Terry Johnston Photography

I shoot people. Visit TerryJohnstonPhoto.com to learn more about me.

[terryjohnston]

Title: Jack the Magnificent. That one time when your bosses kid helps you with your Grand Rapids Symphony shoot and he instantly reminds you of yourself at that age... the only difference is roles are reversed. This time around I played the part of my grandfather and he of me. It was bizarre, awesome, and fun to watch him go. I also let him walk around with up to $25,000 in camera gear and that shows you just how much I trusted him. I dare say he was a lot more careful with my gear than I am... nothing was broke, but I thought his mom might pass out when she heard about that. I mean it's just gear, right? Not going to lie, he has the eye, he held the camera like you are suppose to (and that is a rarity), he even caught on to metering. He does need need me to teach him focusing which is totally not his fault. Who is at fault? Those damn iPads and iPhones that is who! So here is a Secret Santa story... I got him a DSL for Christmas. YES A DIGITAL CAMERA LIKE MINE, just not full frame and much smaller for his hands. He is at the age where someone did the exact same thing for me and it's time for me to repay that. He is going to die and maybe pass out. I will once again be COOL TERRY! ONE LAST THING: He also gets a pair of colored glasses, not pink but a fun shade all his own!

[terryjohnston]

Title: Justin Hopkins. I alway wear a smile after the Grand Rapids Symphony has a guest soloist... like clockwork and minutes after each show I get a influx of emails about “OMG YOUR PHOTOS!!!” It makes me wonder... “do other photographers just not get live shows?” and a bit of “I can’t be that good?, I mean it’s easy for me!” So what is my secret? I’m not sure, for me the flow seems to come naturally but if I had to give any advice... Terry’s 5 Things for Photographing Live Shows.

5 Things for Photographing Live Shows: 1. Know your stage. Some spots will be craptastic for images, so why shoot that area? Know where the sweet spots are on stage and use them to your advantage. Stop trying to make a photo happen when the lighting can’t! Also, show up early... test shots and make a game plan out in your head! 2. Stage lighting means white is not white. Stop with all those custom white balances. They cause your images to look flat and murky. Stage lighting was done for a reason and your photos need to show it! Also, know how to meter light properly and how to compensate for low light is always helpful. 3. You are never going to have perfect lighting! Stop expecting it and learn how to shoot in any circumstance. This also means you need to be fast to adapt and think on the fly. To be honest... I find 100% perfect settings absolutely boring, I mean where is the fun in that? 4. If there is more than 1 person in your image, do they all look nice? You would think this would be a no-brainer. Stop posting images where people do not look right, making a face, eating, etc. Be professional for a change. 5. Ask Questions, Problem Solver. If you don’t understand a rule, or do you not know all the rules of the venue? Why are you not asking? This is the first way to get on everyones good side and be welcomed back. Also, don’t break a rule... that shows you have ZERO RESPECT for the organization and the venue. Do they have a house photographer there? If yes, don’t be a hinderance or jerk to them. I see this all the time and it’s very unprofessional and for a lack of better word all so BASIC. Photo Credit: Grand Rapids Symphony / Terry Johnston. Holiday Pops 2016.

[terryjohnston]

Title: The Walking Dead. There is something magical about Halloween in New York City... from the energy to the masses of people out on the streets in costume it was a street photographer’s candy store. The image above is the one image from wandering around on Halloween that stands out to me as “the one” and I had to share.

Halloween 2015 in NYC. Shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a 50mm f/1.2L lens.

[terryjohnston]

Title: Table Top. Everything deserves to have a moment and needs to have it’s moment. I’m still infatuated by reflections and window/retail shots... but in my newest series of photos I’m getting way more technical and resemble multiple film exposures even more closely. Terryflection. Shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and EF 50mm f/1.2L combo.

[terryjohnston]

Title: Sketchbook. Creativity can’t be rushed. Moments can not be manufactured and inspiration comes and goes. My time in NYC has reinforced all of these things and my eye has not only adapted, but changed. NYC Street Photography. Columbus Circle. Shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a EF 50mm f/1.2L lens.

[terryjohnston]

Title: Happy Hour. I’m known for being a white balance OCD crazy person and yet I understand there are moments when the surrounding colors of a shot are what makes a photo. This is especially important in low light candid shots. Getting my subjects skin color, shirt color, and even tones right would make this image nothing less than boring. The surrounding lights and colors are what illuminated him and helped pop him out of the darkly lit bar. Oh, and I’m living for the blurred reflection in the wooden bar... so nice! New Orleans outtake. Street photography shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a EF 50mm f/1.2L lens.

