Chester Simpson Photography

Chester Simpson

has over 40 years of experience in photojournalism, portraiture, editorial, travel, and corporate photography worldwide.

He grew up painting, drawing and taking pictures in Roanoke, VA. and studied Commercial Art at Virginia Western Community College. After receiving an AA degree. He hitchhiked across country in 1975 to accept a scholarship at the San Francisco Institute of Art , to study photography where he received a B.F.A. In San Francisco, he met two of the major influences on his life, legendary master photographer Ansel Adams, founder of the Art Institute's photography department, and Jim Marshall, the famous rock-n-roll photographer. While attending school, he assisted photographers to learn the business side of photography and started hanging out and taking photographs in punk rock clubs at night.

Rolling Stone magazine published his first picture while he was still in Art School, which kicked off his career as a rock-n-roll photographer shooting for MTV, Warner Bros, MCA, AM, Capitol, CBS, and Chrysalis Record companies. He also shot assignments for BAM, Berkeley Barb, Bay Guardian, Circus, California, Crawdaddy, Creem, Melody Maker, New Musical Express, Newsweek, New West, New York Rocker, People, Relix, Rolling Stone, and San Francisco magazines.

After ten years and several record covers to his credit he moved to Washington, DC and became a tour photographer traveling with Celebrity Entertainers and Music Artists to military bases around the world to entertain our US soldiers on USO Tours.

Documenting thirty-five USO tours with performers and celebrities such as Anita Baker, Ruth Pointer, Paul Rodriquez, Neal McCoy, Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders, Wayne Newton, La Bouche, Oleta Adams, Mark Collie, Lisa Stewart, Toby Keith, BR549, Charley Waller, MCLYTE, Spyro Gyra, Larry Gatlin, Craig Morgan, Chris Young, Rick Skaggs, Jeffery Osborne, Will Downing, La Toya Jackson, Billy Joel, Jay Leno, Sheryl Crow, Sinbad, Hilary & Chelsea Clinton, Clint Black, Hootie & the Blowfish, Gin Blossoms, B.B. King, Paula Cole, 10,000 Maniacs, Blues Traveler, Gerald McRaney, Claudia Church, and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts among many others. He visited U.S. bases in Iraq, Bosnia, Somalia, Macedonia, Haiti, Panama, Honduras, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Hungary, Italy, Sicily, Azores, Germany, Netherlands, England, France, Greenland, Iceland, Newfoundland, Puerto Rico, Cuba, St. Thomas, Bermuda, Antigua, Croatia, Japan, Okinawa, and South Korea. Most recently he's traveled to India, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Chester takes on assignments for corporations, organizations, associations, and publications in and around the Washington, DC / Baltimore area.

Simpson exhibits his photographs in local, national and international galleries.

To view more of his photography, visit his web site at ChesterSimpson.com

For more information email Chester Simpson

Solo Exhibitions:

2016 The Art of Seeing - R & R by Chester Simpson

Barns of Rose Hill - Berryville, VA

2015 Rock & Roll Photography by Chester Simpson

Mackies - Alexandria, VA

2013 Rock & Roll Photography by Chester Simpson

Jeffrey Winter Gallery - Alex., VA.

1996 “It’s Only Rock & Roll” - Jautz Photography Gallery

Richmond, VA

1995 “Portraits of Patriots - American EX-POW’s

U.S. Capitol - Washington, DC

1994 “Portraits of Patriots - American EX-POW’s

Canon House Building - Washington, DC

The Pentagon - Arlington, VA.

Department of Veteran Affairs - Washington, DC

District of Columbia Arts Center - Washington, DC

1989 “It’s Only Rock-n-Roll”

Laughing Lizard Lounge - Alexandria, VA.

Group Exhibitions:

2016 “Though the Lens of a Father and Son”

Mackies - Alexandria, VA

2011 “It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll, But I like It!

Del Ray Artisans - Alexandria, VA.

2007 "Photo '07" - The Ellipse Art Center - Arlington, VA.

2003 2nd Annual Old Town Art Show

The Trophy Room - Alexandria, VA

2003 Photo 2003

The Ellipse Arts Center - Arlington, VA

2002 Local Artist: Martin Jenkins, Chester Simpson and David Underwood

Studio Bianco - Alexandria, VA.

1997 Visual Groove - Blavk Cat - Washington, DC

1997 Washington Center for Photography - Washington, DC

1996 Art, Photography & Jazz - King Pepper - Alexandria, VA.

1996 The Cool & The Crazy Images of Punk - Govinda Gallery

1996 Washington Center for Photography - Washington, DC

1994 Fifth-Anniversary Exhibit at DCAC - District of Columbia Arts Center - Washington, DC

1993 All-Media Juried Fine Arts Competition-Gallery West - Alexandria, VA.

1993 Members Ninety Six - Washington Center for Photography - Washington, DC

1993 Hope Springs Eternal - Del Ray Artisan Center, Alexandria, VA.

1993 Juried Art Exhibition- The Athenaeum - Alexandria, VA.

1993 Alternative You’ve Been Looking for - Commonwealth Court, Alexandria, VA.

1993 Visual Groove - The Black Cat - Washington, DC

1993 Gordon Parks Photography Contest - Traveling Exhibition

University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.

Parsons School of Design, New York, N.Y.

Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, N.Y.

Ohio University School of Visual Communications, Athens, Ohio

University of Kansas School of Journalism, Lawrence Kan.

University of Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, MO.

1992 Chrome Lab Gallery - Washington, DC

1988 Celebrating 150 Years of Photography-

The American Academy of Physician Assistants - Alexandria, VA.

1982 The Opposite World - Punk Rock Photos

S.F., CA

1982 “Coast to Coast” New Wave and Punk Rock Images

Rosco Louie Gallery - Seattle, Washington