Rob Johnston’s Journey to Becoming a Photographer
Interview by Michael Abbondondolo
My name is Rob Johnston. I am an independent graphic designer and photographer based in New York City.
I was recently interviewed by my good friend Michael Abbondondolo in regards to my journey to becoming a photographer. Here are my answers. Enjoy!
What is your favorite type of photography? (Portrait, Still Life, Landscape) and why?
Portraits. I am the most fulfilled when I feel as though I have captured the human condition — in a way that was genuine and real. I shoot more like a photojournalist than a portrait photographer.
While studying at Ramapo College of New Jersey, I was lucky enough to be taught and mentored by Professor Thomas E. Franklin — the man who took one of the most iconic photographs in American history — Firefighters Raising the Flag.
Professor Franklin was intense and emotional about photography; I really admired that about him. His feedback was exceptional and he never held back. He was persistent that we were ethical about taking photographs. He taught us that we should be deeply and emotionally invested in our subjects. And whatever it is we are trying to capture, we should do it “in camera” and constantly push the envelope when thinking about composition, lighting, etc. That class was an invaluable experience.
Many of my first photographs were of the people closest to me. I would spend hours photographing my friends. I am truly grateful for my friends and family for their patience as I learned. Here are a few early photos:
Many photographers develop their own style. What sets your style out from the rest?
I feel that my work definitely has a certain style to it. I don’t think that it’s anything groundbreaking but there are definitely some reoccurring themes. Nostalgia is one. Ever since I was a little kid, I have always been very nostalgic. My Dad loves John F. Kennedy and when I was little, I found this giant book in his office filled with photos, taken by
Cecil W. Stoughton, of the Kennedy’s.
I could not articulate why I liked them at the time but I think it was the first time I had ever seen such compelling composition and I just loved how they made me feel. You felt like you were in the room. You felt the joy and love. In some, you even felt incredible tension. The black and white photos were timeless and the colored photos were golden and bright.
Which photographers influenced you the most, and how did they influence your thinking, photographing, and career path?
Ahmed Klink is essentially the reason I am a professional photographer today. While I loved photography in college, I didn’t think of my Canon Rebel T3 as a “real” camera and photography started to take a back seat to graphic design. I started getting serious with my camera again right around the time that I interviewed Ahmed on my podcast Meet the Creatives.
After telling Ahmed that I was planning on upgrading to a better camera, he advised against getting a new camera and convinced me to use my existing camera until it broke. I took Ahmed’s advice and did just that. In the months after that conversation, I would go on to take more pictures than I had ever taken in my entire life. When I finally went to the store to upgrade to a new camera, I felt a great sense of pride, knowing that I had paid my dues and I felt ready for the next chapter of my career.
Finally, Peter McKinnon’s YouTube channel fundamentally changed my life. It was there that I discovered essentially everything I know, like how to use Lightroom, create workflows, presets and countless other tips and tricks. I cannot recommend Peter’s channel enough for people who want to learn about photography/videography.
How do you get paid to do what you want to do with your photography?
When you’re first starting out, do it all for free — that’s what I did. Fall in love with the process, not the money. I spent countless hours photographing the people around me and learning my craft before I ever charged a single dollar. Eventually people get it in their head that you take pictures and start to call you and you build momentum from there. Now I get paid on a regular basis to do things that I would do for free — and that’s the greatest feeling in the world.
If you would have asked me what my dream job would be in college, I would have told you that I wanted to work alongside my favorite designer Jon Contino. Two and a half years later that dream would become a reality. It was a crazy full circle to see my photography work on his website. Ironically, I got the gig because Jon’s intern Brent liked my family portraits. I rest my case. 😄
