After a lot of self reflection on my photography along with some changes in my non-photographic life, Pete and I have decided to part ways. Not as brothers obviously, he is stuck with me on that for a while yet, but as partners in johnsbrothers.photography. It is a mutual decision, but primarily driven by my decision to step away from photography for a while.
My interest in photography really started in 2005 after being asked by a work client to take some photos for use in a display at a public exhibition. Thankfully, Pete had just made the transition from film to a Canon 350D so I had the perfect opportunity to steal his kit to get the shots needed. Since then I built my own collection which evolved from a Canon 40D, to the lovely 5D Mark 2 with a strong collection of L series lenses (lens addiction!). In 2014, I took what felt like a slightly dramatic decision to change from Canon and I have been shooting with the fantastic Fuji XT-1 since which, for a while, helped me re-find the passion for craft of photography which I hadn't noticed I had lost.
From that first exhibition, photography was the spark that made me want to learn more about the ecology of the natural world, be it birds, bugs, toadstools, the local landscape or the coast. It helped that my day job over the years has involved designing coastal defences, assessing coastal process and, most recently, bringing water and ecology back into developments through the use of Sustainable Drainage which reinforced an appreciation of the world and its natural process.
As a result I realise that I have always seen the camera, and in some respects Photography itself, as more of a tool that helps me learn and get close to the things that are now fascinating me and ultimately I feel like the style of my photography over the last few years hasn't actually reflected the way I wanted it to go.
Whats next?
For the site? Over the next couple of weeks the website, facebook page, twitter and Instagram feed will change to petejohns.photography. Pete has been driving the page for a while and johnsbrothers has been a brilliant springboard to push his photography to another level. I'll still be in the background, cheering him on, but everything on the site from now on will be his work.
For me? The kit has gone and I now have have some refocusing to do (laugh) and maybe at some point I will dip my toe back into photography. For now I will be concentrating on other things, probably on a bike somewhere. I will still be on instagram though (@andyjohnsphoto).
Thanks for everything
Andy
