Artist: Jonathan Mannion

Jonathan Mannion is a Photographer from Cleveland, OH. He is known for the many album covers that he has shot for hip hop artists over the years. His professional career started in 1996, when he shot the cover of Jay-z's "Reasonable Doubt." From that point on, Jonathan's career has grown with the culture of hip hop music. He has been the main contributor to the visual documentation of era of music. DJ Quik was once quoted saying "the world sees hip hop through Mannions eyes."


"I'm just a messenger, and I¹ve been given a talent to document an extremely important era of music history. I have a love for hip-hop that goes back to when I was a teenager, and I feel blessed to have had the chance to shoot the artists I've worked with. I've had the opportunity to grow with them and the photos I've shot over the years have become visual bullet points of their creative evolution and mine."

Mannion's prides himself in finding new ways to push the boundaries of photography. It is his mission to constantly re-examine and redefine the art of celebrity portraiture. "My work is very intimate. I want people to feel like they're being let in to these superstars' lives through my pictures." Jonathan has also shot with athletes such as Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson and 7 time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong. Mannion has an undeniably impressive way of blending the super-stardom with the personal. His images help to define an entire generation.