10 Questions to the Artist – Johnny Quirin
Today, I am interviewing Johnny Quirin. I love learning a bit more about our artists. Johnny is a photographer who works often with the Grand Rapids Magazine. He does not photoshop his work. Everything you see, he saw in real life. Its the getting the correct light and right angle while looking through your camera lens. Johnny’s images will be on display through the end of February. Many of them were shot in a California Desert. All images are for sale as hung or can be ordered in a different format.
Johnny Quirin’s answers to our 10 questions:
What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?
Johnny: “Music Drives me. I appreciate and listen to all types, but I have to say that the Blues is my favorite.”
Do you have an influence or theme that guides your work?
Johnny: “I honestly can say that I don’t. I just like photographing what I see.”
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Johnny: “I would never choose another profession other than photography, but I very much miss shooting for a newspaper. Being a photojournalist is the most satisfying job one could ever have. It’s too bad there are hardly any newspapers left to contribute to.”
What profession would you not like to do?
Johnny: “I would loathe working at a desk job daily.”
Who are your favorite artists?
Johnny: “Photographer Dorothea Lange. She put a face to those that endured the Great Depression.”
What is your favorite tool used to create your work?
Johnny: “Camera for sure, with the widest angle lens possible.”
What is your favorite word?
Johnny: “Deluxe”
What is your least favorite word?
Johnny: “It drives me crazy when people say “pitchers” when they are referring to “pictures”.
Who is your favorite musician?
Johnny: “Prince, hands down!”
How much formal education have you received? Related to your craft.
Johnny: “I had the good fortune of working with John Reyman, one of the best photographers in San Diego, California. His senior portrait style is second to none. Other than that, I took a few college courses here and there. However, I feel you don’t take photography classes to become good. You need to know about and understand people, and how to relate to them. I shoot a lot of feature pieces for Grand Rapids Magazine, mostly they involve environmental portraits of people in various walks of life. My day may take me from photographing folks in a homeless shelter to successful business men and women. As a photographer you need to be able to quickly be able to relate to your subject, find a common ground to talk to them about as you are trying to get them to relax and open themselves up to allow you to portray them truly.”
Take care, C2.
