John Launois (1928 – 2002) was a passionate man who devoted himself to telling stories through the art of photojournalism. His work has appeared in various magazines such as, Life, The Saturday Evening Post, National Geographic, Fortune, Time, Newsweek, Look, Paris Match, Rolling Stone, London’s Sunday Times, and many others.

Launois was the oldest of six children, and grew up during the Nazi occupation of France. With the arrival of U.S. troops in France he quickly became infatuated with Americans and life in the states.

Launois viewed America as a land of opportunity, and arrived in the U.S. with nothing but $50 and a used camera. He spent time in California working a series of tedious jobs developing his photographic skills. While serving in the Army he finally obtained his U.S. citizenship.

Launois freelanced for many popular publications, covering riots, wars, and natural disasters; and mingling with the rich and powerful as well as the downtrodden. He included among his friend icons from the 1960s such as the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Malcolm X.