Robert James Hallinen (October 25, 1948 – July 26, 2026) was an American photojournalist and editor. He worked for Anchorage Daily News for 33 years. He won the newspaper's 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for the "People in Peril" series, and he was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1990 for his coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill.[1]
Robert Hallinen | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robert James Hallinen October 25, 1948 Marquette, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | July 26, 2026 (aged 77) Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. |
| Occupations | Photojournalist, editor |
| Years active | 1970–2018 |
| Employers | |
| Spouse | Darlene Wells |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards |
|
Early life
editRobert James Hallinen was born on October 25, 1948, in Marquette, Michigan. He is the son of Hans Hallinen, and his wife, Esther Hallinen. He had four siblings, Bruce, Cheryl, David, and Lorriann. In 1970, he studied at Northern Michigan University, when he began his career in photography as a student assistant to the university photographer. He worked for the local newspapers in Michigan before moving to Alaska.[2]
Career
editHallinen worked for many local newspapers in Michigan before accepting a one-year position deal with the Ketchikan Daily News in Ketchikan, Alaska. He joined the staff of the Anchorage Times and then the Anchorage Daily News. During his 33 years in Anchorage Daily News, he documented. He made a contribution to the paper's People in Peril series, which was awarded the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. In 1990, Hallinen and other photographers Erik Hill and Paul Souders were named Pulitzer Prize Finalist for spot news photography for their visual coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. In 1996, he was named Regional Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association.[2][3][4][5]
Hallinen covered 12 runnings of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. During one race assignment, the ski of his landing plane broke off on river ice, and during another, he suffered broken ribs after being thrown off a snowmobile while attempting to catch an airline transport to return film to Anchorage. He retired from the Anchorage Daily News in 2018.[6]
Personal life
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Bob Hallinen". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- 1 2 "April's Virtual Artist Talk – Bob Hallinen". Alaska Photographic Center. April 12, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "1990 Pulitzer Prizes". Pulitzer Prize. 1990. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "March Artist Talk: Bob Hallinen". Alaska Photographic Center. March 11, 2025. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "North to Alaska". Swarthmore College. Matt Zencey. October 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Photojournalist Bob Hallinen survived a plane crash and broken ribs to cover more than 10 Iditarods". Poynter. Amaris Castillo. March 4, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Robert "Bob" Hallinen". The Mining Journal. August 11, 2026. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Robert James Hallinen". Legacy. Legacy Remembers. August 8, 2026. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Longtime Anchorage Daily News photojournalist Bob Hallinen dies at 77". Anchorage Daily News. July 29, 2026. Retrieved August 11, 2026.