©2020 Judyta Loomis
JOHN BEGAN TAKING PICTURES PROFESSIONALLY IN HIGH SCHOOL, ROCKING A PAGER FOR THE LOCAL DAILY NEWSPAPER. NOW BEST KNOWN FOR HIS ENERGETIC PORTRAITURE AND CREATIVE CONCEPTS, LOOMIS’S PASSION FOR STORY TELLING IS INSPIRED FROM A BACKGROUND IN PHOTOJOURNALISM. IN 2019, JOHN FOUNDED A PODCAST, EYEBALL, FOCUSED ON HIS PASSIONS FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND CREATIVITY. IN 2021, LOOMIS PARTNERED WITH LONG-TIME FRIENDS TO FORM A CREATIVE STUDIO, RUNWAY 4, EXPANDING THEIR EFFORTS TO MAKE DYNAMIC STORIES, COMBINING STILLS, MOTION, AUDIO, DRONES AND BIG IDEAS.
JOHN’S FAMILY HAS DEEP ROOTS IN MIAMI, BUT HE WAS RAISED FIRST ON AN ALFALFA FARM IN RURAL GEORGIA AND THEN IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL-OBSESSED, SPANISH MOSS-DRAPED TALLAHASSEE BEFORE HEADING TO COLLEGE IN THE MIDWEST. LOOMIS TAKES HIS COFFEE BLACK, HIS WOMEN POLISH, HIS EGGS OVER-EASY, QUITE A BIT OF GRUFF FROM HIS KIDS, QUITE A LOT OF PRIDE IN HIS INCREDIBLE PARTNER AND HIS PICTURES WITHOUT A TRIPOD.
TEAR SHEETS
What’s this runway 4 thing?
Oh man, I’m so glad you asked!
Runway 4 is a creative studio created in 2021 by John and his partners Rob Tringali & Jim Surber. We create dynamic visuals and produce turnkey video productions (as in, we can handle all elements of any size production, such as pre-production, access, crew, location, logistics, shoot execution, audio/video/image editing, post-production management, distribution). Typically we work directly with brands but are also happy to work hand-in-hand with agencies.
Runway 4 is the best way to work with John (or Rob and Jim) and have access to our big ideas and creative concepts. We think that R4 is the future and we’d love to tell you more.
CLIENTS
AARP
Apple Inc
Bloomberg BusinessWeek
Bomber Skis
CNN
Der Spiegel
Discovery Channel
ESPN
General Motors
Golf Digest
Guardian Weekend
The Hollywood Reporter
Inc.
Men's Health
Men's Journal
New York Magazine
New York Times Magazine
Newsweek
Nike
O
People
Progressive Insurance
Rolling Stone
Sailfish Boats
TIME
Time Out
UPS
Vineyard Vines
Women's Health
WWL
WIRED
ETCETERA
Who: John Dixon Loomis
What: Commercial and editorial freelance photographer & director
Where: Denver, CO (and all parts East & West)
Why: Because I love it. I'm passionate about telling stories through visuals and attempting to use pictures (moving or still) to help myself and others better understand and appreciate the world around us (and ourselves). But maybe most important, I just like to work hard, have fun, meet and work with interesting people, and explore new places.
How: Pseudo-yoga, at least it feels like it most days. We work hard, we work fast, we try to jam in as many ideas as possible, as much energy as possible. We listen to subjects and clients, solve problems, do our research, react to new opportunities and random good luck, and just keep pushing until the subject calls quits. Shock and awe, shake and bake, whatever works.
From: Tallahassee, FL
Status: Taken, 2 kids
Born: 1979
Freelance since: 2002
Background: it all began because a pretty girl named Autumn answered “I like photography” the turn before John in Journalism 1 freshman year of high school, than continued as a teenager by stringing for the daily newspaper. The magic of the darkroom and access to sidelines and interesting people sent me to study photojournalism (and English) at the University of Missouri. After multiple newspaper internships in college (Birmingham, Phoenix, Hartford, West Palm Beach) I went freelance; my first big break involved photographing a lady and her marbles.
Gear: Any tool that works, works for me. These days the tool bag is growing but the game plan is simplifying.
Contributing: ESPN: the Magazine (RIP)
Digital? Motion? Film?: of course, yes and always.
Recent honors: American Photography 37, 33, 32, 30, 29, 26; CommArts 2008
Interests: New York Yankees, tennis, gardening, indie rock, jumping off stuff, college football (University of Miami, sigh), manual typewriters & transmissions, hiking, bourbon/mezcal, Sherlock Holmes, public transportation, big trees, BBQ, pork in general, grilling stuff, scalloping, skeet shooting, impressing others with my (scant) wine knowledge, irony, urban planning, good Pho, architecture, Cezanne, typography, list making, podcasting
Collects: flasks, cocktail bitters, concert lithographs, radiological negatives
Favorite athlete: Bo Jackson
Golf handicap: 18++
Preferred grilling technique: Reverse sear, hardwood charcoal
Dogs or cats: dogs
High school mascot: lion
Near death experiences (on assignment): 4
Broken bones (lifetime): 2
Desert island, top 5 movies (no order): Blues Brothers, Coming to America, Groundhog Day, Goldfinger, Semi Pro
Favorite movie to put on to bother my wife: Sahara
First vinyl purchase: Lionel Ritchie "Dancing on the Ceiling"
First tape purchase: Def Leopard "Hysteria"
First CD purchase: Red Hot Chili Peppers "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"
Fav. recent editing soundtrack (w/ headphones, full volume): Dan Deacon "Gliss Riffer"
Death row meal: turkey club, duck fat fries, pints of Old Speckled Hen, 4 fingers Glenfarclas 21 neat
Starbucks order: 5-shot espresso over ice in Venti cup, a la “Go Juice”
Fav. assignment: We get this question a lot but the most earnest, honest answer is a big let down… the next one. If forced to pick just one… ESPN hired me to spend time with the GM of my beloved Yankees, which eventually ended with his generous invitation to my assistants and I to hang out and watch the game in his VIP box. It was a summer night game in NYC, C.C. on the mound, super model Kate Upton came over to say hi… truly not awful.