Justin Johnson has been a professional guitarist for almost a decade. Since earning a degree in Jazz performance from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, he has performed over 2000 gigs, covering multiple genres, including Blues, Jazz, Reggae, Bluegrass, Rock, Folk and Country. He has performed in many settings, such as big band Jazz ensembles, three-piece Blues-Rock bands, Jam bands, Country bands, Bluegrass duos and trios, Jazz combos, as well as Soul and Reggae groups. In these groups, Justin has been billed alongside many great musicians, including The Allman Brothers, Tim R...

Justin Johnson has been a professional guitarist for almost a decade. Since earning a degree in Jazz performance from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, he has performed over 2000 gigs, covering multiple genres, including Blues, Jazz, Reggae, Bluegrass, Rock, Folk and Country. He has performed in many settings, such as big band Jazz ensembles, three-piece Blues-Rock bands, Jam bands, Country bands, Bluegrass duos and trios, Jazz combos, as well as Soul and Reggae groups. In these groups, Justin has been billed alongside many great musicians, including The Allman Brothers, Tim Reynolds, Widespread Panic, Victor Wooten, Matisyahu, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Culture, The Nappy Roots, Corey Smith, Moe, and Jeff Coffin.
In 2006, he won first place in the “Slidestock” National Slide Guitar Competition in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Given Justin’s interest in a wide variety of art forms, and his innate love for the guitar, it was a natural progression for him to begin to photograph the instrument of his inspiration.
Stringed instruments embody an exceptional pairing of design and construction, a delicate collaboration between engineering and artistic woodworking. In his photography, Justin uses extreme close-ups, to alter the perception of size, and emphasize the attention to detail that goes into each unique instrument. Some photos concentrate on the symmetry, or asymmetry, of design, while others accentuate the tension of the strings. The photos juxtapose the cold, industrial feel of the metal hardware with the warm colors and textures of the wood.