Well, maybe not really...I'm making leaps and bounds daily!
I was asked by speakurpeace.com to do a brief interview.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EIGHT TO THE POINT WITH DARIA JOHNSON!
[ Click here for the live version. ]
Daria Johnson is an AMAZING photographer we discovered through her link with The 5th L. She designed their site and also does photography for them. When I found my way to her site (DariaJohnson.com), I was impressed beyond measure by the classic appeal of her photography. Her passion for the craft is quite obvious.
Daria was gracious enough to grant us this interview.
1. So, when did you first discover your love for photography?
To be perfectly honest, it was after the birth of my son, Ade, four years ago. Although my father has been a photographer (now turned hobbyist), I was never really interested in photography and found most of our photographic "outings" pretty boring. I couldn't fathom waking up at 5 a.m. to photograph icicles or going downtown at 4:30 p.m. to wait 2 hours for a sunset. It was a waste of time in my eyes. I was there mostly to carry a bag or make sure there weren't intruders lurking in the midst (or large dogs for that matter) or to test lighting. I never really participated in the actual "picture-taking" process.
All that changed when the Small One (or "the Boy" as we call him) arrived. I didn't want to miss anything he did. I took pictures while he slept. I took pictures in the tub. I just kept taking pictures and I kept getting better. I eventually wanted to learn the technical side so I could become a better photographer and that's where my father stepped in. If I had a question, he would explain it until I understood and then I would put it into practice. Most other things I would look up myself - I have a very large book collection, ranging from interior design (my first love) to photography (my greatest love).
2. Were there any photographers that inspired you to do it professionally?
No, not really although there are photographers that inspire me to be a better photographer.
I started taking pictures at local poetry events and one day someone asked if they could pay me to do it. My first gig paid $40 and that was back when I was getting film developed. I thought that I could turn it into a hobby and did but it eventually became something more.
I am a photo snob - and I own it - so most of my "great" photographers have been in the game for a while. My current faves (because they change almost daily) are Herman Leonard (most famous for his jazz photography), Richard Avedon, Platon (newer to the game), and Marc Baptiste for starters.
Others who are not my favorite but I really respect their work: Annie Liebovitz, Jonathan Mannion, Peter Hurley, and Marc Selinger. I have at least a good hundred photographers bookmarked in my web browser but there are far too many to name.
3. Tell me about your first professional camera and photoshoot.
My first shoot? Hmm. I don't know if I can remember the first shoot, other than the one I stated before. I've assisted a few local photographers with weddings and got paid to do it (and some for free). But I truly cannot remember a first.
My first camera was a Canon Rebel 66 (35mm film camera). My father bought it as a gift on a trip to Hong Kong. I guess he got tired of me borrowing his Pentax 35mm. He bought one for me and another for my sister-in-law (who lives in Texas) who also had in interest in photographing my nieces and nephews.
That camera was stolen and I was broken...devastated even. I then bought a Canon EOS 3, another 35mm camera but this one was a beast! It was sexy! Paid $700 for it and another $200 for a medium-grade lens and I was off. I shot a lot of slide film - to guarantee my colors were on point - and love, love love love black and white photography. That was a wrap.
I was skeptical about going digital because I think (even now) that film has an honesty to it - a warmth that digital loses. I eventually made the switch about 3 years ago (I think) but still have (and will never sell) my film camera. I have sold old lenses but that was after I accumulated the arsenal that I have currently.
This is an expensive lifestyle. I'm not complaining. I'm just saying.
4. What is your current camera of choice?
Canon! Canon! Canon! The 5D to be exact. I am the poster-child for everything Canon and it doesn't have anything to do with inferior images from Nikon or any other distributer but my mind works best under Canon supervision. I understand the menus, the operation and I've been with them so long that a switch would be suicide.
My gear includes:
Canon 5D
Canon 20D
Canon 16-35mm f/2.8
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8
Canon 50mm f/1.4
Canon 85mm f/1.8
(2) Canon 430EZ flashes
5. Your wedding photography is absolutely amazing, and I also see that you shoot quite a few "expecting" women? Which do you enjoy most?
Happy people, hands down. It's not about the occasion, the clothes, the location or the desired result with me. If the subject is happy and relaxed, it will always be a great shoot.
