Craig (and some of Connie) Johnson's Photos

All photos copyrighted by Craig Johnson.
If you would like to get in touch with me, you can email me at phxazcraig at gmail.

1.5gb mystery link



Diving in Truk Lagoon



In March of 2023 I took an adventurous trip to dive in Truk Lagoon.
Return to Roatan



In August of 2023 I returned to Roatan for two weeks at the Reef House Resort where I put in ... 11 dives. I got the bends on day 1.
Another Roatan Trip



In December I returned to the Reef House Resort with my daughter and her friend Kate to learn scuba.
Back to Roatan Diving after a bit less than a year, August-September 2022



In August of 2022 I returned to Roatan for two weeks at the Reef House Resort where I put in 38 dives.
Diving in Bonaire



In June of 2022 I attended the Digital Shootout in Bonaire to work on underwater photography.
Underwater Camouflage



Here are some examples of sneaky fish and the like.
Back to Roatan Diving after two years, September 2021



Post-covid shutdowns, I traveled back to Roatan and spent two weeks diving. 31 dives for me.
Family Hike in Tucson



Grace and I traveled to Tucson and spent some time with my family. We went on a short hike in the Sonoran desert.
Mexico Cruise - 2020



Grace and I joined friends on one of the last cruises before the big COVID-19 shutdown to visit the Mexican Riviera. We came back to a changed world (and no toilet paper).
Back to Roatan Diving, September 2019



Grace and I traveled back to Roatan again. She spent a week, I spent two. 34 dives for me.
Family Fishing in Minnesota 2019



For the first time, I joined my cousins for their annual fishing trip to Minnesota.
Grand Canyon Trip 2019



I took the motorcycle up to the north rim of the Grand Canyon for a couple of nights to visit my daughter Emily.
Renaissance Festival 2019



Grace and I took in the Renaissance Festival again, this time with our friend Cathi.
Travels with Craig from 2006-2011



Right now, this page covers a lot (!) of travel I did with my late wife Connie from 2006 to 2011. I still haven't caught up with the travel shots from 2011 to present, but I entend to add them in here.
Before and After - How I process my images



I have often wanted to show people that my dive pictures simply do not come out of the camera the way everyone see them. In fact I post- process nearly 100% of my images, whether taken above or below water. But I process underwater images the most. Here are examples of what they look like out of camera, and again after I've edited them in Adobe Lightroom.
Diving in Roatan - 2019, part 1



I decided not to wait until September to go to Roatan again, partly because Grace really needed a little vacation. Being a non-diver I was worried Grace would get bored at the Reef House, but she found plenty to do and loved it! This is part 1 because part 2 will happen in September
Above Water around the Reef House Resort in Roatan - 2019



Most of my time in Roatan is spend getting ready to dive, diving or recovering from diving and processing images. But there is more to see and do in Roatan than just diving. Here are some images I took on Friday before flying home the next day.
Diving in Roatan - 2018



For the second year in a row, I returned to Roatan for two week of intensive diving and photography. 37 dives later you can see the results.
My Arizona Desert - 2008-2016



I put some of my images up of the area around where I live in northern Phoenix. This may be a desert, but that doesn't mean it is barren. These images will show you a little bit of what it's like to walk around in the Sonoran desert. They were taken as far back as 2008. Some scenery, some flowers, some wildlife, and a lot of cactus... MORE images at www.cjcphoto.net/arizona2.
{Updated May 23, 2016 - new images are at the end]
Grace and Craig Go To Maui, 2018



[UNDER CONSTRUCTION]

I took Grace on her first visit to Hawaii, staying in a condo north of Lahaina on Maui. We went in July and battled enormous crowds, and the condo had no air conditioning, but we managed to have some fun anyway. Craig went on three scuba dives.

