J. Michael’s experiences have produced a remarkable collection of photographic work that documents bikers and biker ladies riding for the joy of the day on Daytona’s Main Street. Along with the serious side of these bikers and their deep patriotism, as they ride as escort to fallen soldiers on their return home or ride to commemorate the Vietnam era. J. Michael captures images and emotions that are “moments in time” rarely seen by the public.
Johnson says, “I like the complexity of one art form like tattooing being the inspiration for another art form like photography. My photographs show an individual’s personal freedom statement to use their bodies as an art canvas. For me, it is an opportunity for all viewing my work to join me in my photojournalist journey into the motorcycle lifestyle.”
J. Michael Johnson was born and raised in East Tennessee and has lived in the southeast United States all his life. He began taking images and working in his darkroom over thirty years ago and has traveled extensively across the United States and the world to capture images. His love of photography, self-taught methods, and in-field seminars with nationally known photographers, have truly defined the subjects he has photographed and written aboSince 1997, J. Michael’s photographic and written work about Daytona’s Bike Week, as well as many other motorcycle rallies and events, has been repeatedly featured in “Easyriders”, “Biker” and “In The Wind” magazines. He has provided commercial photography services to various companies in the motorcycle industry, including Lehman Trikes of Canada publishing J. Michael’s work in their “Pride Matters” magazine. His renown motorcycle lifestyle photography has resulted in his giving slide shows to numerous motorcycle clubs, churches and civic groups. His most requested images are of the Vietnam veterans visiting the “Moving Wall” and the “Vietnam Veterans Memorial” in Washington DC during “Rolling Thunder” events.
J. Michael is the co-founder of the Spartanburg Photo Guild, a member of the American Image Press/Today’s Photographer Magazine, and served two terms on the Board of Trustees, of The Spartanburg Art Museum, Spartanburg South Carolina.
J. Michael travels to many motorcycle rallies and events and other special places each year. Everyone is welcome to visit his web site www.JMichael.smugmug.com to see where his photographic travels have taken him recently.
The Pickens County Museum of Art & History is funded in part by Pickens County, members and friends of the museum and a grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Located at the corner of Hwy. 178 at 307 Johnson Street in Pickens SC, the museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Thursdays from 9 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Admission is free but donations are welcomed. For more information contact the museum at 898-5963.
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