Meet Joshua Mannila | Photographer

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

Hi Joshua, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
I think that when it comes to photography or just being a photographer in general, most outsiders think that all we do is press a single button and then our job is done. This is completely untrue, but so many people have this belief or lack of understanding about photographers which results in people being confused about our pricing and packages. Many photographers get criticized for “overcharging” because of this. Photographers are in charge of taking photos, editing photos, communication, scheduling, social media, marketing, etc. As a professional photographer, I wish that outsiders and clients would start to have a better understanding of all of the behind the scenes work because it is not as easy as it seems.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My photography style has a dreamlike, ethereal, cinematic, feeling to it. Instead of just taking photos, I strive to create true art with each and every one of my photoshoots. I think my photography style definitely sets me apart from other photographers. I am so excited to see what I create in the future! I currently live in Portland, Oregon but it has been my goal for the last few years to move to Los Angeles. I have gotten to where I am today simply by staying consistent and trying new styles. I have been a professional photographer for six years now and am still learning, but by taking photos every single day I have been able to refine my style and figure out what I like and don’t like in my art. It has not been an easy journey, but everything has been extremely worth it. Especially starting out so young, I have been taken advantage of for free photoshoots, rude clients, or late cancellations, but I went with it because I didn’t know anything different or how to run a business.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Los Angeles is one of my favorite cities. If I was in LA with a friend I would definitely want to take them to Malibu and go to the beach. I love El Matador beach because of how scenic it is! Another key spot would have to be Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood sign too. At some point we would need to go and get Erewhon smoothies too. Coming from the Pacific Northwest, nothing beats Southern California weather!

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 want to give a shoutout to all of my photographer friends in Central Oregon. I moved away from Bend a few months ago and I love that we all stay in contact with one another about photography things. We all hype each other up when we share our work to social media so I love how we all support one another.

Website: https://www.joshuamannila.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuamannila/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@joshuamannila

Other: Tiktok: @joshuamannila

Image Credits
Joshua Mannila (@joshuamannila)