photo by Mignonette Dooley Johnson

My photography story begins with the Kodak camera my grandmother gave me one Christmas. I was twelve. Some of the first pictures I took were of my mother and father in formal attire on their way to a new mayor's inaugural ball in Gary, IN, 1968.
 

The intensity of my passion for photography fluctuated throughout the years with me now thinking 'How did I miss that, why didn't I take more pictures?' A couple of the answers are clear: Film rolls limited the number of shots you could take; cameras can be bulky items to carry with you at all times. Now, with the advent of digital photography, I try not to miss anything since my phone's camera can take a pretty good shot, and I'm good at making a quick draw from my pocket.

I'm also a writer and poet. When someone asks if I'll publish my photography along with my poetry, I'm usually resistant to the idea. I write to tell stories, to supply a reader with a picture. What good are words if you can't see something? I think a photograph should supply the words with little, or no need, for explanation. I hope the photos displayed here serve that purpose.

I haven't, however, shut the door on the media working together. Thank you for taking the time to look at my work. Use the contact page should you want to communicate with me, or the guest book, if you just want to say something. 

                                               Brandon D. Johnson