Jim Webb

Jim is a web designer and photographer.

Jim lives in Washington, DC and works as a freelance photographer and as Associate Director of Web Design for the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University. Jim teaches and sets curriculum for the school's web design and web development programs. He also teaches photography with National Geographic Photo Camp, helping inner-city teenagers document their lives and communities.

Formerly, Jim was Technical Design Manager for National Geographic Digital Media, overseeing the site's visual design and front-end development. During his tenure, he directed three site-wide redesigns, designed a global navigation scheme which lowered site-wide bounce rates 36%, directed a usability testing lab, and oversaw the design of partnerships with YouTube, iTunes, MySpace and Joost. Before National Geographic, Jim designed infographics for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper.

Jim's commercial photography is represented by the National Geographic Image Collection and Getty Images. He also shoots documentary style family portraits and would be happy to do so for you.

Jim studied photojournalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His speaking engagements include the Society for News Design, for NPR and PBS, and UNITY: Journalists of Color.

For fun, Jim likes to rock climb, play ultimate frisbee, and show movies on his building's roof. He's not related to Jim Webb, the senator, the reverend, or the writer of MacArthur Park, but might be a distant cousin of the former head of NASA.

Get in touch!

Jim would love to hear from you.

“Jim is a gifted teacher, helping students, teaching assistants and other staff to understand the process of our photography workshops. He has developed systems and taught them to others in a professional and creative manner.”

Kirsten Elstner, Executive Director, VisionWorkshops

“Jim literally did it all, taking interviews with me and creating a site that fulfilled the goals I presented him. Not his goals, but mine. He created a site that attracted traffic, and we are talking 2001… amazingly michaelnicknichols.com is still contemporary and functions without all the things that bother me in photographer sites.”

Nick Nichols, National Geographic Photographer

“Jim put all our family and guests at ease so we got great pictures with happy smiling faces on even those usually camera-shy. Everything felt very natural and the photos captured the energy and fun of our wedding, rather than stiff cliché poses.”

Jeff Peters, Wedding Photography Client