Justin Maxon (1983) was born in a small town in the woods of northern California.
While attending journalism school at San Francisco State, he began exploring projects that held greater social implications. His desire was to reveal different variables of truth in humanities conflicted existence. Of recent though, his work shifted towards exploring more private issues; where his imagery became an abstract representation of his own life.
Maxon has received numerous awards for his photography, from competitions like World Press Photo, UNICEF Images of the Year, POYi, and NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism. He won the Deeper Perspective Photographer of the Year at the 2008 Lucie Awards, the same year he was named one of PDN’s 30 Emerging Photographers to Watch.
He was selected to participate in World Press Photo’s 2010 Joop Swart Masterclass. In addition, he recently received the 2010 FotoVisura Photography Grant and the 2011 Cliff Edom “New America Award” from NPPA.
He has worked on feature assignments for publications that include TIME, Newsweek, Mother Jones Magazine, Fader Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, AARP Bulletin, and NPR.
ONLY THIS LIFE
by Justin Maxon. USA. 2010. This project is about my transition from a path of chaos to one of healing. For the past decade, I have been running away from phantoms within. The healthy parts of my life that used to enrich … Continue reading
WHEN THE SPIRIT MOVES
by Justin Maxon. Chester, Pennsylvania, USA. 2008 – 2009. Those living in Chester, PA, a town of about 37,000, grow up in an environment where forces everywhere are against them; where gravity seems to be stronger and less forgiving. It … Continue reading
MUI AND PHA
by Justin Maxon. Hanoi, Vietnam. 2007. When these images were taken, Mui, a Buddhist, had been living homeless for five years on the streets of Hanoi, Vietnam, with her five-year-old son, Pha. In Vietnam, a women’s livelihood is often dependent … Continue reading