Meet John Konya of Peoria

Today we’d like to introduce you to John Konya.

Hi John, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I spent most of my adult life flying airplanes for a living, first as an Air Force fighter pilot, then as an airline pilot. Health issues, unfortunately, forced me into a medical retirement from that line of work. But God has always been good to me by filling me with hope, imagination, drive, and determination. I’ve been a shutterbug since my youth and even took some photography courses in college. And so, the early departure from my flying career has allowed me to revisit my old love of photography.

And I had this crazy thought one day that turning my hobby into a business was a relatively low-risk opportunity to make money while having fun. I’ve done some headshot work and enjoyed that, but I just fell into taking photos of vehicles. And that was mainly because there is no lack of cars willing to pose for my camera! I started going to local car shows (abundant in our sunny state of Arizona), photographing the cars there, and posting on social media.

Cars are already a form of art. It’s easy to see the craftsmanship, inventiveness, and imagination infused into each one of them. But it’s even better to meet and talk to the owners of these rolling art pieces and to hear and experience the love and attentiveness they give to reshaping, remolding, and carving out of them something very personal that makes photographing them even more enjoyable. Of course, the field of car photography is saturated. So, I just try to keep improving my craft and I’m committed to enjoying the process.

Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
This is my second attempt at a business, and I can tell you from personal experience that there is no such thing as an easy path. Heck, it’s not even paved! I operated a small limousine company here in Phoenix about 20 years ago. It didn’t turn out to be a financial success, but I absolutely loved running it, and apparently, my customers noticed. After only two years in business, my company was voted one of the top ten limo companies by Ranking Arizona Business Magazine. I shuttered the company because it wasn’t a viable business model but not because I needed to do a better job. As I mentioned, this photography gig is a very saturated market. But I at least have the advantage of pursuing it at my own pace this time. And I also know now that my passion for it naturally lends itself to a good product, just as it did with my limousine business. To this point, my clients have been nothing but satisfied. So, it’s just about me keeping my head down and pressing on into the headwind with a smile and an attitude of gratefulness for the opportunity and the challenge.

Thanks for sharing that. Can you tell us more about your work next?
Well, as I’ve already mentioned, I specialize in automotive photography. Although I’m pretty new to the field, it’s essential to present each vehicle uniquely in a way that suits it best. And so, maybe I’m wrong (time will tell, I guess), but I keep running across the advice to create a particular style that sets me apart from other photographers. Of course, I see the utility in that, and I’m attempting to do just that in some small, creative ways. But as I look around, I think I see that advice being overused.  Some automotive photographers have an impressive portfolio of many vehicles they’ve photographed. Still, their presentation is often the same, from their use of backgrounds to color grading, filters, mood, etc. The breadth is excellent, and their skills are fantastic, but I personally need more depth. I get tired of looking at the same backdrop, the same sky, and the same color scheme. Clients want something unique that sets their photographs apart from others. I feel like I’m copping out if I repeat certain things too often. So, I try to make each shoot as unique as possible. I’m hoping folks will be able to see that and will call on me with that in mind.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Everything is a process. And anything worth pursuing requires lots and lots of work and time.  It’s not enough to just have passion. People are passionate about all kinds of things. But even as I look back on my flying career, I realize that it was years in the making and a lot of heartache. Nothing happens overnight, and nothing happens just because you love it. You have to be dedicated. You have to be persistent. You can’t give up easily. You can’t take rejection too personally, although you must learn from it! (And by that, I mean that you must either have the ability and willingness to either grow or move on and, in either case, never look back.) And even though every field of pursuit is competitive, the only competition that matters is the one within yourself. Stop worrying about everyone else and concentrate on personally improving and growing. You may never be the best, but you will end up better. And in the end, that’s great!

Pricing:

• Size matters! I say that jokingly, but every photoshoot differs depending on the work required, both in the field and in the editing process. Nevertheless, most of my packages run between $250 and $350 dollars.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jtkimages.com
• Instagram: jtk_images_llc
• Facebook: JTK Images LLC
• Yelp: JTK Images

Image Credits
John Konya, JTK Images LLC