By Natalie Wheeler
For Arizona photographer Joanna Proffitt, photography offers an opportunity to see the familiar in unfamiliar ways. Through the use of intentional camera movement, double exposures, and other in-camera techniques, she transforms elements of the natural world and built environment into images that emphasize color, pattern, texture, shape, and evoke feeling. Her work invites viewers to look beyond the obvious and discover the unexpected.
Her path to developing this distinctive approach, however, was not a straight line. After an early introduction to photography in college, Proffitt stepped away from the medium for years before finding her way back. What began as a renewed interest eventually grew into a sustained creative practice and a search for her own artistic calling, allowing her to reconnect with a part of herself she had been suppressing.
Photo by Joanna Proffitt
Rediscovering Photography
Proffitt's first exposure to photography came through classes at Glendale Community College in the 1990s. Working with film, learning to develop and print film photographs, and spending time in the darkroom introduced her to the technical aspects of the medium as she began exploring her own creative interests.
Marriage and raising children eventually pushed photography into the background. Around 2012, she asked her mother for a digital camera as a gift, but it sat unused on a shelf until a photography workshop finally prompted her to put it to use.
A visit to the Desert Botanical Garden and an art show in Surprise soon followed. Seeing the possibilities of exhibiting her work inspired Proffitt to seek out calls for art and she began submitting her photographs to possibly be included in exhibitions.
Her work was accepted into her first exhibition in 2015, an experience that proved enormously motivating. The affirmation encouraged her to continue, and each new opportunity gave her another reason to develop her skills.
Photo by Joanna Proffitt
Looking back, Proffitt sees this period as more than simply returning to an old hobby:
“Something had been missing from my life, a void, I hadn't been able to fill. In a way, photography found its way back to me, providing a creative outlet that I hadn’t realized how much I'd missed.” - Proffitt
Finding Her Visual Voice
As Proffitt continued making and exhibiting photographs, her attention shifted toward a question that would become central to her practice: What would make her work unmistakably her own?
She became increasingly drawn to abstraction, moving beyond straightforward depictions of subjects to exploring their underlying visual qualities. Through experimentation, she gradually developed a distinctive style that became increasingly recognizable as her own.
Proffitt describes the satisfaction of having someone recognize her work before seeing her name attached to it as particularly meaningful. That recognition reflects the effort she has put into discovering and refining her artistic identity.
Her work is not tied to a particular subject or setting. Instead, she describes it as “connected by a way of seeing, an interest in how familiar things can be transformed through color, pattern, texture, shape, and the unexpected relationships and feelings between them.”
Finding that voice required a willingness to experiment and accept that not every attempt would lead somewhere. The process remains open-ended, with each photograph offering another opportunity to discover something unexpected.
Experimentation as a Creative Process
Double exposures and intentional camera movement are central to Proffitt's approach to abstraction. These techniques allow her to transform the appearance of a subject, creating images that may look far removed from the original scene while retaining something of its essence.
Photo by Joanna Proffitt
An important distinction in her work is that these effects are created in camera rather than assembled later using editing software such as Photoshop. Viewers sometimes assume her images have been digitally manipulated, but the transformations happen during the photographic process itself. Achieving them requires a different skill set, developed through experimentation and practice.
Proffitt approaches her work intuitively. She explains, “I don't necessarily head out with a fixed plan for what I want to produce. Instead, I remain open to what catches my attention and explore the possibilities until something feels right.”
She has developed enough technical knowledge to experiment confidently without allowing the technical side of photography to dictate the process. The satisfaction comes from trying things, making discoveries, and following an idea rather than adhering to a prescribed method.
Sometimes she becomes so absorbed in photographing that hours pass unnoticed. The resulting images can be among her favorites because of their singularity and the impossibility of recreating them. When everything comes together, she feels connected to her own creative voice, and the photograph becomes something unique, much like a painting whose particular combination of decisions and intuition cannot be exactly replicated.
Photo of Joanna Proffitt
That sense of discovery keeps the work fresh. Although she continues to explore familiar techniques, she doesn't feel creatively confined by them. There are always new combinations to try and new possibilities to uncover.
