Angela Johnson: Favorite Female Founder

By Brittany Archibald

Teacher, photographer, and creative inspiration

Stepping into Angela Johnson’s West Pasco photo studio is like stepping into another world—all white floors and walls, luxurious furniture tucked into corners, the light and airy space lit by softly diffused north-facing windows. The space is a reflection of Johnson herself, whose contagious smile and buoyant friendliness makes it impossible not to feel at ease in her presence.

Half photographer, half educator, and all optimistic ambition, Johnson is reaping the rewards of a lifetime of hard work. Angela Johnson was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She cites photography as one of her earliest passions. “I have always loved capturing moments for people since I was a little girl,” she says. “Every camera available was always handed to me followed by, ‘Angela, can you take the pictures?’ I grew up without a camera of my own, but was always given access to the best cameras available.”

Since her childhood, work and wanderlust have allowed her to travel widely: Argentina, Dominican Republic, and Mexico have been some of her favorites; with places like Greece, Portugal, Bali, and Indonesia on her list for the future. At 26, she moved to the Tri-Cities with her American husband where she continued her studies as a grad student and began her career in education. “Being with people is my passion and inspiring them to grow through education is one of the most fulfilling careers,” Johnson says. Currently, she teaches at CBC, sharing her more than 18 years of experience with her students who are studying to earn their Bachelor's in Teaching.

During her time at CBC, Johnson also began to hone her creative craft, officially starting her photography business and developing her skill as a newborn photographer. Johnson loved capturing babies in those precious first days of life, and it became even more important to her as she struggled to get pregnant herself. She said the trial made her creative practice that much more important to her; “I knew newborn photography was something I wanted to get good at, really excellent at… freezing that moment forever brings me infinite joy.”

When she discovered she was pregnant with her daughter Giulia, Johnson was overjoyed. After difficulty conceiving, she says her daughter’s birth was one of the sweetest moments of her life.

In those early days of her career, she photographed her clients’ babies in her bedroom because the light was best. With amusement, she recalls how she and her husband Eric realized one day that their bedroom was no longer a bedroom, it was a photo studio they slept in—full to the brim with props and backdrops. It was then that the idea for Glam Studios was born.

The jump from those early days of newborn photography to full-blown studio owner was not an easy one, though. While still pursuing a career in education and raising their young daughter, Johnson and her husband found a piece of land in West Pasco that would allow them to build a free-standing, 1000 square foot studio to house her photography business. They took the leap of faith and began construction. From scratch, Johnson created Glam Studios, a space defined by its wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, and fully stocked with backdrops, props, lighting equipment—anything a photographer could need to bring their vision to life.

Glam Studios opened its doors in 2019, and Johnson welcomed the Tri-Cities photography community with open arms. Beyond being an exceptional photographer and experienced educator, Angela Johnson is—put simply—a fantastic host. She is personable and warm, and goes out of her way to ensure her clients’ needs are met.

Her photography practice has expanded over the years to include weddings and fine art portraits. She has studied under Meg Bitton and Sue Bryce, and in 2020 was published in Apple Brides. She photographed 12 weddings in 2021 (“That was a lot of weddings!”), and her client base has only grown.

Always learn new things, because education in any area is essential to success.

Her creative career as a photographer goes hand-in-hand with her career as an educator; her background in education helps her communicate her ideas to her photography clients and her creative practice helps her develop diverse lessons in her classroom. “I’m a better teacher and professor because I am a photographer and I am a better photographer because I am an educator and I thrive in an environment where relationships are at the core.”

It makes sense, then, that her newest professional adventure would marry the two. “Convo with Togs,” short for Conversations with Photographers, is “a workshop that promotes a relaxed environment to allow sharing, learning, and growing in the areas of photography, videography, and all fine artistry.” For each session, Johnson invites an experienced photographer to her space to present on their niche. With topics ranging from posing, to business management, to editing and more, Johnson’s Convo with Togs is the ultimate combination of her education background, photography experience, and passion for connecting with people.

Being in her space surrounded by the evidence of her vision, it’s so obvious that everything Johnson has ever worked for is coming together. 2022 marks the golden birthday of Johnson’s career—10 years in business. And when asked what advice she’d give women looking to go into business for themselves, she answers like a true professor:

“Always learn new things, because education in any area is essential to success.”

This feature appears in our Business section which is generously sponsored by the Recovery and Wellness Center of Eastern Washington.