Neil Johnson

I have no idea of the significance of this, but clearly visible out my office window is the hospital in which I was born.

With a degree in communications from Washington and Lee University but precious little knowledge of photography, I returned to my hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. Instead of working for the newspaper, for which I was well trained, I chose to work instead in a custom color photo lab as a darkroom technician. I fought for a job there because it seemed like it would be such an interesting place to work — and it was. It opened a very special door for me. For over four years, I worked with and for all kinds of photographers, amateur and pro, and used my access to the lab after hours to print my own work. I left the lab in 1980 to put my evolving photographic eye and naïve business skills to work as a freelance photographer.

I immediately pushed my photographic career in the direction of serving commercial clients, as opposed to wedding and portrait work. I have thoroughly enjoyed providing photography services to advertising firms, graphic designers, colleges and a wide variety of businesses and corporations. On a parallel path, my journalism background quickly took me into magazine work, which later included (mostly) non-fiction children’s books (14 to date) and then into large coffee table photo books.

Photography has taken me literally around the world. How can I not give back to it? One way was by teaching photography at Centenary College for 23 years until 2003.

My work is very much about interpreting an intoxicatingly visual world into this wonderfully versatile medium. I relish the challenge of translating the three dimensions of a subject into the two dimensions of a photograph. Like architecture. Or dance. Or products. Or portraits. Or cityscapes. Or nature.

Okay, call me a generalist. But I am proud to say that my profession allows me to blend my personals passions with my business passions. My love of live theater influences my work with people both in my studio and on location. My love of sculpture influences my product and still life photography. My love of movies influences how I explore, compose and light an image. My dedication to my community and my fascination with the world as a whole influences my choices of subjects to photograph. My publishing career keeps me going back to New York City, where I regularly overdose on the arts.

In 1999, I bought a run-down 1913 former grocery store building and renovated it into a spacious studio with offices upstairs. Since 2001, when I moved in, it has become imbued with a positive spirit that inspires those who work here—myself, staff, clients and tenants. In 2002 I left the world of film behind and went totally digital. I work hard to stay on top of this swiftly changing technology as best I can.

Favorite musician: Mark Knopfler. Favorite place: a summer island in Maine. Favorite movie: “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Favorite musical: “Sunday in the Park with George.” Favorite eats: almost anywhere in New Orleans. Favorite book: Into Thin Air. Favorite TV: The Daily Show. You will also find me passionate about traditional Irish music and jazz, the French Quarter, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Yellowstone National Park, porch swings, Ray Bradbury, the Empire State Building, the Chieftains, my parents (Lea and Mel), my children (Hannah and Bradford) and the love of my life, my wife, Cindy.