Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Derek Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Derek, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry.
A very popular trend throughout the photography industry right now is utilizing specular light which creates hard shadows. Product, food and even portrait photography is adopting this trend and I’ve also tagged along in it. Being relevant and showing your work to potential clients is key when they might be trying to refresh their brand’s imagery to adapt and appeal to new customers. I think the hard shadows is fun because it creates a nice contrast in the frame but I also think the human eye is attracted to it because it mimics the sun.
Derek, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My love for photography began back in high school, where I took three years of photography classes. Growing up I was overweight, struggled with a stutter, and overall lacked confidence. Photography provided me an outlet to create and explore from a different perspective. There’s a universal language that comes with photography and I was infatuated with the idea of being able to tell stories with imagery. After completely falling in love with the art of photography, I decided to pursue my dream at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, CA. The curriculum consisted of a 4 year program packed into 3 years, so with the accelerated form of learning came with little breaks. I grew up about 20min outside of Philly and moving 3,000 miles across the country equally terrified and excited me.
I pride the lighting throughout my work, whether that be creating with artificial lighting or finding and modifying natural light. The subjects throughout my work also range widely because of my personal interests and I truly love it all. My superpower is having the ability to oversee the bigger picture without letting vital details slip through the cracks or go unseen. When shooting projects, I prefer to shoot tethered into a computer, which allows me to anaylze the images at greater detail and apply adjustments or crops. This approach is often loved by my clients for viewing purposes and having a chance to collaborate with any feedback they may have.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Ever since I can remember, my dream was to make it to the MLB. I’ve always played baseball and enjoyed both the team aspect and the pressure to perform on your own. In my sophomore year I suffered an arm injury that forced me to look at my future and career path. That same year was the first year I had taken photography classes. The following year I had strongly considered pursuing both photography & baseball at a D2 college in Pennsylvania, but ultimately decided to go all in on photography. This decision lead me to the prestigious Brooks Institute, 3,000 miles away in Santa Barbara, CA.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect is to create dynamic imagery for brands and clients that help tell their story and put them in the best light. I also really enjoy working with the people that I meet, Business is all about relationships and cultivating authentic dialogue and delivering a high quality product.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.derekjohnsonvisuals.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/derekjohnsonvisuals.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djvisuals/
- Twitter: @djvisuals
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOYhORMO54mMTrpT8n3k7QA