Drake Johnson
Photo by Justin Ching.
We love a polymath.
We love a multi-hyphenate, too. Some would say that the two are nearly interchangeable, and so would we. We also like photography and skateboarding. They are two of the main things that we like. Additionally, mushrooms aren’t bad. We dig it (get it? it’s a pun). In skater and photographer Drake Johnson, all of these things combine. The sponsored skater is as good at 360 flipping down a massive set of stairs as he is at clicking a shutter, and we are happy to feature him doing a bit of both.
Who are you?
Drake Johnson II.
What do you do?
I do quite a few things, but for the sake of the interview, Skateboard and shoot film photos.
How long have you been doing that?
Skateboarding eighteen years. Photography for about seven and a half years.
Where is home for you?
Columbus, Ohio will always be home but SF for the past like eight and a half years.
“The fact that it’s a moment in time, turned into this tangible thing that you can potentially have forever”
If you weren’t doing photography, what would you be doing?
Making and capturing memories some other way.
What do you think about the current state of the skate or photography culture that you’re engaged in?
Instagram has people acting weird in skateboarding.
What do you do outside of photography and skating and how does that thing influence or affect your craft?
Watch a lot of movies (on mushrooms), lets me see things through other people's eyes, which helps me see other perspectives, angles etc. Hiking (also on mushrooms) reminds me that beauty is everywhere in every moment.
The best/worst thing about the skate industry as you see it?
Best: Inclusivity. Worst: Lacks soul sometimes.
Something you’re most proud of?
Bringing my dreams to life while continuing to be fully myself.
Biggest lesson you’ve learned in life so far?
Best things in life are right on the other side of fear.
Something anyone can do today to make the world a better place?
Be authentically kind and don’t litter.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome so far in your industry?
Staying motivated and knowing where to put my energy.
Something people might not know about you?
I love to sing and I'm good as fuck at bowling.
Who do you think is doing it the best/coolest in your industry right now?
Skating: Deandre Thebpanya aka Lil Dre. Photography: Cristian Bravo aka La_melancoli.
What do you think the biggest issue young people are facing today?
The never ending search for everlasting instant gratification.
How do you think that photography has helped your skating and vice versa if at all?
Really I think skating has helped my photography because skating helps you have a different perspective, looking at spots differently, and seeing the angle something was filmed/shot at helps me with photography.
Your focus seems to be in portraiture, why do you think you’re drawn to that?
That’s kinda just what I post, I have a lot of other things I don’t show, but I think its because I like connecting with people and I want them to see themselves how I see them, which is most often times beautiful and unique.
When you begin your process, how do you start? How do you decide what to photograph and how?
I just wait until something looks cool or makes me feel something, find the angle that matches that feeling and take the photo. It's all about emotion.
You work primarily with analog cameras, what draws you to it?
The fact that it's a moment in time, turned into this tangible thing that you can potentially have forever, also feels almost immediately nostalgic.