Christopher Jonas is a photographer of the Everyday based in London.
He concentrates on photographing people, unposed, in their everyday surroundings. He has built his client documentary practice from long experience as a street photographer. He uses a single 50mm manual focus lens and works exclusively in ambient light. Jonas has a strong preference for monochrome, unless colour is an essential part of the story. On site, he works close in but silently, with no distraction from the working day of those in his viewfinder. His images are presented square in order subtly to guide the eye of the viewer.
His strong knack of anticipating an original street scene comes through in the galleries on this site.
Commissioned documentary highlights
“Painting his own Shadow” in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. 2013
Photographer for the centenary of women in the Metropolitan Police. 2018/2019
Photographer embedded with 45 Commando
Royal Marines. 2018/2019
Photographer of scientists working in the Natural History Museum. 2019 –
Creative partner and photographer at Adam Chamber Music Festival, Nelson, NZ. 2019 –
Two outsize enlargements at Tate Modern during second stage development. 2013/2015
Photographer of the school’s book: Ad Te Levavi. A school year in pictures. 2017/2018
Confidential documentary for the Met’s CT Command 2019/2022
Photographer for archive series of the life and times of clergy and staff. 2016/2017
Artists and staff behind-the-scenes at the UK’s premier chamber music venue. 2021 –
Inside a specialist perioperative
and ageing research unit. 2021
More background
- An inaugural exhibition at Goldsmiths in autumn 2013
- Canary Wharf Group staged Carpe Momentum, a major exhibition of his work in late summer 2014
- Passing Encounters; from his Arts & Cathedrals series, at the Peltz Gallery, London WC1 in autumn 2015
- Transient : Permanent; more from his cathedral series, in Bristol Cathedral in May 2017
- Prints of his photographs are on display in private houses and diplomatic buildings in London and New York
In his earlier career in business, Jonas was chairman of Henderson International Income Trust plc and a senior adviser at Lazard. Previously he specialised in the real estate markets, including serving as president of the RICS.
He was chairman of the trustees of the Contemporary Art Society from 2014 to 2018. Past pro bono work has included being chairman of Goldsmiths University of London, chairman of the Roedean School governing council and chairman of three major arts restoration programmes: both phases of Tate Modern, and the London Coliseum.