Daily Inspiration: Meet John Butts

Today we’d like to introduce you to John Butts.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started taking photos back in 1977 with the Polaroid Pronto Onestep camera, mostly taking photos of friends and family. Over the years I progressed to a Pentax ME and mixing in some landscape and special effects such as outlining bodies with a flashlight, in a graveyard. When I joined the Air Force, I got to travel to places like Australia, Alaska, London, Germany and Ascension Island. While at these amazing locations, my time spent photographing all aspects of life and environment substantially increased. Once I left the military, I started working for an aerospace company and spent quite a bit more time internationally. This is when I jumped to the Nikon product line, starting with the D5100 and finally landed on the D800. While traveling through Australia, I took day trips to photograph places like Ayers Rock (Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park) and Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve in the Northern Territory and Sydney, Melbourne and Barossa Valley just outside of Adelaide (Yummy wines). While working out of the UK, I returned to London for the Piccadilly Circus then onto Scotland to photograph Glasgow, Edinburgh, Pennan on the Aberdeenshire coast (where most of the Ferness village scenes in Local Hero were filmed) and over to the Isle of Skye to photograph the Neist Point Lighthouse at sunrise on the far west coast. In around 2015, I started taking high school Senior photos and family photos which transitions Fashion and Beauty photography. I’ve been blessed to photograph many Fashion/Gauntlet shows in and around Denver, I’ve photographed the Hollywood Preview Models Fashion Show, the Milan, Italy Flying Solo Fashion Show, the Paris, France Flying Solo Fashion Show, the Paris, France Alegre De Pilipinas/Jewels Empire Ent Fashion Show and the Tokyo, Japan Alegre De Pilipinas/Jewels Empire Ent My Project Runway Show with Shima. I’ve been privileged to meet and work with many amazing people to include Hair and Makeup Artists (HMUA), Designers, Models and many other people supporting the shows I attended. All in all, it’s been many exciting and fulfilling opportunities with my cameras over the years.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have been a few bumps in the road, but I have found that not allowing myself to get dragged into the drama is the best form of self-defense.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Fashion and Beauty photographer, but I dabble in other forms of photography, when the opportunity presents itself. I’m known for my quality of work however being a one-man-show and a bit of a perfectionist, it does take time to get the photos out. I’m also known for a number of Denver Clocktower photoshoots I hosted last year, at the Daniel’s & Fisher Clock Tower. I’m most proud of the international fashion shows I have been invited to attend and photograph. I have two more international shows that I am preparing for now. I think what sets me apart is that I am always finding ways to help out the people around me.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and I hope I get the chance to serve you all.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @blu_apples_photography
• Facebook: blue.apples.photography