Daily Inspiration: Meet Derek Johnson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Derek Johnson. 

Hi Derek, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My photography career began back in high school where I took three years of photography classes. My junior year I got my first camera and quickly fell in love. After an arm injury, I came to the realization that my dream to play college and then professional baseball was likely fizzling out. I genuinely enjoyed photography and that was the avenue I wanted to pursue. So, after living in New Jersey for my entire life, after graduating high school I trekked across the country to follow my dream to study at the prestigious Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, CA. 

The school was an incredible experience where I packed in a ton of knowledge as the program implemented a strong technical foundation and packed in four years of information into three years. It was nonstop and we were consistently shooting assignments for class, learning new techniques, and creating personal work as well. Once I finished school I naturally moved down to Los Angeles and freelanced as a photo assistant, digital tech, and retoucher for a wide variety of clients. I worked on large budget sets with 4 or 5 assistants and very in-depth lighting setups for large brands like Acura, GQ, Lexus, and Wolfgang Puck to name a few. Shadowing and seeing how photographers worked across all different genres/industries gave me a great inside look at what resonated the most for me. Generally, a lot of people tell you to choose a niche and stick to it. I truly love the challenge to make my subject look amazing regardless if it’s a product, person, food, car, or building so I dedicated myself to create quality images across many genres. 

Fast forward to now and I’m a full-time Photographer for Shane Company, the local jewelry company who has 20+ stores nationwide. In addition to shooting jewelry regularly, I continue to take on freelance projects through my own company, Derek Johnson Visuals. I’ve shot for brands such as New Balance, Sara Lee, Designscapes Colorado, Pizzeria Locale, PS Audio, Spectrum, Women’s Running Magazine, and 000 Magazine. My work has been featured in Interior Design Magazine, Luxe Magazine, and Colorado Homes & Lifestyle. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have definitely been struggles along the way. As an artist, you naturally go through creative ruts where you’re uninspired so it’s important to create for yourself and continue to find passion projects. Running a business on your own also has its own obstacles throughout the journey as well. There are times where you have loads of work continually coming your way and then there are dry spells where you don’t have anything coming in for weeks or even months on end which can be stressful. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I take great pride in my work and create the best possible image in-camera. My Photoshop skills are advanced and I love to push the creative boundaries with those tools, as well as creating more efficient ways to produce powerful, engaging imagery. My strong technical skills with artificial lighting would help separate my work from others. Whether it’s with portraiture or product photography, I’m confident with whatever task is asked of me. 

What makes you happy?
Creating bold, powerful imagery for myself lights me up. I love to try new techniques and constantly push myself to grow as an artist. When my clients are ecstatic about the images, I’ve shot for them is also a really good feeling. 

Contact Info:

• Email: derek@derekjohnsonvisuals.com
• Website: www.derekjohnsonvisuals.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/derekjohnsonvisuals
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOYhORMO54mMTrpT8n3k7QA