Today we’d like to introduce you to Leon Johnson.
Leon, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Hi! I photograph people. I began photographing landscapes and urbanscapes while living abroad in Bavaria. I began photographing people in October 2015 and immediately loved the idea of being able to form tell a story through pictures. Since then, I have focused on portraiture, fine art, and some event photography. A few years ago, I incorporated my love for the Orient, the renaissance era, and the fantasy literature by using vintage wardrobe and styling to transport my subjects into a time and place long gone and sometimes forgotten.
Great, 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?
Along the way, one of the biggest challenges has been accepting that my voice and vision as an artist are unique. for a new photographer, there are so many influences and pressures to be like other people. Everyone wants to be good at something and so sometimes we feel that we need to do like or to be like someone else to be accepted and to be considered great. So, we feel as if we need the same gear as the great people, the same style, and the same focus. Au contraire, I came to understand that people tend to much more respond to sincere representations of themselves in art. We are shaped and censored by social media companies’ policies, by what we see every day, and even by those who we believe our would-be customers are. The best advice I could give a new photographer/artist is to try everything and determine if that thing is their thing. One’s passions really shine through in one’s art. Sincerity is the greatest commodity we can have.
Please tell us about Leon Johnson Photography.
So, my love of renaissance art and olde things has driven me to create images and scenes out of the work that you might find in museums. I don’t have any formal training in art or art history but I have come to love the work of Rembrandt, Degas, Matisse, Manet, and Ingres. my most notable work creates photos that are lit and are edited to appear as I offer my clients the opportunity to create a keepsake, an heirloom which portrays them in an elevated and distinguished manner. They are portrayed in a fashion befitting display in a museum or gallery- something not readily available this day in age.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memories of childhood would be my exposure to literature and the fantasy movies of the 1980s. I draw upon the romantic themes and visuals from these to fuel my inspiration and expression.
Contact Info:
- Address: 550 Redbird Song
- Website: www.leonjohnsonphotography.org
- Phone: 706-830-2939
- Email: leon.johnson1900@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ljportraits
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