Bio
Biography
Bob Cooley is a photographer and creative director whose career spans four decades across photojournalism, editorial, documentary, and commercial photography.
Raised in southwestern Michigan, Cooley began working as a photojournalist in the late 1980s.
Early in his career, he produced assignments for regional and national publications, quickly expanding into national editorial work for outlets including LIFE Magazine, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, The Economist, and The Washington Post.
Throughout the 1990s, his work evolved from daily news coverage into long-form documentary and editorial projects, alongside commercial assignments for clients such as Herman Miller, TD Ameritrade, Dwight Capital, Simon & Schuster, and Pella Windows. During this period, he became Principal at eyekon Studios, working at the intersection of traditional photographic practice and early digital imaging workflows across advertising, editorial, and corporate production.
Cooley's work has been distributed through the Associated Press as a regular contributor over an 8-year period, extending his editorial reach nationally and internationally. His images have also been published widely across major newspapers and magazines in the United States and abroad, and his work is held in the collection of the International Center of Photography (ICP).
He has mentored emerging photographers throughout his career, teaching the craft and practical skills of photography that help them more clearly shape their own photographic expression, and advised corporate clients, production companies, and emerging technology ventures on photography, imaging, and creative direction.
Alongside this, he volunteers his time and photography, pro bono, for nonprofit and humanitarian organizations, both domestically and internationally.
He continues to produce documentary, narrative, and commercial photography informed by four decades of professional practice, while working selectively with private clients and maintaining a focused mentorship practice.
Selected Credits (highlights)
LIFE Magazine, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, The Economist, The Washington Post, Forbes, Associated Press, Herman Miller, TD Ameritrade, Dwight Capital, International Center of Photography (collection)
Syndicated Distribution
Associated Press: regular contributor over an 8-year period
United Press International: occasional assignments
Recognition
Editorial/journalism awards from: National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), Associated Press (AP), Michigan State Press Association (MPPA), Hoosier State Press Association (HSPA), and W3 Awards for Documentary work.