John W. Telford was born in 1944. He is an outdoor photographer known for his acute color perception. He is currently a professor at Brigham Young University.

Although essentially self-taught, Telford earned an MFA from the University of Utah where he was the supervisor of photography at Educational Media Services. He also taught at Westminster College, the Salt Lake Art Center, and Hill Air Force Base.

In 1988, he and naturalist writer Terry Tempest Williams collaborated on Coyote's Canyon, a photo and essay journal of southern Utah.  Reflections of Sunset, Lonepeak, Draper, Utah, a color photograph, won the purchase award at Utah '88, a photography exhibition sponsored by the Utah Arts Council.

Biography adapted from Artists of Utah.

John W. Telford (1944-), of Sandy, Utah, is a talented present-day Salt Lake City photographer/teacher now associated with Brigham Young University. In early days, he experienced some formal training in photography at B.Y.U. but has always been essentially self-taught, even though he is now the holder of an M.F.A. from the University of Utah. Telford worked for the U. of U. (supervisor of photography, Educational Media Center) long before he picked up his advanced degree, and for a number of years, he was director of the Edison Street Gallery in Salt Lake City for Borge Anderson and Associates. Telford also taught for the U. of U./Snowbird Summer Arts Institute faculty for several years. Other teaching assignments include Westminister College, the Salt Lake Art Center, Hill Air Force Base, and Kimball Art Center, and his photographs have appeared in Fortune, Stern, Communication Art, and People magazines (the latter fortunate enough to employ John as “regional photographer“).

Biography courtesy Artists of Utah

Newspaper Articles

"A Diverse Season of Dance, From Storybook Classics to Modern Pioneers." The Salt Lake Tribune, September 12, 1993.

"A Photo Op Without the Tricks." The Salt Lake Tribune, February 3, 2002.

"Art Barn Look Back at 25 Years." The Salt Lake Tribune, November 18, 1990.

"Art Canvass." The Deseret News, April 25, 2004.

"Art Canvass." The Deseret News, November 5, 1989.

"Art Canvass." The Deseret News, August 20, 1989.

"Art Canvass." T he Deseret News, September 18, 1988.

"Arts Carve Out a Space for Themselves in Canyonlands." The Deseret News, August 27, 1989.

"Art Notes: Wildlife Artists Offer Show in Park City." The Salt Lake Tribune, January 6, 1991.

"Books Made for the Pleasure of Giving Away." The Salt Lake Tribune, November 28, 1999.

"B.Y.U. Exhibit Showcases Ancient Art." The Salt Lake Tribune, September 17, 1996.

"Coming Up: Readings/ Signings." The Salt Lake Tribune, February 17, 2002.

"Coming Up: Visual Art." The Salt Lake Tribune, November 18, 2001.

"Coming Up: Visual Art." The Salt Lake Tribune, May 14, 2000.

"Coming Up: Visual Art." The Salt Lake Tribune, May 30, 1999.

"Coming Up: Visual Art." The Salt Lake Tribune, June 28, 1998.

"Coming Up: Visual Art." The Salt Lake Tribune, Aug 17, 1997.

"Coming Up: Visual Art." The Salt Lake Tribune, January 7, 1996.

"Coming Up: Visual Arts." The Salt Lake Tribune, April 17, 1994.

"Coming Up: Also." The Salt Lake Tribune, February 6, 1994.

"'Erosion' A Moving Portrait of Utah's Red-Rock Country." The Salt Lake Tribune, November 15, 1993.

"Essays Explore Dilemmas Facing New West." The Salt Lake Tribune, November 18, 1990.

"Five Days in The Triad Center Sun." The Salt Lake Tribune, June 23, 1991.

"Galleries." The Deseret News, December 13, 1998.

"Imagine Wilderness Premieres on Friday." The Salt Lake Tribune, October 3, 1993.

"Literary Footnotes." The Deseret News, September 24, 1989.

"Nature Log." The Salt Lake Tribune, April 25, 1995.

"'On Holy Ground' is Inspiring." The Deseret News, December 23, 2001.

"Outdoor Notebook." The Salt Lake Tribune, October 12, 1993.

"Photo Activism John Schaefer Focuses Efforts on Education, Peacemaking Schaefer: Educator, Peacemaker." The Salt Lake Tribune, February 18, 1996.

"Photo Contest, Lectures Mark Church Project." The Salt Lake Tribune, October 18, 1998.

"Picture Perfect." The Deseret News, April 14, 2003.

"'Portrait' Captures Utah's Awesome Natural Beauty." The Salt Lake Tribune, August 8, 1995.

"Sacred Images Photo Exhibit Honors Ancient Utah Artists Exhibit Honors Ancient Utah Artists." The Salt Lake Tribune, May 5, 1996.

"Showing at Local Galleries." The Deseret News, February 9, 2003.

"Showing at Local Galleries." The Deseret News, June 16, 2002.

"Showing at Local Galleries." The Deseret News, August 26, 2001.

"Showing at Local Galleries." The Deseret News, December 3, 2000.

"Showing at Local Galleries." The Deseret News, January 16, 2000.

"Showing at Local Galleries." The Deseret News, December 27, 1998.

"The Pierpont Gallery An Exercise In Collaboration For Both Artists and Architects." The Deseret News, May 26, 1988.

"The Soul of Utah L.D.S. Museum Presents Visual Homage to State L.D.S. Museum Explores Utah Art Landscape." The Salt Lake Tribune, December 3, 1995.

"The West Under Cover." The Salt Lake Tribune, January 28, 1996.

"Utah '88: Photography Exhibit Shows That State's Camera Artists Have Developed A High Standard of Work." The Deseret News, July 8, 1988.

"U. Lecture Series Explores Facets of Great Salt Lake." The Salt Lake Tribune, January 14, 1994.

"Utah Marquee: Readings/Signings." The Deseret News, October 4, 2002.

"Utah Marquee: Readings/Signings." The Deseret News, June 2, 2002.

"When Dinosaurs Ruled Utah; Dinosaurs of Utah Spring To Life in Book." The Salt Lake Tribune, February 25, 1999.

Books

Olpin, Robert S., William C. Seifrit, and Vern G. Swanson. Artists of Utah. Salt Lake City, UT: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1999.

Telford, John, and Terry Tempest Williams. Coyote's Canyon. Salt Lake City, UT: Peregrine Smith Books, 1989.