Picture was taken at the Rooftop Rodeo in Estes Park Colorado. The people in the photo are (L) Greg Westfall (Limon Colorado), (M) Joy Johnson, (R): TJ Johnson
Today we’d like to introduce you to TJ Johnson.
TJ, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It all started when I got my first 33mm camera a long time ago. I just started taking pictures of everything and everybody. I did a lot of travel back then, so I took my camera everywhere. My friends started asked me to take photos for their weddings, sports, portraits. I didn’t do it for money, just for fun. When a co-worker told me how much she paid for her wedding. I thought it was ridiculous. So in 1987, I started a part-time business. I didn’t have a lot of business, mostly work for friends. My break came when I was introduced into Livestock Show Photography at the Harris County Fair.
Things started to pick up after I had been with them for a few years. Others saw our work, I started getting requests to do more FFA/Livestock Shows. My wife Joy started to help me with the shows when it got to be more than one person could handle. We now do 12 FFA/Livestock Shows a year. We have to turn down some jobs. We are a two-person operation, we can only do so much. That keeps us pretty busy and allows us to have a real life at the same time. We added Rodeos to our portfolio several years ago. I must say, we really enjoy it. Some of the nicest people you will ever meet are part of the Rodeo Family.
Now, we plan Rodeo vacations when we can. Over the years, we have built a friendship with the Cervi Championship Rodeo out of Roggen Colorado. We usually get behind the scenes access when we travel with them. Those are the best photos and rodeos are just a lot of fun. We have made a ton of new friends through our photography business and it has opened up new opportunities. And we don’t want this to turn into a job. We are where we are now because of the people we have met along the way. Its fun now, we’d like to keep it like that.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our biggest challenges begin with the introduction of Digital SLR cameras. We did fairly well until they became really popular and affordable. Not as many people purchased 33mm SLR cameras. We no longer have the advantage, lots of people have the same equipment we do.
And with the advancement of cell phone technology, everyone has a camera all the time. Potential clients just snap a photo anytime. It’s not the greatest picture. But is a picture. That’s all that matters.
And they can have it posted online before we even leave the show ring. We just hope that we can capture images that they want to purchase. You really don’t get into this business for the money. You have to it because you enjoy what you do.
Please tell us about TJ Johnson Photography.
Most of our work comes from Livestock Show photography. We are hired by Organizations to take photos of Exhibitors with the buyers of their projects at show Auctions. On most of our shows, we also take candid pictures while exhibitors are showing their projects. I guess what sets us apart is that not just anyone can take pictures of animals. It takes a lot of patience. We don’t limit ourselves to only Livestock Show Photography. We also photograph family portraits, Senior pictures, weddings, etc.
Some of our business comes from the connections we make at these events. We get a lot of referrals. Lots of people did not realize we did a little bit of everything. We don’t have a studio, we do all the location photography. Most people feel better in their own environment. Our pricing is affordable and we are not fancy. We provide a quality product at a reasonable cost.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The most important thing is you have to enjoy what you do. If you just doing it to do it, the photos will reflect that.
You have to be a people person to be successful. Doesn’t take much effort to be nice, say hello, have a brief conversation. When photographing animals, it takes a great deal of patience. It’s a knack you have to develop.
It’s not for everyone, especially if you don’t care for animals. We have a fast turn around on our photos. We usually have prints in the mail within a week. We’ve been told by some clients they had been waiting for months.
Pricing:
- Most photo sessions start at $200.
- The wedding starts at $1500. Same conditions apply. How long do you want us there?
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tjjphoto.smugmug.com
- Phone: (832)521-3754
- Email: tj@tjjphoto.com
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