How Milwaukee Photographer Aaron Johnson Snapped This Dusky Downtown Shot

Milwaukee photographer Aaron Johnson often rigorously plans his photographs. But this photograph of a dawn mirrored within the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons – no, that’s not the precise solar peeking between two buildings – was “pure serendipity.” 

We requested the Oak Creek-based photographer, artwork director, animator, videographer, and caricature artist how this fascinating shot unfolded and chatted about the best way he images Milwaukee. 

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What is your favourite factor about this photograph? What “makes” it?

What I really like most about this photograph is that it reveals the Milwaukee skyline from an angle individuals don’t often see. I’m at all times making an attempt to not repeat myself, and that push to discover a “new” or much less acquainted take is what drives a whole lot of my work.

With dawn photographs, it’s typical to both shoot straight into the solar or to have the topic absolutely lit from behind the digital camera. Here, the solar is hitting the skyline nearly 90 levels from my viewpoint, which creates this temporary second the place the sunshine displays off the Northwestern Mutual constructing and threads the needle between it and the US Bank constructing. That little keyhole of flare was a split-second alignment that basically makes the picture for me.

Late February and early March could be a powerful time of yr for landscapes, however that truly provides to what I like about this shot. Instead of counting on shade within the sky or foliage, the scene leans on how early mild picks out bits and items of town. I really like the drama of these tiny “spotlights” touchdown on particular person buildings and letting town reveal itself in fragments.

How lengthy did it take you to get that keyhole solar factor? Was it the plan or was it serendipity? Did you select US Bank and NWM buildings on goal?

Most of my photographs are rigorously deliberate. I often spend a whole lot of time interested by the time of yr, the angle of the solar, precise dawn timing, and climate circumstances. But this one was pure serendipity.

This photograph was taken on February 25, 2025, utilizing a drone. It was the beginning of what changed into an unseasonably heat day, so there was already a bit trace of spring within the air. I bought downtown early, earlier than dawn. I used to be planning to {photograph} the 12-foot Minion air tank on high of the Buzzi Unicem USA constructing. It’s a enjoyable little Easter egg for individuals who drive over the Marquette Interchange, and I wished to seize it at nearly “eye level” with the solar rising behind it.

While I used to be ready for the solar to achieve the suitable top for that shot, I reminded myself to go searching. It’s straightforward to get tunnel imaginative and prescient whenever you’re chasing a particular concept, and I attempt to not miss what else is perhaps occurring. As the early mild began hitting the skyline, I noticed the reflection was about to catch the curve of the Northwestern Mutual constructing.

So I switched plans and began lining up the skyline as an alternative, exposing for the solar flare off the glass and punctiliously shifting left and proper to squeeze the glare between the NM and U.S. Bank buildings. Right round 6:40 a.m., every thing lined up and the reflection slipped completely between the NM constructing and the U.S. Bank constructing.

It was very a lot a proper place, proper time second, and it ended up being a extra distinctive tackle the Milwaukee skyline than the shot I initially went out to get. I at all times say it’s higher to be constant than to depend on luck, however I’ll fortunately take getting fortunate when it reveals up.

Tell us a bit about your self and the way pictures matches into your life? Do you might have a “day job”?

I’ve been taking photographs since I used to be about 10 years previous, after I purchased my first little 110 movie digital camera. Storytelling by way of pictures has at all times been an curiosity and a interest, and finally it changed into one thing I might do professionally.

Along the best way I’ve additionally been a creator in different methods. I created and wrote a nationally and internationally syndicated caricature a few skilled photographer who additionally occurred to be a duck, known as What the Duck. That similar curiosity, discovering tales, discovering humor, and discovering that means in on a regular basis moments, carries into how I method pictures. I really like capturing the attention-grabbing, the mundane – and particularly discovering the attention-grabbing within the mundane.

That mindset has taken me to some fairly wonderful locations, together with time spent photographing in Tanzania earlier this yr, not lengthy earlier than I captured this skyline shot. But I additionally actually get pleasure from sharing the great thing about on a regular basis locations right here at house. Not everybody has the time, the means, and even the well being to get out and discover, and I like the concept my photographs may let individuals expertise a bit piece of town or the state they love.

My day job is as an artwork director and animator at Milwaukee-based Plum Media, the place I additionally use my skilled pictures and drone pictures and videography abilities on shopper tasks. Outside of labor, I problem myself to remain lively creatively, generally even with a “photo-a-day” mindset, simply to maintain seeing and noticing issues.

I’m additionally knowledgeable musician, which provides me alternatives to journey regionally, and I get pleasure from documenting the sweetness outdoors of Milwaukee as effectively. I grew up in a small neighborhood in northeast Wisconsin, and I’ve lived in Oak Creek for the previous 26 years whereas working Downtown. I hope that individuals who come throughout my work get pleasure from seeing these locations as a lot as I get pleasure from getting on the market and capturing them.

Where can people discover your pictures? Do you might have a specialty or specific pursuits from a pictures standpoint?

The best place to search out my work is on social media. I’m lively on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, the place I frequently share new photographs and tasks.

The work I publish there ranges fairly a bit – landscapes, cityscapes, wildlife, macro and on a regular basis moments round Wisconsin and past.

Professionally, my pictures tends to focus extra on portraiture, industrial and life-style work, occasions, and company headshots, together with drone pictures and video for shopper tasks.

Is there anything you’d need individuals to find out about this photograph, your self or your pictures?

I’ll add that this photograph is a part of a a lot larger private venture for me: documenting Milwaukee because it actually is, in all seasons and moods, not simply through the apparent “pretty” moments. I revisit the identical areas time and again as a result of town is at all times altering relying on mild, climate, and time of yr, and people refined variations are what maintain it attention-grabbing to me.

I additionally hope pictures like this encourage individuals to have a look at acquainted locations a bit otherwise. You don’t should be touring someplace unique to search out one thing price photographing, generally it’s nearly being in the suitable place, paying consideration and being affected person sufficient to catch a second that solely lasts a number of seconds.

Milwaukee has given me limitless materials and inspiration through the years, and I actually get pleasure from having the ability to share these moments with individuals who reside right here and love this metropolis too.

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