Checkerbox Photography, San Francisco

Jonathan Mandel attributes much of his current success as a photographer to the people who gave him his start at 8 years old. There was Mr. King, his photography teacher, who taught him how to develop pictures. And his father, who gave him his first camera and patiently allowed a bathroom in their apartment to become a darkroom. That was a while ago, and yet something he learned early on still lives on in Jonathan's work today: a sense of discovery and play. His clients often credit the visual artist with making his sessions fun, bringing out natural moments, and demonstrating a rare talent for steadying a tripod inside a bouncy castle. Whether capturing happy families for portraits or documenting wedding days, his unique eye for light casts each shot in unexpected, striking tones.