Diving in Maui
Kula Botanical Gardens
Haleakala
The Road to Hana and Beyond
Iao Valley
Other Maui Photographs
Diving in Jamaica - 2018



In June 2018, Grace and I visited a resort in Negril Jamaica. They offered free diving each day, so I went on 12 dives. Though all the dives were very short (20 or 35-minute bottom times), I got a few decent pics. Used my Nikon D180 mostly, but one day I used my backup Sony RX100 for a few different shots.
Renaissance Festival 2018



Once again I went to the Renaissance Festival with some friends.
Whirlwind North Dakota Trip



My daughter Emily and I had only 5 days to try to drive to North Dakota in April, 2017. For me, it was the only US state I'd never visited. For Emily, it was a chance to visit several National Parks and strike them off her bucket list.
Diving in Roatan - 2017



In 2017 I returned to the Reef House Resort, Oak Ridge, Roatan (Honduras), this time for two weeks. I went alone and concentrated on underwater photography, although I also took a short boat ride through the mangrove swamp. I got in 37 dives, and have lots of images to show for it.


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The Life of Connie Slide Show

Clicking on this link will start a download of a windows-executable file that you should be able to run as-is.
This file is the slide show Craig created and played at Connie's Celebration of Life. It was an attempt to make a video slide show about Connie's life. Mostly it ended up being shots of our time together, since almost all of the photos I had were taken since I met Connie in January, 2006. I specifically chose pictures showing her happy times and loves. As you can see, she had a truly wonderful life.

NOTE: This file is 160 MB size, so be patient when downloading it!

Special note:

My beloved wife Connie died of complications (from treating) pancreatic cancer on January 22, 2017. She is, and will always be, sorely missed. All of the images below this section were taken while we were together, and many of those images are from her camera. Connie was an excellent photographer, and I learned a lot from her. This picture was taken in Oslo, Norway, on our last trip together in September 2016.

smiling Connie in Oslo, Norway

You can see a lot of the places Connie and I traveled from 2006 to 2016 here.
Connie's Celebration of Life Video

Before Connie died she made it very clear she did not want a funeral, she wanted a celebration. She did not want the sad grieving scene of relatives crying over a body and feeling sad like when here parents died. With that directive in mind, her sister Laurie, her fried Michelle and I worked to make it. And it turned out fabulously. I think Connie would have said of complications (from treating) pancreatic cancer on January 22, 2017. She is, and will always be, sorely missed. All of the images below were taken while we were together, and many of those images are from her camera. Connie was an excellent photographer, and I learned a lot from her.

NOTE: This video file is 5.3 GB (gigabyte!) in size, and it will take some time downloading.



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Thanksgiving 2016



Each year Connie and I hosted friends and family for Thanksgiving. Connie cooked and I set up umbrellas, strobes and a backdrop for formal pictures. This was the last Thanksgiving for Connie as she died 3 months later.
Our Last Vacation - Baltics Cruise 2016



UNDER CONSTRUCTION - The last trip Connie and I took together was a cruise in the Baltics. We started in Copenhagen, then cruised to Norway (Olso), Germany (Berlin), Estonia (Riga), Russia (St. Petersburg), Finland (Helsinki) and Sweden (Stockholm). We had a wonderful time, suspecting all along that Connie's days were numbered as her pancreatic cancer had come back.
Bucket list trip to China, 2016



After a couple of years of cancelling the trip for health reasons, we FINALLY got to visit China. And we had a wonderful trip!
Diving in Roatan, 2016



For the third year in a row I went diving in Roatan. This time with the best camera I've ever had for underwater photography.
Short trip to Colorado



Here are some pictures from a short trip I took to colorado in June 2016 on the mnotorcycle.
Vacation to the Caribbean, December 2015



In December, Connie and I spent a week in a timeshare at Humacao, Puerto Rico, followed by a week-long cruise. We traveled to St Thomas, St Croix, Antigua, St Lucia and Grenada.
Vacation to French Polynesia, 2015



One of our bucket list destinations was Tahiti (French Polynesia). We managed to stay two days in over-water bungalos in Moorea, followed by a 10-day Oceaania cruise through the islands, with a little diving, snorkeling and shore excursions.
Some motorcycle pics



Here are some pictures of my motorcycle, a 2015 BMW K1300s.
The Bufffalo Chip Saloon fire and aftermath



Our favorite bar burned down in a case of arson. The iconic Buffalo Chip saloon in Cave Creek, Arizona was completely destroyed and will have to be rebuilt from the ground up.
Family farm trip to Iowa, 2015.



The family makes another trip to Iowa, including the Iowa State Fair.
Return to Roatan, 2015.



