Author

John Partipilo
Working as a photojournalist for 40 years, Partipilo has won awards such as NPPA Best of Photojournalism and nominated for two Pulitzers. His photography has also been featured in national and international publications. Most importantly Partipilo’s work is about people — people in their different environments and people in their different stages of life. That’s the heart of his work. To him people are so important, because they all have a unique story.
Earth Day 2022
By: John Partipilo - April 24, 2022
Earth Day, first celebrated in April 22, 1970, was rolled to April 23 in Nashville and photojournalist John Partipilo staked out the event at Centennial Park. Hundreds turned out on a beautiful day to pick up free trees that were being distributed, listen to live music and attend presentations from environmental and conservation organizations. Packets […]
Nashville Hindus celebrate Spring with Holi
By: John Partipilo and Holly McCall - March 21, 2022
Members of Nashville’s Hindu community celebrated the coming of Spring over the weekend with Holi, a Hindu holiday also known as the Festival of Spring, the Festival of Colors or the Festival of Love. About 400 people gathered at Sri Saibaba Temple in Antioch, dancing and splashing each other with colored powder dye. Pink, blue, […]
Ukrainians in Tennessee worry for safety of family and friends
By: John Partipilo and Dulce Torres Guzman - March 1, 2022
Ira Tsykovska’s iPhone kept alerting her with the familiar Apple text tone ring every few minutes while her husband Bogdan Chornomaz looked over her shoulder and worriedly read texts from their families and friends in Kyiv and Kharkiv, two of the largest cities in Ukraine. “The Russians have surrounded the cities but we are fighting them”, said […]
Metro Nashville official makes Valentine’s dream come true for couple
By: John Partipilo and Dulce Torres Guzman - February 15, 2022
Metro Nashville official Fabian Bedne loves officiating weddings, so much that he wondered if it was possible to organize a free wedding on Valentine’s Day for the Latino community. The former two-term Metro Councilmember talked to Veronica Salcedo, founder of the Spanish-speaking news outlet Nashville Noticias, about his idea and she began making calls to Latino […]
Crowd protests GOP-drawn congressional maps on MLK Day
By: John Partipilo and Holly McCall - January 18, 2022
Concerns over COVID-19 and lingering snow from a weekend storm halted several Middle Tennessee events traditionally held on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to honor the late civil rights leader, but more than 100 people turned out in Nashville to protest new GOP-drawn congressional and legislative district maps. The Nashville Justice League, which is comprised […]
The year in photos: Part Two
By: John Partipilo, Karen Pulfer Focht and Holly McCall - December 30, 2021
In our second gallery of photographs that defined 2020, we share works by photojournalists John Partipilo and Karen Pulfer Focht on topics including the environment, families with special needs children and immigration issues. While 2021 wasn’t characterized by the same type of demonstrations that marked 2020, the year nonetheless had its share of demonstrations by […]
2021: The year in photos
By: Holly McCall, John Partipilo and Karen Pulfer Focht - December 28, 2021
Great writing and excellent photojournalism go together like peas and carrots, and the Tennessee Lookout has the good fortune to work with excellent writers and photographers. 2021 was a lesser sibling to 2020, our launch year. If the latter gave us the opportunity to cover Black Lives Matter protests, COVID test sites and bombings, the […]
Biden inspects Western Kentucky tornado damage
By: John Partipilo and Holly McCall - December 16, 2021
President Joe Biden visited Dawson Springs, Kentucky on Wednesday as part of a tour of areas damaged by powerful storms over the weekend. Photojournalist John Partipilo was also in Dawson Springs, documenting the devastation. Former Kentucky governor Steve Beshear, father of current Gov. Andy Beshear, hails from the small town, where 12 people died in […]
Slow recovery begins from West Tennessee, Kentucky storms
By: John Partipilo and Holly McCall - December 15, 2021
Formerly known to most Tennesseans as the home of the late governor Ned Ray McWherter, Dresden, Tennessee joins the roster of towns known by name nationally for the devastation caused by tornadoes: Xenia, Ohio. Greensburg, Kanas. Joplin, Missouri. Mayfield, Kentucky and now, Dresden. The north side of the town’s Main Street was flattened, including City […]
Tornadoes devastate West Tennessee and Kentucky
By: John Partipilo and Holly McCall - December 13, 2021
At least four people in Tennessee are dead after tornadoes ripped through northwest Tennessee and Kentucky early Saturday morning. The National Weather Service confirmed seven tornadoes touched down in Tennessee but haven’t confirmed if the same tornado damaged Tennessee and Kentucky. In Weakley County, Dresden was hard hit, as was Newbern in Dyer County. Tornadoes […]
Abortion rights rally in Nashville draws hundreds
By: John Partipilo - October 4, 2021
A rally by abortion rights advocates drew hundreds to the Tennessee Capitol on Saturday. The Rally for Abortion Justice was part of coordinated events in cities across the nation after a Texas law banning most abortions took effect. Photojournalist John Partipilo captured the event.
Tennesseans celebrate Juneteenth
By: Dulce Torres Guzman, John Partipilo and Holly McCall - June 21, 2021
Tennesseans didn’t wait on President Joe Biden’s Thursday proclamation making Juneteenth a federal holiday to begin organizing celebrations marking the occasion. In the Nashville area alone, more than 45 events were held to celebrate a traditional holiday for Black Americans. On June 19,1865, U.S. Major Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston Texas bearing a copy […]