About
Jonathan Knowles is an award-winning advertising photographer and filmmaker. He is an industry leader specialising in drinks, liquids, food and still life. With his unique style and exceptional lighting techniques, he creates iconic campaigns for global brands.
When I was eight years old I was awestruck 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.
Jonathan Knowles is an advertising photographer and filmmaker based in London, United Kingdom. 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.
An innovator of liquids and drinks photography, Jonathan has influenced an entire category of advertising image-making. He has the expertise to freeze time and capture physical elements in their pure and natural states. He has applied his masterful ability in stills photography to filmmaking. Jonathan has created entire crossmedia campaigns including posters, print ads, TV commercials, websites and social media. Browse his work here.
Studio
Representation
Awards
2021
London International Creative Competition – LICC
Finalist - DiorSHOW
Shortlisted - Art of Brewing
Official Selection - Modernist Beer, Art of Brewing, Dali, Mad Men
14th International Color Awards
Honourable Mentions - Flores Fluitantes, Ambient Drinks, Retro Beauty, Modernist Beer, Benriach
Nominee - Asquiths Bathrooms, Edinburgh Gin, Red Beauty, Beauty Drip
2020
Creative Communications Award C2A
Advertising Winner - Benriach, McDonald's Moon Landings, Mad Men, Dole Fruits
Honourable Mention - Big Rocks, DiorSHOW
WPE Awards
Silver Award - Big Rocks
International Photography Awards
Gold - Always Original
Silver - David Morris
Honourable Mentions - Red Beauty, McDonald’s Moon Landings, Mad Men, Art of Brewing, Art Deco Drinks, and Lady Justices of Gray’s Inn.
