This week I'm pleased to feature the breath taking work of Erin Johnson. From rustic scenes to old world landscapes to nature portraits, each moment she captures is its own lovely world.
Bleu Avenue: Thank you so much for joining me to talk about your work. How did you become interested in photography and graphic design?
Bleu Avenue: Thank you so much for joining me to talk about your work. How did you become interested in photography and graphic design?
Erin Johnson: I have been interested in photography since I was about 8 or 9, I guess. My first camera was a hot pink 110 film camera. I took my first real photography class when I was a senior high school. It was a black and white film class and I was hooked. When it was time to choose my major in college, I knew I wanted to minor in photography but felt like I needed a more “practical” major so I chose graphic design.
B: That's very true, there is always a practical side to dreams. I really admire stories like yours. In your Etsy Bio you say that you, "really fell in love with photography during my senior year of high
school when I took a black & white photography class (with film!) I
decided then that this is what I was meant to do." That's really a wonderful way of describing it. Finding your calling is a bit like falling in love. It's difficult to explain beyond that moment when "you just know." The creative process can be like that as well, when you see a place and it has a certain feeling to it. When taking photos, do you often seek out a location to photograph or do you live in the moment so to speak and find inspiration where ever you are?
EJ: I do often choose vacation locations based on where I want to go and what I want to photograph, but I also love just getting in the car and driving around a town or city nearby and see what I can find. I do love small rural towns and back roads. There are a lot of those in Alabama.
B: I'm a southern girl myself, maybe that's why I feel so at home with your photos. Do you have a favorite theme or subject to photograph?
EJ: I don’t know that I really have a favorite. I will photograph just about anything if I like it. I love to photograph flowers but they don’t really sell for me. I also love travel photography and try to do that as much as I can.
B: In all the photos you've taken is there one moment or experience that stands out from the rest?
EJ: Hmm.. I don’t know if there is just one that stands out from all the rest. I think the great thing about photography is that while I’ve taken all of these photographs, I don’t usually travel alone so I’ve gotten to experience new (and revisited) places with someone close to me and I will have those memories forever.
B: You mention in your Etsy Bio that you've love to travel and have recently made it to Europe. How did that experience impact your work and what have you learned throughout all your travels?
EJ: I have wanted to go to Europe for as long as I can remember. I had decided that I was going before I turned 30. I missed that by about a month but it was amazing. We went to Spain, Italy & Croatia. I couldn’t believe that we had actually made it. I was ready to go back as soon as we left. I wish travel was free!However, I was so focused on taking photographs that I forgot to stop and just enjoy the moment. The photographs are great to have but once you leave, are you going to remember where you were when you took them or are you just going to remember having a camera in front of your face? I think that is what I have learned: Enjoy the moment.
And on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ejohnsonphotography
Gorgeous photography!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work, and how interesting to read about the ideas behind it!
ReplyDeleteShe is extremely talented; it was a pleasure to interview her.
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