Photo Tips from Jeff Johnson-How to Get Mojo in a Photograph

[Burkard], is really into wide landscapes, and having things go out with color and light, and action. And, I think mine — he shoots other things too and I shoot different things — I think my, what I do best is people, and getting some sort of emotion out of the people, it’s hard to pin point that thing that’ s happening. You know, when you got it. You know. And, it’s usually, when you’re not setting something up. I’m sure Chris has had this happen, where you have this idea, where you go and you set it up and something else happens at your shot.

Marc: Right.

Jeff: And, that’s the mojo. You know, that shot, you thought about, that you set up, is not the shot you want from, my experience. That’s what you didn’t plan on and you hope that you captured that thing and you didn’t plan on it.

Marc: So, it’s being prepared for that?

Jeff: Being prepared. Like, the other day, I was, shooting this guy Fred Beckey, shooting his portrait and a climber was doing a book on him, he’s just this classic guy in his late 80s and  he’s just like a classic looking character of his features. I was shooting portraits and people were talking and I was standing back and I saw him, he was just tired, he is tired. You know, it was late in the day [Jeff wipes face], and he just went like that, and I clicked those shots off because those were my favorite. You know, those were really doing it, instead of the camera. He was like wiped out, tired. And, he had his hands on his face the whole time and I got that real quick and I think those are, I think, that’s the mojo. I think that’ s what Chris is talking about.

See  Travel Photography—Jeff Johnson’s Tips for Stunning Images and Jeff’s Books: Bend to Baja and 180 Degrees South