Photographer Dana Johnson highlighted at reception
The Bella Vista Arts Council recognized Dana Johnson as June’s artist of the month during a reception last Thursday.
“It’s awesome; it’s a real honor. Bella Vista has a lot of talented people,” Johnson said.
Johnson said he got started taking photos when he was working as a construction superintendent and spent a lot of time on the road with little to do. He started taking pictures of the places he went so he could share them online.
He retired two years ago and has been shooting somewhat seriously since 2012.
“My hobby became my obsession,” Johnson said.
The majority of his work is in Bella Vista, he said, with a focus on nature and wildlife. People are too difficult to work with, he said.
Johnson said his father painted wildlife, so his photography is somewhat following in his footsteps.
He’s out the door around 4:30 each morning, about an hour before sunrise, because early morning light produces the best shots and nobody is out to scare off the critters just yet, he said, and he wraps up about 9 a.m.
How a given morning looks is what determines where he goes to shoot, he added.
“Kind of judge the skies and figure out where I want to be to capture the sunrise,” he said. “A lot of times I don’t have a destination in mind until I get there.”
Anyone interested in photography should worry less about dropping a fortune on gear and focus on learning how to compose a shot, he said.
The most important part of photography is being there, he said — it’s impossible to get a shot without being in the right place at the right time.
“The moment you’re looking for can come and go,” Johnson said. “It’s the unexpected that you are usually most excited about because you were there and you were ready.”
Anyone interested in prints can contact Dana Johnson via email at Dana@danajohnsonphotography.com or look for Dana Johnson Photography on Facebook.
Terry Wilson with the Bella Vista Arts Council said he was excited to recognize Johnson’s work.
“Ninety-nine percent of his works are in Bella Vista,” Wilson said. “I love the way he does his work … he captures light, I think, very, very well.”
Carla Broyles was in the audience for the award presentation.
Broyles said she’s followed Johnson’s work via social media for four years, ever since she moved to the area, and she enjoys seeing it each day.
Every day it’s just wonderful,” she said. “He’s always got the shot. He gets the most heartwarming views.”