Blake Johnston

"My name is Blake Johnston and I’m a film photographer based in Yosemite National Park, CA.

I took the plunge into the film photography world when I picked up a medium format camera shortly after moving to Yosemite as a dishwasher in the fall of 2018.  

I spent the first 9 months experimenting with different cameras and learning to understand the way

film stocks render a scene.

With time, I found film that I felt complimented

my visual intentions. 

I hope my photographs encourage people to experience more of the natural world. The beautiful outdoors have a tremendous positive impact on your mind, body & soul.

Only time will tell how long some of these places will last.

I’m often drawn to ephemeral moments which can provide a challenge on Large Format.

Because of this, I have to study the light more and pre-plan… when everything lines up, the reward makes it all worth it.

Shooting film is more than just making photographs.

It’s become therapy - a way of embracing life’s uncertainty.

I try to remind myself to enjoy living in the moment because tomorrow is not guaranteed.

If I’m lucky, I get to share some of these precious moments using a tangible medium I love."

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