Biography

Sean Johnson

Sean’s love of photography developed during his teenage years. While honing his techniques at school he realised this was to be his vocation.

Before long, Sean’s talents drew him to London where he carved out a successful career working on projects for the likes of Sir Paul McCartney and Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. As his reputation grew, so did his clientele which included well know musicians, celebrities and actors such as Rachel Weisz and Jonny Lee Miller.

Sean’s experience as an internationally published photographer, together with his extrovert, but always friendly and relaxed manner, led him into lecturing and TV work, where he presented live as a ‘photography specialist’ for MTV and various cable channels.

Having accomplished much during a colourful decade working and living in London, including a major exhibition of his work in collaboration with the Nordoff-Robbins music therapy charity, Sean made the move back to Warwickshire.

Since 2003, Sean has been based in Leamington Spa where he specialises in portrait, editorial, fashion and corporate/business photography. Having spent 20 years in the business, he’s still as passionate as ever…….”I love to create images that have poignancy and presence……. capturing life’s beautiful, fleeting, moments simply delights me”.

Over the years Sean’s talents, uplifting energy, and playful personality have led many people to ask him to photograph their weddings. In 2008, responding to continuing requests, Sean co-founded Viva Memento Wedding Photography with lifelong friend, Shaun Lester.



Shaun Lester

As a youngster in the 1970’s, Shaun remembers being fascinated by his grandfather’s Polaroid instant camera. “It was an amazing discovery; I couldn’t believe the photos would just develop there in front of your eyes”. Unfortunately, Shaun soon broke the camera (he was only nine), but the experience sowed the seeds of a long relationship with the camera and the photographic image.

At the age of 15, armed with his trusty new Pentax SLR, Shaun began taking the subject more seriously, photographing people, architecture and landscapes, and experimenting with various processing techniques.

Shaun went on to study communications at university and in the years since, he’s worked in the events industry for clients ranging from music moguls to major high street banks. It’s a job that’s taken him all over the world and his interest in visual communication has underpinned his approach to helping clients engage with their audience.

In 2008, Shaun launched Viva Memento with old friend and professional photographer, Sean Johnson. “We’ve been friends since the age of eleven”, says Shaun. “We shared a house in London in the early 90’s and I would often assist Sean with his shoots. We work well together……..he’s the mad , creative one and I’m the slightly saner, more organised one. Viva Memento provides Shaun with the opportunity to combine his creative flair for photography and album design with the business skills he’s acquired during many years of organising events.

For Shaun, the best thing about Viva Memento is getting to know the bride and groom and playing a part in their ‘big day’. “We consider it a privilege when we’re asked to photograph and capture the story of a couples wedding. It’s also very rewarding to share in the delight when they see their wedding album for the first time”.