JC Johnson

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View From the Sheep Ship

An Irish man asked me how we were seeing the country, and I told him they put us on a tour bus. He replied, “We call that the sheep ship.” So, here is my European series of my point of view through the moving window, or my View From the Sheep Ship.

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It’s here! A collaboration project between me and Kami Rice. 

From our imaginations to yours... A collaboration of image and text from two creatives. The book’s photos are taken in Europe and play with scale, creating a miniature effect. The stories are tiny, short fiction stories that narrate the photos, but are also intended to inspire you to find your own stories in the photos. Photos by JC Johnson and stories by Kami Rice.

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Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland, United Kingdom

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“What would you like to do today?” That’s the question asked by the London’s South Bank website, www.southbanklondon.com, and the question I ask myself the moment I step into the city. “What would you like to do today?” The answer is always the South Bank. Obviously, I enjoy the view of Parliament, the London Eye, the skateboard park, restaurants, the book fair, and Potters Field, but that’s not why I go there. I actually like the little details and the moments no one else sees or notices. For whatever reason, this is the place I find reflections; sometimes, it’s a self-reflection, couples reflecting about their relationship, and even the occasional literal reflection. There’s just something about it I can’t explain and I can’t define in words, but my photograph does.

Don’t come to the South Bank just for the sites, the events and the markets. Come because it’s something you’d like to do. 

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Captured: Nessie #79 & #95

Not A Legend But A Fact 

Everyone knows what the Loch Ness Monster looks like, or at least what she’s supposed to look like. We usually visualize the “Surgeon’s Photo” of 1933 claiming to have captured an image of Nessie. Despite the fact that it was proven as fake, we still associate that photo as the physical proof of the legend. 

Much like the Loch Ness monster, many other creatures have been used to either entertain or explain to humankind the world and the human experience. Ironically, we use photography to prove what we want the answer to be, regardless of the context. The local villages surrounding Loch Ness will often claim to not be concerned with proving the monster’s existence because not knowing is actually more powerful. They just enjoy the lore that comes with the legend and more importantly, the tourism. If all we need is a photo, then I have it! Take a look at my real picture of Nessie….

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This Chart Shows How Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO Affect Your Photos

Learning even just the basics of photography takes a bit of work and one of the more complex ideas is the relationship between ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. German photography blog Photoblog Hamburg has a graphic explaining how it works.

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Captured: Lorelai

Mermaids are real!

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This week's photo: Glendalough, Ireland

http://www.glendalough.ie/

The first time I came to this place, the most important part I remembered was the claim the monks lived to be old, and I mean really, really old. Like, Bible times kind of oId! I kept telling myself Ponce de Leon spent a lot time looking in the wrong place! Now, it’s been over 10 years since my first trip to Glendalough, and even if I remember those details incorrectly, I never forgot what the place looked like.

I always blame Ireland on making me a photographer. People often hear me say things like, “You can’t take a bad picture in Ireland.” “Ireland’s always has good light, even in the rain.” “You never get tired of the color green.” “The Guinness tastes better over there.”  I tend to go on and on with my memories, details and useless knowledge about the place. Eventually I realize most people have moved on in the conversation and it’s time for me shut up. So, naturally, I’d jump at the chance to take a new group of art students to the place that made me an artist. This last trip left us desperate for more time to explore and discover every corner of this ancient monastic site. At least we left and I heard a few them say, “I never want to leave this place. I’ll never be the same way again.”

Yes! I’ve done my job!

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No, it’s not a toy - it’s a real place! Come see why I do these strange images and why I’m fascinated with miniatures...I blame my childhood for this.

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JC Johnson

My Ladies: "We Only Attack When Provoked"