Seeing the World Differently
Proffitt is often drawn to the natural world and architecture, finding inspiration in subjects that offer compelling relationships between colors, patterns, textures, and forms. Her photographs encourage viewers to look more closely at elements that might otherwise be overlooked.
Arizona is a natural starting point simply because it is home. The desert offers plenty to explore, but Proffitt's interests extend beyond any single landscape. Traveling introduces her to unfamiliar surroundings and new opportunities to experiment. Some of her favorite photographic outings have taken place in Utah during the fall and in Las Vegas.
Rather than limiting herself to a particular location or subject, Proffitt follows what sparks her curiosity. An interesting structure, a detail in nature, or an unexpected combination of visual elements can all become starting points for an image.
This openness is central to her abstract approach. By moving away from a subject's most obvious features, she encourages viewers to notice qualities that might otherwise go unseen. The subject may become less immediately recognizable, but its colors, textures, and forms take on a life of their own.
Leaving Room for Interpretation
Proffitt doesn't expect viewers to interpret her photographs in a particular way, and she's comfortable leaving some images unexplained. Even when someone cannot identify the original subject, she doesn't feel compelled to reveal it.
Rather than directing viewers toward a particular interpretation, her photographs invite them to look, respond, and form their own associations. One person might recognize a familiar shape or place, while another might connect with an image through its colors, movement, or mood.
This freedom extends to the way Proffitt approaches making art. She explains, “The freedom to make work without anticipating an audience's expectations is equally important to my own process. I don't take commissions, preferring to follow my instincts rather than work within someone else's creative parameters.”
Photo by Joanna Proffitt
Creating photographs for herself allows her to experiment without the pressure of producing a predetermined result. It also gives her the freedom to continue discovering what feels authentic to her as an artist.
Her aim is to offer a fresh perspective that encourages closer examination, rather than dictate what viewers should see. What they ultimately find in an image is theirs to determine.
Finding Community Through Art
Although Proffitt's creative process is largely independent, becoming part of Arizona's art community has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of her photography practice.
Her award-winning work has appeared in more than 80 fine art exhibitions throughout Arizona over the past decade, including juried shows evaluated by established artists and arts professionals. Her photographs have also been published in The Sun, Birds & Blooms, and Phoenix magazine.
One milestone she is particularly proud of is having her work exhibited at the Arizona State Capitol Museum as part of In Celebration of Women: The 100th Anniversary of Women's Right to Vote.
For Proffitt, exhibiting offers more than professional recognition. It's an opportunity to share her work with wider audiences and to meet with other artists in person, building relationships beyond the virtual world. It provides connection and the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than herself.
Seeing photographs presented as physical objects is an important part of that experience. She often calls printing a photograph, “bringing it to life.” Proffitt encourages other photographers to exhibit their work, giving people the opportunity to experience their images in person rather than solely on a screen.
Her prints are available at Found:RE Hotel in Phoenix. She finds particular satisfaction in knowing that people purchase her photographs and live with them in their own spaces. What begins as a personal experiment can eventually become part of someone else's everyday surroundings.
For photographers just beginning to explore their own creative direction, her advice is straightforward: don't be afraid to experiment. Digital photography makes it easier to try unfamiliar techniques, learn through practice, and discover what feels natural. She also recommends sharing work through exhibitions and connecting with other artists.
Photo by Joanna Proffitt
As the well-known quote attributed to Henri Cartier-Bresson puts it, “Your first 10,000 photos are your worst.” The sentiment underscores the importance of practice, curiosity, and a willingness to learn along the way.
Staying Curious
After years of making and exhibiting work, Proffitt continues to find possibilities within the techniques she has developed. She remains open to new subjects and experiences, provided they resonate with her way of seeing.
Rather than feeling compelled to reinvent her practice, she finds that experimentation keeps her creatively engaged. There is always another combination to try, another detail to discover, or another familiar subject to reconsider.
That ongoing sense of possibility connects her current work to the curiosity that brought her back to photography in the first place. What began with a camera left on a shelf has become a sustained exploration of her own perspective and the many ways she can express it.
See Joanna Proffitt's work in person at the upcoming exhibition, The Grand Art Show, at The Monastery, November 13–December 13, 2026 or follow her at @joannaproffittphotography on IG for more.
Edited by Marquez Rodriguez on October 24, 2026