[terryjohnston]

Title: High Stakes. While I know that most religious fanatics who protests in public with these kinds of displays are down right crazy... having said that, me and my camera will never get tired of taking photographs of them. One catch is that I want to capture them candid and caught off guard. The in your face moments are far too easy and do not interest me all that much. The candid moment is when you reveal their true selves and if you look over this shot you see lot of pain, loneliness, and anger in their faces. Their meaning is lost in their eyes. New Orleans / Bourbon Street Outtake. Street Photography. Captured with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a EF 50mm f/1.2L lens.

[terryjohnston]

Title: Fanfare. This past week I was in New Orleans and had a list with me of things I wanted to seek out and photograph. Unfortunately I went to The Big Easy on the hottest summer month of their season and was challenged with 105 degree weather with an almost 100% humidity level. Let me just say... I didn’t get to take many photos. I ran into issues of my camera overheating, lenses fogging up from going in and out of air conditioned spaces that were set to 60 degrees, and the dreaded sensor getting condensation on it. The heat and humidity wrecked havoc on my gear and I got to a point where I had to say “NO MORE PHOTOS!” I will be back and the people of New Orleans have won me over. Next time you will be far better photographed by me!

[terryjohnston]

Title: Downpour. Rule Number One of an event photography: ALWAYS GET THE SHOT! ... and by always that means any weather condition, too many scenarios to list, and even photos that are deemed impossible.  Having said that... the first thing I learned many many years ago was to make sure that not only my camera bodies were weather-sealed, but that my lenses were as well. I also made the choice to add on and purchase breathable rain/weather gear... no matter the condition, I will be there to take the photo. Outtake. Kalamazoo Pride 2015. Kalamazoo, Michigan. Shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens.

[terryjohnston]

Title: The Scholar. A portrait should always showcase the individuals who step in front of your camera and in the end you should be able to see a likeness to your subject in real life. The worst portrait one can take as a photographer is one that does not do these things. If your portrait is nothing but a person posed for a photo... then it doesn’t have life. Location: Chicago, IL. Shot with a Canon EOS 6D and a EF 50mm f/1.2L lens.

[terryjohnston]

Title: TXT. I’m just as guilty as the next person but this image is speaking volumes to me... as a photo it’s strong in composition, lighting, and even story. Having said that as I look at this photo I can only think about how humans are interacting to one another. We are missing out on so much... we are missing out on friends, stories, random moments in life, and it’s ugly. Street Photography. Chicago, IL. Taken with a Canon EOS 6D and a EF 50mm f/1.2L lens.

[terryjohnston]

Title: Soul Searching. I’m often asked about where I draw inspiration for my photo shoots... so today I hope to shed some light on my 4-step process. Step 1: First and foremost I do research. When shooting a brand I dive into their marketing, online presence, and even look into the market they influence. If a musician or band is involved I start off by listening to their newest work and then take a few steps back and listen to who they say has influenced them. I spend time researching specific times and periods of fashion, make up trends, and even hairstyles. This is also the point where I start to think about locations / sets for the shoot. I also take a moment to think about what kind of shoot I would like to do and where I’d like to see the shoot go in my vision. Step 2: I make a “Look Board” and start pinning influences to it. I highly suggest NOT making this digital. Why? There is a special process that happens when you print out, cut out, or even draw on an actual board. There is a feeling that happens when you walk past it and even a mood that is struck when you look at it. These boards help to not only show things you like, but helps you put all the pieces together and makes them cohesive. This is also the time where I meet with my client/persons and discuss my overall vision... and the board helps them visually see it as a whole. This is also the time where you can start editing out looks and feels that did not feel right or match the overall outlook. Step 3: Test Shots. Photographers... try out and practice your looks before getting to your shoot. I’m surprised how many will just show up to a shoot and hope for the best. There is nothing magical about getting to a shoot and having your idea NOT WORK the way you hoped it would. In fact, it ruins shoots and destroy the moment. Not to mention it doesn’t make you look good in front of clients. Trust me when I say this... they can see when you are sweating on a shoot and it tenses everything. Step 4: Shoot day and making the magic happen. If it’s not fun then why do it? For me once I get to this step I know the vision and I know how to achieve it. All that is left is to make the shoot fun and as lively as possible. Make jokes on the shoot, get your subjects talking, make them feel amazing, and last but not least use all your research and skills at your disposal. Location: Site Lab / Rumsey St. Model: Singer-songwriter Casey Stratton.

