As one of Sydney's most exciting creative photographic talents, Jonathan imbues his subjects with humour and poignancy. He is brilliantly creative, having an extraordinary ability to be given a concept and take it to a whole new visual place that is both innovative and compelling.
Jonathan’s great love is the quirky, creative, concept-driven advertising that comes out of true collaboration with art directors.
Jonathan loves to find interesting characters and locations, using colour and treatments to heighten the visual experience. Always looking for subtle humour, his work visually engages us by drawing us in to share the experience of his subject.
Lurzers Archive magazine named Jonathan one of the Top 200 International Advertising photographers in 2011 & 2010, and his work features heavily as a creative favourite on international design sites www.behance.com, trendhunter and best ads.
He also recently won a bronze Cannes Lion for his Google Street View 'Sex shop' picture which he worked on with BBDO Moscow.
Originally an Art Buyer/Producer inside Advertising Agencies, Jonathan has a unique skill whereby having worked closely with both Creatives and Account Service he understands the all-important balance required in managing production and client constraints, without compromising the integrity of the creative vision.
Jonathan's personal work has been a part of several solo and joint exhibitions in Moscow, Paris, and Sydney. His “The Embrace” image was selected as a finalist in the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize, and was exhibited in The National Portrait Gallery in London.
In 2009, Jonathan won the Sydney Morning Herald “shoot the chef” competition with his hilarious portrayal of celebrity chef Manu Fieldel on a unicycle, dressed as a circus performer. Jonathan's portraits have also been finalists in Australia’s most prestigious photographic portrait prize HEAD ON in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Currently working between Sydney and Europe, Jonathan loves anyone with a story, and on most days you will find him in deep conversation with the most fascinating person in the room!
Jonathan's international list of advertising clients include Snickers, Commonweath Bank, Sony, Google, Vodafone, MTV, Westfield, Telstra, Optus, Lion Nathan, Mini, Hoyts, Salvation Army and the Bell Shakespere Company.
Visit the website of Jonathan May