AOP Awards
Finalist - Modernist Beer
One Eyeland Black and White Awards
Bronze - Big Rocks
Production Paradise Spotlight Awards
Shortlisted - Dali
Creative Pool Annual
Bronze - DiorSHOW
Shortlisted - Gail Porter, Modernist Beer, Big Rocks
Fresh Awards
Gold - Bletchley Park Gin
OneEyeland Photography Awards
Silver Award - Photographer of the Year
One Eyeland Fine Art Awards
Silver Award - Hogarth
Art Directors’ Club of New York
Merit - McDonald's Moon Landings
Graphis Photography Annual
2 platinum awards - Wishing on a Star, The taste of time
5 gold awards - Dior Ultra Rouge, Roja, George Skeggs, Miss Dior, Paint Flowers,
4 honourable mentions - San Miguel, Seedlip, McDonald's Hop House 13
One Eyeland Still Life Awards
Top in UK, 2nd place worldwide
British Photography Awards
Shortlisted in Macro Category - Kubrik
2019
Lürzer’s Archive 200 Best Ad Photographers
2019/20 Cover - Dali
International Photography Awards
Advertising Photographer of the Year
Kinsale Shark Awards
Gold - Bletchley Park Gin
Black & White Spider Awards
3rd Place Honourable Mention - Twiggy
WPE Awards
Silver Award - DiorSHOW
Trierenberg Super Circuit
Grand Prix Winner
Food Photo Festival
Exhibitor - Art Deco Drinks, Kubrick and Mad Men
Royal Photographic Society IPE 161
Exhibitor - Seniors
One Eyeland Awards
Bronze - Mad Men
AOP Awards Winner
Portrait Silver Award - Xueli
Finalist - Temptations
Finalist - Derelict
American Photography 35
Winner - Xueli
Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year
Shortlisted - Christmas Fun 2019
Graphis – Photography Annual
2 Platinum Medals - Parker Pens and Underwater Symphony
6 Gold Medals in 4 Categories - (Portrait, Fashion and Beauty, Still Life and Advertising)
5 Silver Medals in 2 categories - (Still Life and Beverage)
7 Honourable Mentions
Awarded Graphis Photography Master Title
Art Directors’ Club of New York
Merit - Ocean Risk
FIAP
Gold Medal - Cicada
2018
Lürzer’s Archive 200 Best Ad Photographers
Featured - Chopard, Luxure Next Gen, Art Deco Drinks, Dole, Vintage Flowers
The Drum – Design Awards
Photography Winner - Aida
American Photography
Chosen - Champagne Cocktail
Trierenberg Super Circuit
Gold Medal - Cicada
PDN Annual
Winner - Video & Multimedia - The Art of Brewing
London International Creative Competition
Honourable Mention - Aida and Passage of Time
One Eyeland Black & White Photographers Awards
Silver - Aida
Art Directors’ Club of New York
Merit - Aida
Communication Arts
Advertising - Aida
Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year Awards
unearthed® Food Film Shorts - Full English Brexit
Graphis – Photography Annual
2 Gold Medals in 2 categories (Beverage and Beauty & Fashion)
7 Silver Medals in 2 categories (Still Life, Beauty & Fashion and Advertising)
4 Merits in 3 categories (Advertising, Still Life and Beverage)
One Eyeland Awards
Gold Medal - Complex Simplicity
Silver Medal - Aida
Bronze Medal - Chopard, Dior, Dole, Trajectories and Art Deco Drinks
Finalist in 4 categories
Overall Photographer of the Year
Advertising Photographer of the Year
2017
AOP Awards Winner
Commissioned Design - Aida
Trierenberg Super Circuit
Gold Medal - Retro
Graphis – Photography Annual
7 Gold Medals in 4 categories (Beauty and Fashion, Flowers, Still Life and Journalism)
2 Silver Medals in 2 categories (Still Life and Portraits)
One Eyeland Awards
Bronze Medal - Men's Make up
Finalist in 9 categories
2016
AOP Awards Nominee
Non Commissioned Object – Single Stained Glass
One Eyeland Awards
3 Bronze Medals – Nature, Advertising Beauty, Advertising Still Life.
4 Finalists – Advertising Still Life, Advertising Beauty, Fine Art Portrait, Specialist Lighting.
Lürzer’s Archive 200 Best Ad Photographers
Featured - Costa Coffee, Untamed Bags, Chopard, Balloon Burst, Exploding Flowers
PDN Annual
Best Stock Photography – Squish
American Photography Awards
AP32 Chosen Winner – Orange Vintage Flowers
Graphis – Photography Annual
Platinum for Hogarth
Gold for Men’s Make-Up & Infatuation
Silver for McCafé & Replicant
Merit for Vintage Flowers & Growing Up At Eton
2015
Creative Review Photography Annual
Best Stock Photography – Vintage Flowers
AOP Awards Nominee
Non Commissioned Object Series – Vintage Flowers
PDN Annual
Best Self Promotion – Liquids book
One Eyeland Awards
Photographer of the Year
Silver Medal in 4 categories
Graphis Photography Annual
2 Golds – Still Life and Animals
1 Silver – Portraits
3 Merits – Beauty & Fashion, Flowers and Portraits
2 Nominations – Advertising
2014
AOP Awards Nominee
Commissioned Advertising – Schwarzkopf Bubbles
PDN Annual
Best Self Promotion – ‘Christmas Clea’ Card
Lürzer’s Archive 200 Best Ad Photographers
Featured - Superhero Lips, Flaviana, Black Sabbath, Gingers, Old Masters
Art Directors Club Awards
Merit – Black Sabbath 13
Graphis – Photography Annual
Silver in 3 categories (Portraits, Beauty, Beverage)
Merit in 2 categories (Still Life, Entertainment)
One Eyeland Awards
Silver Medal in 2 categories (Beauty, Music)
Bronze Medal in 1 category (Still Life)
Finalist in 2 categories (Portrait)
2013
Creative Review Photography Annual
Best Design Photography – Black Sabbath 13
Graphis – 100 Best in Design
Silver for Cicada
Graphis – 100 Best in Photography
2 Golds for Beauty images
Graphis – 100 Best in Advertising
Gold for The Guardian – Broken Britain
PDN Annual
Advertising winner – Omo Campaign
One Eyeland Awards
Silver medal in 3 categories Bronze medal
2012
Graphis – 100 Best in Advertising
The Guardian – Broken Britain
Graphis – 100 Best in Photography
Four Images Selected
AOP Awards Nominee
Commissioned Design Single – Make Model CD
PX3 Awards
Overall Winner – Photographer of the Year
Winner – Advertising Beauty Photography
2011
Graphis – 100 Best in Photography
Three images selected
AOP Awards Nominee
Portrait of David Cameron
Lürzer’s Archive – 200 Best Advertising Photographers
PDN – The Look
Still Life Series
PX3 Awards
Advertising Beauty – Silver Medal
Fine Art Still Life – Bronze Medal
2010
The Photography Masters Cup
1st place – Outstanding achievement in the food section
3rd place -Honour of Distinction in the Abstract section
3rd place – Honour of Distinction for the Photographer of the Year
Graphis Photography Annual
Lürzer’s Archive – 200 Best Advertising Photographers
Bronze ‘Creative Circle’ Award
2009
Campaign Big Award
Winner – Soft Drinks and Household Poster
Campaign Photo Awards – Finalist
2008
Graphis Photography Annual
Lürzer’s Archive – 200 Best Advertising Photographers
2007
New York RX Club and Global Awards
Gold – Best Campaign for Xenical
2006
Lürzer’s Archive – 200 Best Advertising Photographers