Photographer Research - Jonathan Knowles

Jonathan Knowles

Why I've chosen him

My reasons for choosing Jonathan Knowles as part of my photographer research is because his work is based around a lot of explosions with water and powder that are techniques I would like to develop from last year. Colour and pattern are both formal elements that are featured thoroughly in practically every Knowles photograph, and these formal elements are extremely important in advertising because colour is a vital feature for capturing someones attention, and pattern will most likely keep them interested in the photograph. Knowles uses creative techniques and photoshopped edits to form intriguing and refreshing pieces of photography. He is also part of my photographer research because his unique style has earned him award-winning advertising commissions worldwide. He has advertised a lot of beer brands which isn't something that I want to explore, however I do want to explore drinks, and the style he created the Bulmers piece in is a way I'd like to try out in my work. 

In this photograph, Jonathan Knowles has worked with Lowe Vietnam for its client Omo and created this campaign, the above image being one of the instalments. I like this photograph of Knowles for many reasons - one being that the creative element is strong. Having the beverage coming from the top of the frame and pouring down into the glass at the bottom, with a slight splash and added see through splash, is a technique that can immediately transform an average picture of a drink into a stylish and imaginative piece. The glass has condensation surfaced all around it, which conveys the beverage as being cool and refreshing. This is an attractive element of the photograph, along with the ice cubes seeping through the drink and coming through to the glass, because it makes the drink look inviting; especially if someone was to see this advertisement on the street during a hot summers day. The contrast of the drink against the white background is effective, as it allows the colour of the beverage to stand out - colour and pattern being the most apparent formal elements in this piece.   

Knowles worked on this piece for the brand Bulmers, which is the biggest selling British bottled cider brand in the UK. They released a new zesty blood orange flavour, that Knowles has visually presented in this advertisement. He captured the close up of an Orange and clearly increased the saturation of its outline, along with adding tints of dark red to emphasise the 'blood orange' flavour - as red has the connotation of blood. He then simply placed over the top, his cutout picture of the bottle and situated it in the centre of the sliced fruit. This overall image is an extremely attractive and successful piece of advertising photography because the colours are bold, along with tone in the orange slice to increase the realistic appearance of the fruit. There is pattern all around the fruit and it looks as though the Bulmers bottle is emerging from the centre, which represents how the drink has come from (been made) from the orange. By Knowles using white font for the "New Zesty Blood Orange" title, it stands out against the dark hot colours of the fruit. It is also all in capitals which adds a dramatic effect to the audience when they read it, as it almost appears as though it's shouting it out to you. 

This photograph is oozing with refreshing flavours. Having the composition be in the format of a portrait allows plenty of space for the can to sink into a deep section of tonic water. The water has rippled as the can hits the surface and curled around the top of the packaging, sprinkles of leftover liquid spritzing out the top of the water. There are slices of limes floating around in the water surrounding the can, along with chunky ice cubes, all with fizzy bubbles hugging them. Having added flavours and food/drink items in part of the frame with the can of drink conveys the items that could be added with the drink in order for the consumer to experience the best taste e.g. an added slice of lime in the drink and a few ice cubes to keep it cool. Having all of this against a white background adds to the refreshing appearance of the image, as white contrasts with the dark green can, rather then having it blend in with an all black background. The added words again at the bottom of the advertisement is a title that could tempt somebody into purchasing this drink as it says that it's "perfect for the evening", and also mentioning Schweppes Tonic water as being the drink mixed with the gin in this can - therefore advertising two of Schweppes products in just one advertisement. 

Contrasting with the other styles of Knowles work, this photograph is completely different. It still conforms to the theme of advertising, but instead looks at make up. Here in this image are a mixture of eye shadows, all blended together on the left in solid and powder form. To the right of the frame is a dust combination of the orange, purple and blue powders which blend together in a messy but artistic way. I like in this image that there are two sections of the frame which are dedicated to different subjects. The left is just the start of the make up crumbling and the right is the outcome of the eye shadows being crushed. Colour and pattern are strong formal elements in this photograph which stand out against the white background. The composition is effective and the contrast of colours look attractive when they are all grouped together. Overall, this beauty photograph is an appealing piece that is inspiring with all for the messy powder formations. 

How he has influenced me

After looking at Knowles extremely bright and colourful work in this post, I came up with many ideas to advertise products. I was certain that I'd be enhancing the bright and saturated colours of the products I shot, as this is always an element that intrigues a viewer. I looked at photographing drinks such as Innocent smoothies as I wanted to make the bottle stand out from the frame, similar to his Bulmers piece. I used three bottles for this shoot, and placed two in the distance to exaggerate the front one as emerging from the composition. This bottle is therefore the focal point of the piece, emphasised by the background bottles. The skittles piece is something that I wanted to create in order to have the frame bursting with colour, and no empty space. I thought this was the perfect confectionery to capture a highly saturated image. 

Summary

Overall, Jonathan Knowles is a mixed photographer who looks at more than one advertising concept. He doesn't just look at food, and he doesn't just look at make up. By exploring all this variety results in him being a very inspirational photographer of mine that I can find inspiration from with a range of subjects and products. Knowles also adds interesting and stylish artistic techniques to his images such as the splashes in the top image and the mixture of two pictures in the second image. I admire Knowles bright and bold approach to his work and it's visual appearance is always so slick and well thought out - none of his work is cluttered or messy, it's evidently professional.