Shelly Johnson

Biography:

Shelly Johnson, ASC (born April 28, 1960) is an American cinematographer best known for his frequent collaborations with director Joe Johnston, including Jurassic Park III, The Wolfman, and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Raised in Pasadena, California, Johnson attended Blair High School before studying at the Art Center College of Design, where he graduated in 1980. He began his professional career with the 1987 film Maid to Order and went on to work extensively on television movies. One of his early standout projects was Everybody’s Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure, which earned him an ASC Award nomination. His first major feature film assignment came with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.

Johnson continued to balance work between television and film, notably shooting the miniseries The Shining, a remake of Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 classic. His partnership with Joe Johnston began with Jurassic Park III, which helped establish him in mainstream Hollywood. His later credits include The Last Castle, Hidalgo (also with Johnston), Sky High, The House Bunny, The Wolfman, and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Johnson became a member of the American Society of Cinematographers in 2000 and, in May 2023, was elected President of the Society.