Mary Cooney

Mary Cooney is a former director of photography for the Los Angeles Times. Along with her day-to-day responsibilities, she was in charge of some of The Times’ most ambitious visual projects. Cooney is focused on creating an environment where visual journalists can produce powerful social documentary work.

Cooney has been a vital part of the visual department’s success since coming to the Los Angeles Times in 1997. During this period, Times photojournalists have been recognized with multiple Pulitzer Prizes and Robert F. Kennedy awards. The Pictures of the Year International competition has awarded The Times the Angus McDougall Award for the best photo-edited news organization six times.

Cooney was editor on the Pulitzer Prize and Emmy award-winning documentary project, “Caught in the Crossfire,” She has also been recognized as photo editor of the year by both the National Press Photographers Assn. and Pictures of the Year International. She has also garnered individual editing recognition from the Society for News Design, the Sydney Hillman Awards, the Lucie awards, APME, NPPA and POYi.

Cooney started on the East Coast in Rockville Centre, N.Y., and then worked in Connecticut before moving to California. She was director of photography at the Stamford Advocate before joining the Los Angeles Times.