Craig & Connie and seven friends travel to the ReeF House Resort in Roatan for a week of diving in 2015.

Out of Africa wildlife zoo and Zipline!


Craig & Connie went with Mike and Annie to Out of Africa zoo in Camp Verde to see some animals and to zipline over them.
Vacation to Colorado, 2015



After many years (since the 1980's) I took another motorcycle trip to Dillon, Colorado for a week in a timeshare condo with Connie. She drove her car, I drove the BMW K1300s.
4th of July Fireworks.



While in Dillon, Colorado over 4th of July, I got some nice fireworks shots.

Zoolights at the Phoenix Zoo.



In December 2014, we visited the Phoenix Zoo to see the Christmas lights there.

Short trip to San Diego.



We needed to use up a timeshare trade week, so we went to a condo in San Diego for a short week. Mostly we relaxed with friends, but we did go on a whale watch trip and take some drives down the coast

Oak Ridge Area, Roatan, 2014


I went to Roatan for a week of diving with a friend of mine. Didn't spend any time seeing the island, because I was there to dive every day, but I did take some shots of the Oak Ridge area where the Reef House Resort is located.
Diving in Roatan. Moray eel gets a bit too close for comfort!



I went diving in Roatan with my buddy Steve Hope from Sep 27 to Oct 3, 2014. We returned to the Reef House Resort where we had been diving in 2008. Fabulous diving conditions - 85F water temps, and we were the only two guests in the resort, so we had the dive boat all to ourselves.

The 'close eel encounter' starts on page 19. Still shots of the spotted eel eating a lionfish start on page 29.

Link to some diving videos, including feeding eels.
Mediterranean Trip, 2013



Connie finally got to see Italy. And a bit of Croatia, Greece and Turkey too! Three weeks of driving and cruising the Mediterranean was quite the experience.
Highlights of the Mediterranean Trip



Just some highlights of the Mediterranean Trip.
Some shots from Sedona



We had a discount for a tour of the Sedona area so decided to check it out. Connie had been hiking in the area many times, but I had never really been off the main highways.

Bahamas, 2012


A few pictures from Nassau in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, 2012. We visited the Atlantis Resort, went on a Powerboat Adventure, and ... ate at the Poop Deck.
Diving in the Bahamas on Blackbeard's Cruise, 2012


We went on a Blackbeard's Cruise (scuba dive boat) in the Bahamas for a week of diving in February 2012..
Canyon Lake Arizona, 2011


A trip on the Dolly riverboat on Canyon Lake in Arizona in November, 2011.
School Christmas Play, Dec. 13, 2011


I went to a school Christmas play to take pictures of my granddaughter. I ended up taking pictures for the school yearbook partway through the play! The kids did a fabulous job. They were also quite amusing when they didn't think anyone was watching them.
Iowa State Fair 2011



Craig and family spent two days at the Iowa State Fair in August 2011.
Craig and Alicia even rode the Ejector Seat. Emily went on rides
until she puked, and then went on some more!
Riding the Ejector Seat



Here is a video of Alicia and Craig riding the Ejector Seat.
(You need to install the Photodex plugin (which should happen automatically on a Windows pc.)
New Orleans Trip + New Years Cruise, 2010-2011



More vacation pics. New Orleans, Carnival Cruise, a bit of diving in Belize, a bit of sightseeing in Cozumel, etc.
Balloon Ride 2011



Craig takes a balloon ride with his daughters.
More Diving - November 2010



More scuba diving in Cozumel and Costa Maya.
Bryce Canyon Utah - Oct. 2010



October 2010, Bryce Canyon.
Replacing the Microwave Bulb - Dec. 21, 2010



Why did it cost us $139 to replace a microwave bulb? Here's why.
Roadside Memorial



Seven weeks after a horrible motorcycle wreck near where we live, I photographed items left at the scene.
[Updated March 25, 2011]
We got a kitten!



Desmond is a Siamese, born May 24, 2010.
We got a puppy!