[terryjohnston]

Title: The Breakdown. Sharing an image today from a recent shoot with singer-songwriter Casey Stratton for his upcoming release “Solus”. We were on location at their new Site Lab: Rumsey St. space.  Casey has worked with me on numerous collaborations and we always seem to be in tune to what each other is thinking and seeing visually. So when I suggested that the Solus shoot resemble natural lighting in darker spaces Casey was totally on board and ready. My original thought was to shoot in a house or music venue, but was thrilled when a member of Site Lab told me about a vacant church on their new Rumsey St. site. I also knew the images were going to be black and white so I coached Casey on what colors to wear outfit wise... when shooting black and white images the worst thing to have is your model in all black and white clothing. In this shoot Casey sported green pants, a gray shit, red tie and even lavender accents... doing this helped with the entire tonal range of the photo shoot. This time around I also took the role of art director and yes there were moments when I may have yelled “act like you are having a break down, look here, and look there!”, as well as “now get up there and lay across that piano!” So how were the images achieved? Well I shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and used a EF 35mm f/1.4L lens to obtain all my imagery. I used a lot of the natural light coming in through the church windows, however used carefully places strobes on battery packs to help punch not only case out of the frame, but to add controlled dramatics. Enjoy!

[terryjohnston]

Title: Alvin Hills IV Portrait / 2015 Transformational Leadership Program Urban Core Collective Grand Rapids, Michigan Set Up: Light Wall on the left with a AB400 Soft Box 45 degrees to the right. Shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a 85mm f/1.2L lens.

[terryjohnston]

Life After 40... Today I've found myself reflecting on 2014. I guess it all started when I realized that January 2015 is almost to an end. So today I'm reflecting on life after turning 40. First and foremost, my photography business is going well. I not only have the most amazing clients, but I had the ability to travel with my talents. As I look back I realize that work life has always been a strong suit that I have always wore with high honors and in 2014 I realized that I needed to better balance work and personal life. I started off by allowed myself time off. I restructured my schedule and also put more value of my time. I also set my goals high and found that I was able to reach them halfway through the year. Interesting enough, I found that by allowing myself personal time that my work life reaped with benefits. I was rested, I started bringing more of an A-Game to my shoots, and it allowed me to add more of a voice to my shoots.  As for my personal life... this is where I achieved the most growth in 2014. As I've already stated I allowed myself to hide behind my work for many years and my personal life was not only suffering, but it was starting to become not existant. So what changed? A lot... I surrounded myself with people who enjoy me for me. I also learned that I didn't need to be everyones best friend. The biggest thing that I realized is that it was time to surround myself with people who saw me as a person and not a commodity. I also let the past be the past, got over it, and realized that it honestly never mattered. What happens yesterday or even last week is over... it's all about moving forward. I started dating again. Yes, dating! For a little more than 5 years I allowed my past to control my love life. I allowed the pressures of work to dictate not having time. I harbored and bottled up dealing with the loss of an ex, and stigma around HIV were the key factors to me not dating. For the first time in many years I allowed myself to fall in love, I had my heart broken and broke a few hearts along this new journey. I went on dates, some good and many tragic... but I went on dates.By doing all of these things I finally had the light go off and realized what I do not want and more importantly I realized the type of person I'm willing to share my life with. This journey is still in progress but every day is another step forward. 2014 was also the year where I put "my money where my mouth is!" I backed openly gay Michigan representatives and helped out with the change that is so needed in the state I call home. It lent my talents and joined a few boards and committees. I found kinship with like minded professionals, activists, and people who I never thought I'd have an understanding with. By doing this it made me feel as if I was part of the difference. My opinions were valued even if they were not the opinions of others. These values of opinions helped me learn that everyones opinion matters and everyones voice is just as important as mine. It was time to make the change from the frontline. The hardest thing about 2014 was coming to terms with living in a state where time after time LGBTQ folk have been told we do not matter. I'm not going to lie that the things I've seen in Michigan have been one of the hardest things to stomach. A lot of change needs to happen sooner than later... time will only tell and I have my stopwatch running. At the end of the days... I learned that I'm worth a lot more than I gave myself credit for in the past. I finally feel as if I'm making a place in the world around me.

Photo by JD Urban. Red Hook, Brooklyn - New York City.

[terryjohnston]

Title: A Stitch in Time. Retal/through a window reflection shot. Red Hook, Brooklyn. Taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a EF 50mm f/1.2L lens.

[terryjohnston]

Title: Disneyland. If you've never headed out during the night to shoot street photography... I stand to tell you that you are missing out. When you hit the streets at night your subjects change in various of ways from their daytime personas.  I've found that at night people are a little more in tune to seeing the camera, almost as if it is they are more aware of their surroundings at night. Body language tends to be a little more relaxed and facial expressions go from the "day-in-day-out" blank stares to a sense of adventure in peoples eyes. Also, every color tends to pop more. Reds are redder, blues seem to radiate a neon glow, and yellows really warm up everything. Having said that street lights also lend a lot of harsh lighting scenarios and you need to be aware of "sweet spots" for getting the shot. All in all... I will snap photos of people on the street any day or night, but my nighttime street portraits always have an extra magical edge to them. Street Photography / Times Square NYC. Shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a EF 50mm f/1.2L lens.