Jonathan Knowles is an award-winning advertising photographer and filmmaker based in London, United Kingdom. He is an industry leader specialising in drinks, liquids, food, beauty, still life and special effects. With his unique style and exceptional lighting techniques, he creates iconic campaigns for global brands.

“When I was eight years old I was amazed by Harold Edgerton’s iconic milk splash image on the wall of my school’s science laboratory. I held onto that inspiration through my teenage years, when I bought my first camera. On the first roll of film in that camera, frames 16 and 17 were of splashing milk.

Since then, I have been fascinated by the ‘unseen forms of nature’ hidden within liquids and other natural elements. I have dedicated my life to capturing the beauty of these elusive moments, both in stills photography, and more recently using high speed motion cameras.”

Born in Yorkshire and raised in Windsor, Jonathan has been obsessed with photography since getting his first camera at 16 years old. He was hired for his first commissioned work one year later. Since then, he has created stunning imagery that captures the essence of powerful brands and catapults them to new heights.

A pioneer in liquids and drinks photography, Jonathan has influenced an entire category of advertising photography. He has the expertise to freeze time and capture physical elements in their pure and natural states. He has applied his masterful ability in still photography to filmmaking. Jonathan has created entire integrated projects including posters, print ads, TV commercials, websites and social media.

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Our Clients

Integrated Projects
Jonathan’s uniquely broad aptitude to shoot still and moving imagery has allowed him to create some remarkable cross media campaigns. Working with notable brands his experience has made him an integral part in helping them build significant and impactful content. The visuals cover an array of platforms, from TV commercials and OOH to social media and website.
Integrated Projects
Film
Jonathan’s vast experience gained over a long career in stills photography translates gracefully into his moving image work. He uses his expertise in liquids and drinks to create stunning slow motion films capturing the flowing physical beauty of splashes and pours as they have never been seen before. He shoots compelling television commercials and films for a wide array of social media platforms.
Film Portfolio
Drinks & Liquids
Jonathan is a worldwide leader in drinks and liquids advertising photography. For most of his career, his outstanding work has inspired trends and techniques in this category. Years of experience at the highest level have made him an expert in manipulating splashes and pours to capture stunning imagery hidden in moments the naked eye cannot process. This ability translates smoothly into the product space, where he prioritises communicating each brand’s particular culture and spirit. Jonathan has worked with distinguished brands in the beer, wine, soft drinks, whisky, water, tea and coffee industries.
Drinks Portfolio Liquids Portfolio
Luxury Products
Jonathan’s meticulous attention to detail and precise lighting control give his luxury and beauty photography an elegant and graceful essence. Diamonds dazzle and sparkle, perfumes’ heavenly fragrances are finely depicted, and make-up glows on his subjects’ faces. His luxury and beauty photography command the extravagant reputation of brands in the jewellery, perfume, make-up, and cosmetics industries.
Luxury Portfolio Beauty Portfolio
People
From award-winning portraits of Prime Ministers and sports stars, to collections of photographs promoting advertising and product concepts, Jonathan’s people photography is exceptional. He has vast experience directing models to capture human moments beautifully. His deep understanding of the fundamentals of photography make for breathtaking images that incite emotional and personal connections.
People Portfolio
Still Life
Simplicity and purity are at the core of Jonathan’s work in still life advertising photography. His images of objects cut through the superfluous to deliver a clear message. His lighting and control of natural elements and objects converging create still and permanent beauty. He not only captures archetypal still life photographs, but has expertise in freezing subjects in motion using high speed lighting and cameras, and special effects when needed.
Still Life Portfolio