Johanna Brannan Lowe~Food and Prop Stylist, Chicago

Johanna Brannan Lowe

Born at home in London, a happy, inquisitive child. When not playing dress up in thrift store clothes, Johanna entertained herself with cooking and a somewhat obsessive delight in the organization of objects.


Through vague meanderings, many adventures and a truncated college experience Johanna started out professional life as a photographer. Loving to take pictures, fascinated by the magic that made a great photograph a great photograph, she would photograph friends and family, spend hours making self portraits, processed and printed film for other photographers. Johanna also shot weddings, celebrity events, catwalk shows, theatre, pr events and all manner of other bread and butter. She languished in imagery. However, on a job stress was always felt. The technicalities got in her way. The equipment got in her way. Johanna couldn't figure out, if she loved the medium so much, why was she so uncomfortable in her skin? Johanna loves images - what's wrong with her?


Johanna moved to America in 2000. Started assisting at a huge catalogue studio learning digital. She moved from there to smaller more independent studios, all the while realising she was still swimming against her own tide.


Then her father died. Johanna left Chicago and moved to a small town in southwestern Michigan, opened a shop selling vintage and designer clothing, left photography altogether.


In her quiet moments she began to think again about her talent in and love for photography. There was one commercial photo studio in town. Going to see them with a small portfolio she said, "I'm a stylist, can you give me some work?"


Johanna works as a stylist consistently and very happily today. Her tendency is towards food. Funny that, having spent so many years at the stove with mother and time hence throwing dinners for friends a plenty. She is still also rather obsessive about the placement of objects. People move through life not always paying attention at the time to what drives them. It is only on the backside sometimes that they realise who they are.


Johanna Lowe is a stylist.