SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) – One of the beloved photographer’s last exhibitions was held at the city’s mayor’s office and is open to the public.
On Dec. 24, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council (SRAC) announced the death of Shreveport photographer and writer Neil Johnson. Johnson was a photographer who outstandingly captured life and showed the vibrancy of his subject’s souls in his work.
“His images will forever be a testament to his passion for photography and the profound impact it has on those fortunate enough to view the world through his lens,” says SRAC in the statement on Johnson’s death.
Later, on Dec. 26, the City of Shreveport and Mayor Tom Arceneaux expressed their sympathy to Johnson’s family, calling the artist a treasure.
“Neil Johnson was a Shreveport treasure, and the Mayor’s Office is honored and proud to have one of the last exhibitions of his work in the Mayor’s suite on the second floor of Government Plaza,” said the City of Shreveport’s Facebook page. ” The exhibition highlights photographs of camellias, a favorite subject of Johnson’s. The exhibition is open to the public.”
Johnson was born and raised in northwest Louisiana. He traveled the world from Ireland to Bangladesh. He later obtained a degree in journalism from Washington & Lee University and while interning at a Shreveport Local paper in 1975 he became interested in a custom photography lab. He began his work there after graduating in 1976. In 1981, he left the lab and became a full-time freelance photographer.
“I stuck with it and found that my degree in journalism, my love of writing and fast-evolving skills in photography could be combined quite nicely in magazine journalism, and later, into the world of book publishing. In my magazine career, I found myself moving from stories about thoroughbred horses to urban blight and to many aspects of the arts,” said Johnson in his artist bio. “I also found a personal artistic freedom in that work and a way to satisfy my innate curiosity about the many facets of the world in general. My camera and writing opened many doors.”
Between his magazine jobs, Johnson pursued commercial photography and began to teach photography at Centenary College. His teaching career would go on for 23 years. Later, Johnson would land a contract for 16 non-fiction (and a few fiction) photo-illustrated books with top New York and East Coast publishers. He even was published by National Geographic.
“My two favorite book projects (so far) are the coffee-table photography books, Shreveport and Bossier City (1995) and Louisiana Journey (1997) both with LSU Press,” Johnson said.
To see more of Neil Johnson’s work, visit https://culturalyst.com/silverpixel.
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