I love to see people enjoying life, enjoying their moments. I am in love with life (I have my bad days as anyone else does) and want others to see that if they just let go and see the wonderful-ness (yes, I said wonderful-ness) that they can truly be content. It's not about what you're wearing, what car you're driving or what you don't have because the essentials - people that love you and are continually there for you - are priceless.
6. In regards to your photography, how would you describe your style? Is it at all a reflection of your personality?
I have an addiction to trying the find the good in people - the beauty of everyone. It sounds really lame, I know, but I believe that everyone can be attractive - inside or outside. I've been told I have an odd way of looking at things - finding magnificence where it is questionable but...no buts. That's just me.
When I was younger, I wished someone would have told me that I was beautiful (once, twice...ever) because I spent the greater part of my teenage years wanting to be beautiful, which is kinda stupid when you think about it because that only encompasses the outside "you". It doesn't reflect who you are as a person or what you're made of. I had no control over my looks. There was a genetic makeup that I had no authority over and what came out was this ultra-awesome person that you have before you (no, just joking).
I just want people to be comfortable with themselves - to appreciate themselves. I want them to have on a daily basis what I was missing those many years ago. I want them to laugh outrageously and unapologetically. I want to share my joy.
7. If you could have one "dream" photoshoot, who would be the subject and what would be the setting?
Ooh, I don't know. I wouldn't even know where to start with that one. I would like to photograph a destination wedding in the near future.
8. What's your advice for up and coming folks who want to go from hobby to pro?
Be serious about it. Nothing irks me more than someone that just purchased a digital camera and starts calling themselves a professional photographer. I don't consider myself a professional photographer yet and it's been four years. I am still learning, still honing my craft, still striving to be better.
Read your manual. Read photography books. Just Read! This is a skill and you need to know what you're doing to replicate it. You need to understand your equipment and what you can and can't do with it. People are so used to having information dropped in their laps that having to go look for it is torture. I've learned most of what I know from reading with additional help from my father.
Be prepared to spend tireless hours in front of the computer if you're shooting digital. My images just don't appear - I make them. I use very little Photoshop-ery but every image has been loved by me, personally.
If you love it - live it!
I was asked by speakurpeace.com to do a brief interview.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EIGHT TO THE POINT WITH DARIA JOHNSON!
[ Click here for the live version. ]
Daria Johnson is an AMAZING photographer we discovered through her link with The 5th L. She designed their site and also does photography for them. When I found my way to her site (DariaJohnson.com), I was impressed beyond measure by the classic appeal of her photography. Her passion for the craft is quite obvious.
Daria was gracious enough to grant us this interview.
1. So, when did you first discover your love for photography?
To be perfectly honest, it was after the birth of my son, Ade, four years ago. Although my father has been a photographer (now turned hobbyist), I was never really interested in photography and found most of our photographic "outings" pretty boring. I couldn't fathom waking up at 5 a.m. to photograph icicles or going downtown at 4:30 p.m. to wait 2 hours for a sunset. It was a waste of time in my eyes. I was there mostly to carry a bag or make sure there weren't intruders lurking in the midst (or large dogs for that matter) or to test lighting. I never really participated in the actual "picture-taking" process.
All that changed when the Small One (or "the Boy" as we call him) arrived. I didn't want to miss anything he did. I took pictures while he slept. I took pictures in the tub. I just kept taking pictures and I kept getting better. I eventually wanted to learn the technical side so I could become a better photographer and that's where my father stepped in. If I had a question, he would explain it until I understood and then I would put it into practice. Most other things I would look up myself - I have a very large book collection, ranging from interior design (my first love) to photography (my greatest love).
2. Were there any photographers that inspired you to do it professionally?
No, not really although there are photographers that inspire me to be a better photographer.
I started taking pictures at local poetry events and one day someone asked if they could pay me to do it. My first gig paid $40 and that was back when I was getting film developed. I thought that I could turn it into a hobby and did but it eventually became something more.
I am a photo snob - and I own it - so most of my "great" photographers have been in the game for a while. My current faves (because they change almost daily) are Herman Leonard (most famous for his jazz photography), Richard Avedon, Platon (newer to the game), and Marc Baptiste for starters.
