jc bio
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John Covington |
I believe great photography is the art of presenting a unique visual perspective of people, environments and products, ultimately evoking an emotional response from its viewer.
As a child I can vividly recall the anticipation waiting to get prints back from the drug store I shot with my Kodak B&W Brownie camera.
I was fortunate enough to be raised in an era where "industrial arts" was a curriculum available as early as junior high. At Arcadia High School I was immersed in woodworking, drafting, plastics, welding, electronics, jewelry making as well as video and dark room photography along with all the other college prep courses I had to take. I also spent my summers learning how to play drums in the majestic Jemez Mountains of New Mexico at Hummingbird Music Camp. The first ‘record’ I played drums on was released in 1979. I attended ASU studying advertising and marketing and ultimately transferred my academic credits to the Art Center College of Design, where I majored in product design.
I’ve been blessed to make my living being creative in many mediums.
During the 80’s I played drums on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood while working as a freelance foodservice design consultant creating and building commercial restaurants. In 1987 I purchased my first Harley and quickly tore it down to the frame and rebuilt it with my perspective. The bike was featured in the official Harley-Davidson "Dreamgirls" calendar. This eventually led to founding an alternative American motorcycle company, Surgical Steeds in 1989.
In 1992 I moved back home to my roots in Scottsdale, AZ where I designed and built hundreds of custom motorcycles under my trademarks, Surgical-Steeds®, Steed® and Steed Musclebike®. I ran a full crew of employees which included a custom metalworking facility and custom paint shop where at top-production my team was able to manufacture 4 unique $35k+ custom bikes a week in 2005.
I brushed up on my photography lighting technique at SCC in 1997 and built my first cyclorama at the motorcycle shop. I specifically designed the cyclorama to market Steeds on the web when SLR digital photography was still in its infancy. You may have seen some of the motorcycles I built and photographed on national magazine covers over the years and on TV’s Speed Vision, American Thunder and Steel Dreams. I sold my motorcycle business in 2005 which granted me the freedom to explore my other creative passions.
I still play and collect vintage Leedy drums, and in the last few years I’ve played drums on 3 national and European releases you can even find at Best Buy featuring my photography on the covers. I occasionally tour and break cymbals, sticks and heads in front of people when the right opportunity presents itself. I also played drums on Guitar Hero III that your kids probably have on their XBOX tonight. You can find more about my musical interests at DrumPulverizer.com.
I also appreciate vintage automobiles and own a customized ’55 Packard 2 door luxury sedan that’s a daily driver. I ride my custom Steed motorcycle that I built whenever I find the time. I am currently under contract with Paisano Publications as their go-to photographer for 6 of their titles including Easyriders and Tattoo Savage magazine. I am absolutely in awe of all the creative people I’ve met over the years. It’s really great to capture "their" moment while at the studio or out on the road shooting people and events.
In 2007 I opened JC Studios LLC featuring one of the largest "Automotive Scale" photo cycloramas in Arizona. I designed the giant custom articulating "soft" light boxes at the studio which are integral to capture the way I feel vehicles should be lighted to reveal the beauty and craftsmanship of their construction. The light boxes are also quickly convertible to "hot" lights with incredible results for Video Production as well. The new studio is also available as a tool to other pro-photographers and production companies at very competitive rates when I’m out riding my motorcycle.
I look forward to hearing your story when I photograph you, your creation, passion or artistic expression.
See you soon,
John Covington
