Today we’d like to introduce you to Khalil Johnson.
Khalil Johnson was born in Atlanta and grew up in Decatur, GA. Born in 1994, he is the youngest of seven siblings by ten years. He is a product of Chapel Hill Middle School and Southwest DeKalb High School.
His interest in photography became evident when he would spend time taking pictures and figuring out how his mother’s Sony Cyber-shot worked at age 12. Over the years, his mother’s camera upgraded and so did his interest in photography. He quickly found himself using the camera more often than his mother did.
He bought his first camera (circa 2010), a Kodak point-and-shoot, with a gift card that he received from his church in Atlanta, GA for being nominated “youth member of the month.” He was also apart of the media ministry at his church, Second Mount Vernon Baptist Church, which further strengthened his videography skills. Sunday after Sunday he learned more about different camera settings and movements and how they translate visually.
As a teenager, he began taking photos in various clubs around the city for promoters as a means to gain admission into the clubs with his older friends, since he wasn’t yet 18 years old. He did so by borrowing his friend’s dad’s Canon 20D, without the dad’s knowledge. Knowing that financially he wasn’t in a position to replace the camera had any damage been done to it, he would maneuver especially carefully when doing the club event shoots.
He is an Auburn University alumnus. There he became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated in the Fall of 2013. Employed by War Eagle Productions/SEC Network, the entity responsible for video and audio productions for Auburn athletics, he works daily to develop his craft and is ecstatic about his future in media production!
Please tell us about your art.
I produce different types of digital media. This includes photography, videography, audio engineering, and graphic design. There is a genuine satisfaction obtained when working on projects and seeing the reaction from clients and others. Also, creating digital media is unique because, in a sense, an idea that you executed will live on long after you depart this place. I hope people take away motivation to live purposefully by witnessing craft that shows great attention to detail. My artwork is visually pleasing but I especially take pride in making sure each client has their expectations exceeded.
Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?
Absolutely. As a society, we are more heavily reliant on electronics than ever before in history. The standard of legitimacy is partially linked to online presence, for individuals and businesses alike. Consumption of photography and videos is at an all-time high. There is such a high demand and there needs to be artists able to create/deliver this content. This is not exclusive to photographers and videographers. Social media has affected photography as streaming services have affected the music industry. People are consuming much more art at a higher rate and spending less time with the pieces. Adjust or fade to irrelevancy.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Website: www.reeldealkhalil.com
Instagram: @RDK_Productions
Facebook: @RDKMedia
#RDKProductions
Contact me by e-mail khalil@reeldealkhalil.com or business phone (678)435-9749 and let’s make something special!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.reeldealkhalil.com
- Phone: (678)435-9749
- Email: khalil@reeldealkhalil.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rdk_productions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RDKMedia/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/khaliljohnson_
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/khaliljohnson/
Image Credit:
Daniel Walker, Brandon Robinson, DeJah Ault, Khalil Johnson
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