Others who are not my favorite but I really respect their work: Annie Liebovitz, Jonathan Mannion, Peter Hurley, and Marc Selinger. I have at least a good hundred photographers bookmarked in my web browser but there are far too many to name.
3. Tell me about your first professional camera and photoshoot.
My first shoot? Hmm. I don't know if I can remember the first shoot, other than the one I stated before. I've assisted a few local photographers with weddings and got paid to do it (and some for free). But I truly cannot remember a first.
My first camera was a Canon Rebel 66 (35mm film camera). My father bought it as a gift on a trip to Hong Kong. I guess he got tired of me borrowing his Pentax 35mm. He bought one for me and another for my sister-in-law (who lives in Texas) who also had in interest in photographing my nieces and nephews.
That camera was stolen and I was broken...devastated even. I then bought a Canon EOS 3, another 35mm camera but this one was a beast! It was sexy! Paid $700 for it and another $200 for a medium-grade lens and I was off. I shot a lot of slide film - to guarantee my colors were on point - and love, love love love black and white photography. That was a wrap.
I was skeptical about going digital because I think (even now) that film has an honesty to it - a warmth that digital loses. I eventually made the switch about 3 years ago (I think) but still have (and will never sell) my film camera. I have sold old lenses but that was after I accumulated the arsenal that I have currently.
This is an expensive lifestyle. I'm not complaining. I'm just saying.
4. What is your current camera of choice?
Canon! Canon! Canon! The 5D to be exact. I am the poster-child for everything Canon and it doesn't have anything to do with inferior images from Nikon or any other distributer but my mind works best under Canon supervision. I understand the menus, the operation and I've been with them so long that a switch would be suicide.
My gear includes:
Canon 5D
Canon 20D
Canon 16-35mm f/2.8
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8
Canon 50mm f/1.4
Canon 85mm f/1.8
(2) Canon 430EZ flashes
5. Your wedding photography is absolutely amazing, and I also see that you shoot quite a few "expecting" women? Which do you enjoy most?
Happy people, hands down. It's not about the occasion, the clothes, the location or the desired result with me. If the subject is happy and relaxed, it will always be a great shoot.
I love to see people enjoying life, enjoying their moments. I am in love with life (I have my bad days as anyone else does) and want others to see that if they just let go and see the wonderful-ness (yes, I said wonderful-ness) that they can truly be content. It's not about what you're wearing, what car you're driving or what you don't have because the essentials - people that love you and are continually there for you - are priceless.
6. In regards to your photography, how would you describe your style? Is it at all a reflection of your personality?
I have an addiction to trying the find the good in people - the beauty of everyone. It sounds really lame, I know, but I believe that everyone can be attractive - inside or outside. I've been told I have an odd way of looking at things - finding magnificence where it is questionable but...no buts. That's just me.
When I was younger, I wished someone would have told me that I was beautiful (once, twice...ever) because I spent the greater part of my teenage years wanting to be beautiful, which is kinda stupid when you think about it because that only encompasses the outside "you". It doesn't reflect who you are as a person or what you're made of. I had no control over my looks. There was a genetic makeup that I had no authority over and what came out was this ultra-awesome person that you have before you (no, just joking).
I just want people to be comfortable with themselves - to appreciate themselves. I want them to have on a daily basis what I was missing those many years ago. I want them to laugh outrageously and unapologetically. I want to share my joy.
7. If you could have one "dream" photoshoot, who would be the subject and what would be the setting?
Ooh, I don't know. I wouldn't even know where to start with that one. I would like to photograph a destination wedding in the near future.
8. What's your advice for up and coming folks who want to go from hobby to pro?
Be serious about it. Nothing irks me more than someone that just purchased a digital camera and starts calling themselves a professional photographer. I don't consider myself a professional photographer yet and it's been four years. I am still learning, still honing my craft, still striving to be better.
Read your manual. Read photography books. Just Read! This is a skill and you need to know what you're doing to replicate it. You need to understand your equipment and what you can and can't do with it. People are so used to having information dropped in their laps that having to go look for it is torture. I've learned most of what I know from reading with additional help from my father.
Be prepared to spend tireless hours in front of the computer if you're shooting digital. My images just don't appear - I make them. I use very little Photoshop-ery but every image has been loved by me, personally.
If you love it - live it!
Labels: personal, press materials
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