Geir and Kate Jordahl
Filed under: Authors
Geir and Kate Jordahl bring their love of books and passion for images to the creation of a variety of visual projects. They founded True North Editions in 2012 as a collaborative effort to give voice to unique work by artists working authentically. They have worked together as a team since 1980 as editors, curators, and imagemakers.
The Jordahls' book projects include San Joaquin: River of Spirit with the Ansel Adams Gallery, Searching for True North with Modernbook Editions, Native American Ceremonial Dancers, The Village: Bill Owens—Jamaica, Pride: Heart of a Movement, and Bill Owens: CARS. Collaborations with Dreaming Mind include Traveler, Jizo, the Conversation Series, and the one poem books. Book awards include a Gold Medal and Best of Show in the PubWest Book Design Awards, a Silver Medal in Prix de Paris and a Silver Medal in the Independent Publishers Book Awards for Searching for True North and a Silver Award-Photography and a Bronze Award-Art in the PubWest Book Design Awards for Native American Ceremonial Dancers.
The Jordahls also edited, published, and designed Cultures in Transition: Spirit Heart Soul which features the photographs of Oliver Klink. Cultures in Transition has been awarded nine international awards, including the 2019 IPPY Gold Award from the Independent Publisher, and the 2019 Judges' Choice Award and a 2019 Gold Award from PubWest.
Their 2025 titles include Poetry in Motion (Oliver Klink, Gold in Cover Design and Honorable Mention Judges Choice, 2025 PubWest Book Design Awards, Silver in the Prix de Photographie Paris) and The Endless Sphere of Time (awards below.) 2026 titles will include Eternity Passing (Kate Jordahl), Bearing Witness: The Enigmatic Works of Nasim Moghadam, and BFFs! Black-Footed Ferrets (Elaine Miller Bond).
Geir and Kate Jordahl both have Masters of Fine Arts Degrees in Photography from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio. In 1983 they founded the PhotoCentral Program in Hayward, California, and were directors of PhotoCentral until 2020. Kate is a Professor Emerita of Photography at Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, California. The Jordahls now operate True North Editions based in Bellingham, Washington and Kristiansund, Norway.
Current Awards for The Endless Sphere of Time:
Gold Medal, Nautilus Awards
Gold, The Prix de Photographie Paris
First Prize in the Art Book category, North Street Book Prize
First Place, Art, The Book Fest
Winner, Photography & Book Cover Design-Non-fiction/Finalist, Book interior design-non-fiction & Coffee Table Books - 19th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards
Second Place in Non-Fiction for the IndieReader Discovery Awards
Finalist in the 2025 International Book Awards
Finalist in the Next Generation Indie Award in Photography
Honorable Mention, Art, 2025 Eric Hoffer Book Award Winners
Honorable Mention The Tokyo International Foto Awards 2025 - Book
Website: https://www.jordahlphoto.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrueNorthEditions
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katejordahl/
Winning Entry: The Endless Sphere of Time
Contest Won: North Street Book Prize 2025, First Prize
