Meet Johnnie Izquierdo | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Johnnie Izquierdo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Johnnie, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
Fall in love with the journey and not the destination because if you fall in love with the journey, you’ll be in love forever.

It encourages an appreciation for the experiences, challenges, and growth that occur along the way, rather than just striving for a specific outcome.

If you only focus on reaching a particular destination or goal, you may feel a sense of emptiness or dissatisfaction once you achieve it, as the journey is over. However, if you cultivate a love for the journey itself, finding joy and fulfillment in the process of working towards your goals, you can sustain that sense of fulfillment indefinitely, regardless of whether you reach the final destination or not.

In essence, It advocates and encourages a mindset of enjoying and appreciating the journey, which can lead to a more fulfilling and satisfying overall experience in life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I got into photography the non-traditional way…by accident. Photography started as a hobby to help cope with anxiousness. That hobby quickly turned into a passion that left me curious to continue to explore It. Nothing in life worth doing is ever easy but loving photography made It easy. I never went into It thinking It would be what is is now, I went into It because the way It made me feel – the rest unfolded along the way.

Along the way, I learned that my curiosity was going to be the key to finding what I wanted to photograph, what I wanted my niche to be, and ultimately what I want to be remembered for.

I want the world to know that you can do whatever you set your mind and heart to. Life, your situation, isn’t etched in stone forever – if you allow life’s doors to open for you, you will allow yourself an abundance of opportunities. I think as a society we’ve put so much pressure on ourselves to have It all figured It out right away and if we don’t have It figured It out It feels ‘unobtainable’. This is why I’ve stressed the importance of falling in love with the journey, trusting the timing in your life and realizing there is no loosing in life – only winning & experiencing.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Things have changed since we last sat down and spoke. I reside in Tennessee these days so I will give you some recommendations for anyone who is visiting Nashville.

For food, check out some of these spots: Edley’s BBQ, Dicey’s Tavern, Jack Browns Burger Joint

For drinks and music, check out some of these: Urban Cowboy, Mothers Ruin, Red Door Saloon.

My favorite things to do here in Tennessee are spending time out on the lake, hiking, drinks & live music and sporting events – Nashville Sounds and Predators.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to really give credit to my family for challenging me, motivating me, supporting me while I pursued my passion. I’d like to give the utmost credit to my faith which has allowed me to have full trust in this journey I’ve embarked on.
I also would like to give credit to those who have doubted and questioned my career choice – I won’t ever forget you.

Website: www.johnnieizquierdo.com

Instagram: @johnnie.izquierdo

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@johnnie.izquierdo

Image Credits
Credits will be done left to right: 1. Brandi Cyrus for the cover of Galore Magazine (Photos by Johnnie Izquierdo) 2. Kesley Bou 3. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson for Oakley 4. Myself 5. Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone for New Balance 6. Coco Gauff for New Balance 7. Alabama forward Brandon Miller celebrates after a dunk 8. Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham for Nike