James A. Parcell

For nearly three decades, James A. Parcell has been a staff photographer for the Washington Post. He developed an interest in photography while working as a copy aide at the Washington Evening Star newspaper, alongside his father, a news editor. While there, he was encouraged in photography by several of the Evening Star photographers. "After getting my first picture published in The Star, I knew I would become a photojournalist." Soon, Jim found his way to the Post. During the 1970's, he developed the fundamentals and philosophy of the craft, with guidance from the most talented Post photographers of that day, such as Arthur Ellis, Jim Atherton and Doug Chevalier. Jim's strength lies in feature photography.
But as a committed daily assignment photographer, he is drawn to the variety and the opportunities that these sometimes seemingly routine assignments can generate. Memorable assignments of the1990's include a trip to Russia to document the adoption of twin 3-year-old orphans by a local family, as well as the story of Rebecca Lily, a young Takoma Park girl who endured years with a brain tumor. Jim lives in southern Maryland with his wife Susan and two dogs.