impactful imagery for advertising and public relations campaigns for numerous Fortune 500 companies. His client list includes Nike, Coors Light, Windex, Glade, the NBA, Hyatt Hotels, Lufthansa, the WAHL Clipper Corporation, and Panini trading cards.
A passionate educator and mentor, Gress regularly speaks at top industry conferences and community events, writes for Professional Photographer Magazine, and creates digital content through platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. He leads in-person workshops across the U.S., helping photographers master lighting, grow their skills, and find their voice.
Gress has been an active member of the Professional Photographers of America community, speaking at Imaging USA multiple times, creating educational content, and serving as a juror providing critiques through the Merit Image Review process. In 2026, he was elected to the PPA Board of Directors.
In 2025, Gress helped lead Team USA to victory in the World Photographic Cup, the premier international photography competition where top photographers from over 40 countries compete in the “Olympics of Photography.” He was awarded Best in the Nation for having the highest-scoring image from the United States, helping secure the team’s first-place finish. That same year, he was also honored at the United Nations with a Professional Photographer Achievement Award from the International Photographic Council, a distinction celebrating global photographic excellence.
Earlier in his career, Gress spent more than a decade as a full-time photojournalist, working with the world’s four largest news agencies: Reuters, The Associated Press (AP), Agence France-Presse (AFP), and Getty Images. These global news companies are responsible for distributing the majority of editorial imagery to newsrooms and publishers around the world. Gress’s work has appeared in The New York Times, Time, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, People Magazine, Der Spiegel, US Weekly, and other top-tier publications, including multiple magazine covers.
Gress discovered photography as a teenager in his native Oregon, taking his mother’s Vivitar point-and-shoot camera to summer camp. By his senior year of high school, he was covering events for the AP. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Portland State University in 2000. When not working, Gress enjoys cooking, working out, and traveling with his husband of over 10 years, Marcus.
Other Board Members
