Bill and Merrilyn Johnson Rarotonga 1975

Bill Johnson a recognized International Professional Photographer during the 1970's in Rarotonga, Cook Islands who worked from the family owned business 'Johnsons' Photographic Studio'. Bill covered many International events like Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, His Royal Highness Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Anne (now known as Princess Royal) and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips, Lord and Lady Brabourne & Lord Louis Mountbatten 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma - sadly in August 1979 while he was lobster-potting and tuna fishing in Ireland, Lord Mountbatten was assassinated by Irish terrorists who planted a bomb on his boat. In 1974, he covered The Knighthood of Sir Albert Royal Henry by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the Official Opening of the Rarotonga International Airport by Her Majesty.
In 1976, Bill was the Official Cook Islands Government Photographer for the arrival of H.M. Royal Yacht Britannia in Rarotonga and was piped on board The Royal Yacht and met the ships Commander, Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Janion on the wing of the bridge. Regarding the 'Piping the Side': except when otherwise ordered, the only person 'piped' when arriving onboard or leaving the Royal Yacht is Her Majesty the Queen and /or HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and only when in full Naval Uniform. Bill said, to be 'piped' on-board Her Majesty's Royal Yacht 'Britannia' - was truly a Special Privilege and an honour, and while onboard Bill was treated to an hour’s deep-sea cruise, which is something that he will never forget. The Queen once said - that the Britannia is the one place I can truly relax.

During Bill's professional career, he has photographed many Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers and VIP's from around the South Pacific Region. Bill also covered the 5th South Pacific Forum in March 1974 at Rarotonga along with many other Government functions, meetings, and a State Dinner at New Zealand Government House in Rarotonga with seven (7) South Pacific Heads of State plus the NZ Opposition Leader Robert Muldoon who later because the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984; along with The New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands all in attendance. Bill has covered many local and international Headline News events like Milan Brych i.e. Dr Vlastimil Milan Brych's the very controversial Czech-born cancer therapist during his stay in the Rarotonga.

Bill worked with the Royal New Zealand Navel photographers while in Rarotonga on their way to and from the French Nuclear Testing Zone of Mururoa Atoll. Bill was one of the first to actually see the French Nuclear Atmospheric Testing photographs 'first hand' before they were released & published World-Wide.

Bill has also worked with Greenpeace International and spent a couple of days photographing David McTaggart who was famous for having been beaten by French agents when he tried to interfere with a French Nuclear Testing at Mururoa Atoll in the South Pacific when France were conducting their nuclear weapons tests in 1973/74. David McTaggart later became Honorary Chairman of Greenpeace International in France.

Bill was also official photographer for the construction of the Rarotonga International Airport and covered the Full photographic documentation of the construction from start to completion. Bill has done photography for Air New Zealand & British Airways. Bill has covered many events, like the arrival of New Zealand Olympic athletes Peter Snell, John Walker and Rod Dixon; country and western singers Brendan Dugan and Grey Bartlett; Billy T. James and The Maori Volcanics Showband; Sir Howard Morrison, and he was a Very Close and personal friend of singer Freddie Keil - leader and the most notable member of The Keil Isles in New Zealand during the late 1950's and early 60's before starting his own band Freddie Keil and the Kavaliers in Auckland. These are only a few famous and important people that Bill has met and photographed.