Today we’d like to introduce you to Larry Johnson.
Hi Larry, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I came into the field of image making via a most unusual route — my day job was as a sought-after public speaker and a globally recognized educational technologist and futurist, roles that took me to more than 125 countries all over the world. Fortunately for me, it was a role that provided me with an endless stream of new things to capture and new stories to tell with each trip.
From the time I got my first camera as a teenager, I’ve maintained a strong creative interest in photography. Naturally, given all the international traveling my day job entailed, my first paid work in the field some twenty years ago was shooting travel-related content and portraits of interesting people in their natural environments. Over the years, my interests in the various aspects of photography evolved, and I found myself working with some incredible mentors, such as Bill Frakes, of Sports Illustrated fame, and storytellers and visual artists like Daniel Cox, Bill Allred and Jody Cobb of the National Geographic, to fashion and art photographers like Jarmo Pohjaniemi, Aleš Bravničar, Josh Ryan and Lindsay Adler. These influences made an indelible impact on every way in which I approach a shoot and helped to shape my style and visual sensibilities across a wide range of subjects, including wildlife, travel, sports, street photography, storytelling, portraits, and fashion/beauty.
Alright, 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?
I have been blessed with fantastic friends and mentors who have shared so much with me and the opportunities to shoot in a dramatic locations all over the world that most people will never get to experience, much less photograph. So, yes, in many ways it has been a very smooth but also very long road. I have been at this for decades. There have been times when my creativity was held back, either by too much comfort with what I was doing or by the endless advance of technology, which continually pushes us to keep learning all the time. Fortunately, I had really good friends and mentors who were not shy about helping me see what I needed to do.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I have reinvented my photography a good many times, exploring a wide range of the art, until in 2014, I landed in the studio producing fashion and beauty. In the last several years, my professional focus has shifted to fashion and beauty exclusively, with a strong editorial component, and today, fashion and beauty, primarily editorial, is all I do. I love it! I am known for a visual style that pushes boundaries and that is bold, dynamic and colorful. Some of the more notable locations my photo work has taken me to in just the last few years are Bali, Santorini, the Bahamas, Dubai, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, New Zealand, among many other notable spots in Asia and Europe. And then there are my regular visits to NYC, Miami, and LA, where it is always a joy to work in settings where the industry is able to produce work that cannot be done anywhere else.
What are you most proud of?
I guess that I am most proud that I have stuck with photography over the scope of my life, and managed to always find ways to continue to develop and grow. During COVID, I revisited the body of my work, now some 500,000 images that explore the length and breadth of this field. It is easy to focus on the work you are doing and lose sight of the value in the work you have done. I realized this past year that each step of the journey was essential to becoming the photographer that I am.
What sets you apart from others?
I make sure to spend time on projects that advance my own unique style — even if they have to be self-funded. I am also deeply interested in the craft of photography, and always have at least one deep-dive exploration going on into technical and creative aspects of the art that I want to know better.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
There were many — my dad was in the Air Force, and we lived in some pretty exotic places, like Bermuda, Germany, and North Africa. One of my favorites though was the pure joy of living surrounded by beaches and places to explore in Bermuda. We were in that amazingly clear water constantly.
Contact Info:
- Email: drljohnson@gmail.com
- Website: http://larryjohnson.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larry.johnson.photo/
Image Credits
Image 1 Photography: @larry.johnson.photo Art Direction: @lindsayadler_photo Styling: @lscstyling Model: @dianchikdaily Makeup: @Ann_twenty2makeup Hair: @Aleethaclanton Retouch: @larry.johnson.photo Location: NYC Image 2 Photography: @larry.johnson.photo Art Direction: @lindsayadler_photo Model: @fotiviktoria Styling: @lscstyling Wardrobe Design: @cindyzhangofficial Makeup: @Ann_twenty2makeup Hair: @Aleethaclanton Location: NYC Image 3 Photography: @larry.johnson.photo Model: @jade__amber HMU: @mary_alejo Retouch: @jarmopohjaniemi Wardrobe: @bikinicrushswimwear Location: Santorini, Greece Image 4 Photography: @larry.johnson.photo Art Direction: @lindsayadler_photo Model: @jjaymes Styling: @lscstyling Wardrobe Design: @cindyzhangofficial Makeup: @Ann_twenty2makeup Hair: @Aleethaclanton Location: NYC Image 5 Photographer: @larry.johnson.photo Photo Assistant: @elizabethrousselot Couture: @atelierbenson Model: @kellyxsingh HMUA: @teresa_romero Wigs: @teresa_romero Wardrobe Mistress:@battworks Retouch: @larry.johnson.photo Location: Austin, TX Image 6 Photographer: @larry.johnson.photo Photo Assistant: @elizabethrousselot Retouch: @larry.johnson.photo Couture & Quills: @atelierbenson Model: @kellyxsingh HMUA: @teresa_romero Wigs: @teresa_romero Wardrobe Mistress:@battworks Location: Austin, TX Image 7 Photography: @larry.johnson.photo Art Direction: @jarmopohjaniemi Retouch: @larry.johnson.photo Model: @ rachel_mortenson HMU: @mary_alejo Styling: @mary_alejo Location: Austin, TX Image 8 Photographer: @larry.johnson.photo Retouch: @larry.johnson.photo Location: Wellington, New Zealand Portrait 1 Photographer: @teodorapogonatphoto Retouch: @larry.johnson.photo