Bella is a Shih Tzu, four-months old on March 26, 2010.
Desert owls, Class of 2013



Each year since 2009 I've photographed a local Great Horned Owls nest near my house. Here are some shots from 2013.
Some misc. wildlife shots



Testing various lenses on wildlife in 2009 and earlier.
Craig Harris Forex Training - Maui 2010



Connie attended training sessions in September, and we went to a luau as a perk.
A day at the Races - 2011



On a business trip to Georgia, I took time off to see my friend race his motorcycle at Road Atlanta.
Renaissance Festival 2010



We got together with some friends on a rainy day in January 2010 and visited the Renaissance Festival.
Renaissance Festival 2011



Another trip to the Phoenix area Renaissance Festival 2011.
Diving in Cozumel - Jan. 2010



Some scuba diving in Cozumel. Sharks, eels, lobster, crabs, Splendid Toadfish (really!), and more.
Driving in Cozumel - Jan. 2010



Cozumel residents hid their children, rubbed their rosaries, and lamented the times when our dive group set out to drive around the island.
Maui Trip - May 2009



Our first trip to Maui, in May 2009. Also visited Lanai, and Molokai.
Maui Trip - Sept. 2010



Our second trip to Maui, in September 2010. Shorter trip, more diving, less driving.
Diving on the Maui Trip in May 2009



We dove Molokini Crater (front and back walls) and Turtletown. Saw (and handled) an octopus. Saw sharks, turtles, and even a manta ray at the back wall.
Diving on the Maui Trip in Sept. 2010



Did more diving on our second trip to Maui, including two trips to Lanai. Dove the Carthaginian along with a submarine!
Hoover Dam - October 2011



My first chance to get photos of the Hoover Dam from the new bypass bridge.
Novell BrainShare 2011, Mar 21-25


[In Process] - Some images from my week at Novell's BrainShare 2011
Marysvale Utah and Bryce Canyon area photos - October 2010



Connie and I drove to Utah and spent a week with our Novell friends. Rode quads for the first time.
Novell BrainShare 2010, Mar 21-25



Some images from my week at Novell's BrainShare 2010
Diving in Fiji - 2009



February 2009 - This is a web show (images and movies) made into a slide show with music. It's pretty big, as these sorts of things have to be, at 100MB+. However, it's a beautiful show, and I'm proud of it. You will need to click on the image in the center or on 'loop all' to start it. (It should start playing without having to download the entire show, but it's still a lot of bytes.) If you don't have the Photodex viewer installed, it should prompt you and then install it automatically to your browser.
San Carlos Dive Trip - July 2008



San Carlos scuba dive trip from July 26- 29, 2008. (Early) underwater photography. As the years have gone by, our underwater photography has improved a lot over this, but the sea lions at San Pedro Island are still a treat.
How to feed a wild crocodile - 2007



In Costa Rica, there is this job I know, involving jumping in a river with a dead chicken and crocodiles...
Odds and Ends



A few shots of unusual stuff.
You cannot have too much camera gear



Examples to show your wife why you do not now, and probably never will, be the best example of someone with 'too much camera gear'.
Some Fisheye Examples



Here are some examples of using a 10.5mm fisheye lens on a DX format camera.
A few landscapes



I'm slowly getting landscape shots up.
Kartchner Camping Trip - November 2009



Camping with friends at Kartchner Caverns during the Orionids meteor shower.
Wallpaper Samples



Some shots I like, cropped to 1680x1050.
Some high ISO images



I wanted to post some examples of higher ISO shots I've done over the last couple of years, with a D300 and a D700.
Thanksgiving Photos 2008



Portraits done during Craig and Connie's Thanksgiving 2008.
Thanksgiving Photos 2009



Portraits done during Craig and Connie's Thanksgiving 2009.
Lens and camera tests



Various lens and camera tests I've done.
Thinktank Airport Accelerator camera bag



My Thinktank Airport Accelerator camera bag loaded with as much camera gear as I can pack onto an airliner. Two camera bodies, nine lenses, two flashes and misc stuff - 31 lbs currently. I wear this on my back, and the Speed Racer on my front (holding point-n-shoots in underwater housings) when I fly. And I pack a tripod and other gear in a suitcase. Yes, I do not travel light...
Thinktank Speed Racer camera bag



My Thinktank Speed Racer camera bag loaded with camera and lenses. This gives an idea of what fits into this very comfortable and useful bag.