STILL photography:
40 years of personal works by neil johnson

August 1 - September 28, 2019
coolspace @ artspace

“Moments captured in a non-stop journey through 40 years of life adventures.”
This is how Neil Johnson describes the images in the exhibition of his “in-between” photos. These are the photos taken in the non-paying moments; taken for the pure love of the medium. Johnson’s paths may seem to go in different directions, but, in the end, what has energized and driven Neil throughout his life is photography - teaching it, experimenting with it, writing about it, and living it. For Johnson, it is all still photography.

STATEMENT FROM THE ARTIST

I am a photographic explorer using my cameras to enjoy, retain, question, learn from, and share details of the many worlds I encounter, near and far. I also allow my images to explore and question me. Photographic technology—my cameras and their partners, computer hardware and software—are useless without human curiosity, passion, humility, and an open mind. 

When I see an image that invites—or demands—capture, a dialogue begins and continues from capture through the edit process, ending with its eventual display. This dialogue may take less than a day or can take years as many captured images are stored for future study and possible display. 

A miniscule number of the thousands upon thousands of the images I have captured succeed. The successful images (that document, inform, give joy, question) are collaborations between me, my muse and each subject or image itself. I have learned to listen to the quiet whispers of my muse over the many external voices clamoring to be heard. Each and every successful image has surface, deeper or mystery meanings. Often, I avoid searching for answers to the mysteries because I prefer the mystery. 

Some of my images end up being simply a celebration of this incredible, versatile, and sometimes magical medium. 

I love that Shreveport and photography were both officially presented to the world in 1839. Photography is 180 years old, but, though the technical aspects have radically changed, it is still photography.

EXHIBITING ARTIST:
Neil JOhnson

ARTIST BIO

I am a product of Shreveport. Southfield School, Byrd High School, Washington & Lee University in Virginia, then back to Shreveport. Grad school was 4 years as a technician in a photo lab. Then I ventured behind a camera as a very naive businessman and photographer in 1980. I learned to be professional, but not as a wedding/portrait photographer, as a commercial and magazine photographer. I have learned by doing and believe strongly that learning never ends! I never stopped shooting for me. Does that make me an artist? I guess.

For more works by Neil: https://www.njphoto.com