Features
Featured New Artist: Jonathan Hanson
Jonathan became interested in photography at a very young age but did not pursue it until his senior year of college at Drake University where he studied creative writing and journalism. Unfortunately, Drake did not offer photography as a course of study, so he set out to teach himself and found a mentor, Mark Kegans, a former photojournalist with the Dallas Morning News who had relocated to Des Moines. He was very good at foreseeing the moment and capturing it with a very clean composition and exposed him to photographers like Damon Winter, Alex Webb and Bill Allard.
After putting together a small portfolio, Jonathan applied to Ohio University’s Visual Communications Program. His main interest was in photojournalism, but because his portfolio had more of a commercial feel to it, he was offered a spot in their commercial photography program. While at Ohio he made an effort to take both the commercial and photojournalism courses and after his first year he realized that commercial photography was not what he wanted to have his photographic foundation built on. He left in search of more life experience that would help develop his skills as a both a photographer and as a photojournalist. Jonathan headed to Santa Fe and began working for the Santa Fe Workshops for the summer as an assistant, working with a wide range of photographers. Jack Dykinga, Arthur Meyerson, Jay Maisel, Eddie Soloway and Carlan Tapp, all had lasting impressions on him through their critique of his work, photographic approach, attitude and visual abilities. After the summer season was over, the workshops sent him to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for their fall season where he arrived a month early to study Spanish and Mexican culture while living with a local family. This trip was life changing, planting the seeds for a new-found love of culture, travel and photography.
Currently Jonathan is based out of Baltimore, MD where he is working as a freelancer and pursuing a personal project on violent crime.
Web: www.jonathanhansonphotography.com
Jonathan Hanson is this week’s Featured New Artist from our friends at Aurora Photos. Aurora’s staff regularly seeks out new, up and coming photographers to highlight on abouttheimage.com. We hope our readers will enjoy learning about these young pro-photographers and seeing examples of their outstanding work. Photographers who would like to be considered for publication as a Featured New Artist can submit their resume and portfolio by email to fna [at] abouttheimage.com.
Posted in: Featured New Artists, Features, Interviews, Photographers
Comments(1)
post a comment »Gretchen, December 18, 2008 [#]
I love Jonathan’s ability to capture the essence of the individuals. I also loved his color & composition. He is a very talented young photographer. I look forward to seeing more of his work.