Looking at other artists: Erik Johannson

Erik Johannson is an incredible fine art photographer and his imagination just amazes me.  I did another blog post on him once before, but I must have deleted it. I can’t find it. I thought it would be good to look at him again.

He turns his world inside out and I so want to do something like this, but I worry I don’t have the imagination.

While looking around on the internet I found some videos of how he works. I thought I might share some and maybe some of his images.

See if you are inspired by his work.

It makes me want to try some things, and when I saw these videos and saw that he starts with drawings, I wonder if I should do the same thing. It is a good way to start. I would have to find some of my old sketchbooks.

The final image.

The more you go into the work the more you can see how detailed it is.

The imagination is really going to have to start working overdrive here.

I would highly recommend you check him out.

His website is

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29 Comments

  1. That guy has some fantastic images, Leanne. Thanks for the lead. Also thanks to lensaddiction for the reference to Brooke Shaden. I was not familiar with her. Another conceptual photographer that I admire is Marisa White, although she doesn’t do much how-to discussion on her website.

    1. His work is amazing. I did do an influencing me post on Brooke on my old blog, but it was a couple of years ago. Her work is great, but all portrait, which is why I don’t tend to follow her too much now, but she showed me a lot. I haven’t heard of Marisa White, I guess I better go and take look. Thanks Robin.

  2. Wow, that is so amazing! So much imagination and visualising needed, as well as the right gear! Thanks for sharing this very interesting post and artist, Leanne.

    1. I totally agree Leya, he is both, how lucky you got to see the work in an exhibition, I would love to see it, I wonder if we can convince him to have a show in Australia. Thanks Leya.

  3. First reaction: Damn’ silly place to put a water mill. Where’s the water. Took a closer look; watched the video Whoa! Respect! For me, the mark of good photography is getting people to ask ‘What’s going on? What is this about? Above all, take another look!

    1. Great comment travelrat, the video is amazing. I like your mark, that is fantastic, I will have to try and live up to it now. Thank you.

  4. No,No, No! It’s not the equipment that makes interesting art, it’s what’s in the artist’s or photographer’s mind or brain! The photograph should just be the starting point to exploiting all the wonderful digital, after-camera tools available to us all at quite reasonable cost.

    1. Who said it was David? I think we were discussing how we can’t do it the WAY he does, because we don’t have the budget, comparing ourselves with him. The other problem is the imagination, that is my biggest hurdle, believing in myself and just doing it. There does come a point where you have to say you can’t do some things though because imagination will only get you so far. Thanks David.

  5. If you are looking at getting into compositing, I can recommend the Brooke Shaden videos on Creative Live, and Karen Talbot from Story Art has a lot you can access via membership to her sites. Erik’s work is amazing and an impressive scale to pull it off in a landscape

    1. I know how to do compositing, that isn’t the problem for me, unfortunately, it is the imagination, and trying to work out what to do. I have some ideas, I just have to get off my butt and do them. Thanks.

    2. Yes she is, I’ve seen a lot of work and watched her many times, but what she does is not exactly what I want to do, but I do admire her.

  6. Absolutely stunning! I watched his work and the process with admiration for Johannson’s creativity. But I also noticed the elaborate equipment he is using for his pictures. Then with a certain degree of resignation I tell myself to be happy with my $500 camera. Very interesting post, Leanne!

    1. Yes, I thought the same while watching it Peter, he does have a good budget it would seem. We will have to make do with what we have and make do. I’m glad you found it interesting, thank you Peter.

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