His 'friendly, disarming nature' has served him well for 32 years

SALT LAKE CITY — He was supposed to be a dentist. Until he walked into a darkroom.

Jeff Allred was in his sophomore year at Utah State University, immersed in chemistry, math, biology and the other sorts of classes one takes in a pre-dentistry major, when his brother told him about a "fun" elective that might be a nice change of pace.

It was a black-and-white photography class held in a darkroom. Remember those? In the pre-digital days that's where photographers would process their film and pictures.

There wasn't anything Allred didn't like about the class. He liked experimenting with his camera, he liked seeing images appear in the developing trays like magic, he even liked the smell of the chemicals.

"That changed everything," remembers Allred, "It opened up the world to me."

He switched his major on the spot.

He recalls his mother wasn't quite as thrilled as he was.

"My mom cried; she said, 'You'll starve. I want you to be happy and make money — and I want a dentist in the family.'"

The above story is relevant, unfortunately, because Allred announced this month that he's retiring from a 40-year career as a photojournalist, the last 32 here at the Deseret News. I say unfortunately, because people at the paper are about as happy with the news as Allred's mom was when he switched out of dentistry.

As Deseret News photo editor Chuck Wing put it, "He's a great shooter, everyone likes him, he never complains."

How do you replace that?

There's also the fact that he doesn't look old enough to retire. Photography hasn't aged him. If he tried to walk into a Vegas casino there's still a chance he'd get carded.

But there's no denying that the thousands, if not millions, of Allred's images lodged in the Deseret News archives attest to his longevity. That includes more than his fair share of prize winners, highlighted by the photo he shot in 2008 of a 3-year-old girl's tears as her soldier father deployed to Iraq. The Associated Press Managing Editors named it that year's national Associated Press Photo of the Year (the awards show was held in Las Vegas, where Allred took his mom, who had by that point completely forgiven him).

But more than the honors, in a business where it's easy to take offense, or give it, it's the way Allred's gotten those award-winning images that make his career unique.

An example: When Russell M. Nelson became president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2018 and embarked on world tours, Allred was the Deseret News photographer assigned to the trips.

In Paraguay, when President Nelson, swarmed by well-wishers, waded into the crowd and found himself surrounded by young children, Allred and his wide-angle lens waded right in there with him — until a member of the president's security detail, deeming him much too close, lifted him up like a potted plant and moved him off to the side.

What was Allred's response? Get angry? Pout? File a protest?

None of the above. He just smiled and continued shooting and let security do their job (besides, he was pretty sure he'd already got the shot he wanted, and when he checked his images he was right. The photo of President Nelson with the kids in Paraguay may be the most iconic of his presidency).

Sarah Weaver, now editor of Deseret News and editor of Church News at the time, watched all this transpire, and continued to watch, as the trips continued, how Allred's friendly, disarming nature succeeded in gaining him closer access at every stop.

"He has this unmatched technical skill that allows him to never miss a shot, and the people skills to get access," she says. "It became very obvious that President Nelson respects and trusts Jeff to take his picture."

Remembers Allred, "Every country got a little better, then a little better, and pretty soon we're telling security where we're going to be and what we're going to do and they're cool. President Nelson had his thumb up and he's happy; he's like, 'Let him in.'"

Tad Walch, who covers the Latter-day Saint beat for the Deseret News, says, "We call Jeff the photographer of the prophet to tease him." But also because it's true. "We're spoiled to have Jeff; not only are his images amazing, but his rapport with everyone he meets is so open and kind and fun it puts everyone at ease."

For Allred, who it should come as no surprise has been on every major President Nelson tour since 2018, it's the way he's done business since he got into the business. It's so much easier, and so much more effective, he says, when you like people. "And I like people.

"If somebody said you have to go back and do something else," he continues, "I'd say no, I'll be a photojournalist. I'll do it again. I can't believe my good fortune. I've had this front row seat to history. I can't even start to tell you what I've seen and shot. Think about photographing Muhammad Ali, Elton John, every U.S. president since (Gerald) Ford, every Latter-day Saint prophet since (Ezra Taft) Benson. I've been on every continent, in 72 countries at last count. I've photographed disasters and Olympics and NBA Finals. It's crazy."

Even though he's "retiring," at 62 he has no intention of slowing down or putting away his cameras. "I always have a camera with me, always," he says. "If it's not on my person it's a couple feet away in the car. I'm going to shoot pictures until I'm 99."

Beyond doing some commercial work of his own and teaching a photography class at BYU, he'll continue to do contract work for the Deseret News and Church News. He has many more countries to see and world tours in his future. People like having him around.

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