I made the decision from amidst a violent, dangerous storm, lost and bleeding badly on a boat in the Bering Sea. It was dark and not certain if the Coast Guard could find us in time, but in that moment I knew what I had to do, and I was ready.

Our boat was getting slammed over and over by massive rogue waves in the violent freezing water. Our engine was dead and we were truly at the mercy of the furious ocean when I was truly aware that I may die - that it's not up to me whether today is that day. Oddly and unexpectedly, a serene acceptance and joy came over me. I said to myself that if I do survive, I'm going to go back to doing what I love; traveling, shooting, creating, capturing moments and stories that are precious and fleeting and wonderful and amazing. So I went, not knowing exactly what I'd find, but if I was ever going to be worth a damn, ever going to be able to say I tried, venturing out into the unknown was mandatory. Our heroes, MY heroes, my guides, the outcast wild creative superstars I look up to and wish I knew so as to learn from had all done this journey in some form - and so, it was my time. 

Having been blessed with  instinct which allows me to co-exist without fear or hesitation within nearly any group of people in any region has blessed me with the fortunate opportunity to capture some fascinating individuals, original moments, interesting characters and wild adventures. 

The things I saw, the people I engaged with, the experiences and ways and views and styles of this wild land gave me beyond what I had hoped for. It's something that unless you have gone and done it, you will never know. And, that's ok honestly. This lifestyle is not for everyone, and many for various reasons most cannot or will not venture out into the unknown. So for those who have not, I choose to share some of what I saw with you. And to those who have yet to go, godspeed. Life is beautiful and it deserves to be experienced in all its forms.

Onward.

Sean Timothy Johnston

Having shot LOOKBOOKS for many prominent designers, stories and spreads in fashion magazines, fashion videos and commercials, and also product photography. 

Check out the commercial I shot for ULTA Beauty to promote their holiday campaign at MILK STUDIOS under MOTION  along with these stills and product shots.

Whenever someone asks Sean what he does, it is an easy answer to give; He says he is an artist. To ask more than that will really depend on how much time they have.

Sean does not scare easily. He steps into danger to get the shot or capture the story. He finds beauty in those places or near those people many fear to approach, and when he's lucky, returns with images and stories that captivate. Inspired by a methodology loosely founded in an anthropological interest, it is no surprise that his work as of late leans toward people and cultures, fusing a documentarian aesthetic with a bold visual style.

He has traveled to remote locations, seen a significant portion of the earth and strongly believes that one must truly live to be the type of artists he insists on becoming, something that is earned through a lifetime of seeking, never resigning to say he has seen enough. 

He began as a writer and painter at the age of 16 and quickly went on to focus his interests on filmmaking. While at UCLA sean began to work for Quentin Tarantino's production company A Band Apart. He then went on to work for Lion's Gate at the age of 20 and by 22 had formed two companies.

It was then in 2002 that Sean moved to Venice, Ca where he began to build a strong signature visual aesthetic which he applied to his commercial work, his writing and painting. He was being published by BlackBook Magazine, directing commercials for companies such as Quicksilver and Nike, art directing Los Angeles Fashion Week and showing his artwork and video installations at galleries such as Berman & Turner at Bergamot Station and The Edgemar Center For The Arts in Santa Monica.

The throughline in everything Sean does is a significant and wholly original way in which he sees the world. The way in which he captures a subject no matter the medium or device, is wholly and uniquely in a style that is his. Sean can often be heard saying "There is no art without honesty", the mantra given to him by a mentor years ago, and more than anything, that is what he seeks in all of his creative endeavors.