James Jensen is a professor in the Department of Fine Arts at Loyola University Chicago where he teaches photography and the history of photography. He has twice been named "Master Teacher" by the university.

He is the author of a monograph on Illinois photographer W. E. Bowman, and has twice lectured at the PhotoHistory Symposia (The George Eastman House in Rochester).

His articles on the history of nineteenth century photography have been published in The Collodion Journal, The Photogram, Afterimage and By Daylight.