Jonathan Mannion’s Top 5 Pieces of Advice for Aspiring Photographers

Jonathan Mannion is perhaps hip-hop’s most well-known photographer, and for good reason: he’s responsible for some of the most iconic images of your favorite rappers. Just type his name into Google Images — trust me, you’re already hip. Always humble, Mannion has teamed up with Skillshare, a free online education platform, for a beginner’s class on portrait photography, going down tomorrow, January 21. Whether you’re just starting out or already a seasoned vet, it can’t hurt to learn some tricks from a master of the craft, who will be playing professor over the next two weeks.

In this class, Jonathan will guide students through the process of successful portrait photography, including lighting techniques, proper camera settings, effective compositions, working with the subject in order to elicit the intended emotions, taking the shot, and making selections. While taking part in the class, students from all over the world will create their own portrait photos and have the chance to share their projects in the online classroom and receive feedback from both Jonathan and fellow peers.

To get a taste of what Mannion has in store, we asked him about the most important advice he’s received throughout his career, from Reasonable Doubt to Jesus Piece. Below, check out his five insightful responses, and be sure to visit Skillshare to find out more and sign up. It’s free, dummy!

1. Don’t be a clown.

When I worked for [Richard] Avedon, there was a moment that everybody wasn’t quite in high gear. We were shooting a Versace campaign. I was assisting I was the low man on the totem pole. And I remember Avedon sitting down all of us — it really wasn’t geared towards me, but I absorbed the message fully — he goes, “You guys are a bunch of clowns. If you don’t get your stuff together and get on track today, we’re gonna have a big problem.” Because a lot of being a photographer is really, you’re the center of this wheel that’s spinning, and you have to keep it all spinning. And there’s many elements: there’s styling — you have to inspire them and cater to ego because they need to feel they’re important — the makeup, and hair, and this, and guidance, and crew, and then managing clients.

The one piece of the puzzle I think that should be the tightest is your assisting crew. The people that support you to allow you to do what you do at the highest level should be an unconscious presence. You shouldn’t have to wonder whether they have your back — they just absolutely have to. And I remember that in a way kind of like rattling me. It made me understand how much it meant to [Avedon] even at this age, in his seventies, when he was rocking, that this was so important, and if you guys can’t support me then I’m screwed. It was like, C’mon man, I need you guys. Don’t be a clown. Take this seriously. While we work in an industry that’s often considered playtime and glamorous from the outside looking in, there’s real heart to this. And if you don’t have that heart and you don’t have that passion, skip it man. There’s some incredible jobs that you can just float on through. I was like, “Whoa, this dude is serious. Alright. Let me go triple time.” And I was already hungry, so in a way, it was geared towards the top four assistants that were working on that particular day, but I certainly never missed a beat after that. Ever. The fake it till you make it, I don’t believe it. Know what the f@%k you’re doing. And then do it.

2. Go the extra mile.

I worked with Steven Klein. He had taken a picture in 1986. He walked in one day with a Polaroid, and he said, “I wanna make this picture today. This is what I want it to feel like.” It was a Polaroid that was outdated, and it weathered over time. It felt like this old crazy Kodachrome, and he goes, “I want this.” And I said, “No problem. Gimme two hours and I’ll have it for you.” In that moment, I was just so confident that I could do it because I knew my abilities, and it was a moment of transition for a couple of reasons. Why am I not doing this for myself if I feel like I can do that and I can do anything? Oh, okay, no, but this guy’s brilliant, okay, now I know why. I have more to learn and I’m being placed in this situation for that reason.

Draw influence from other work that you’ve done or work that you’ve seen, but never make it exactly the same. I made sure that I advanced on that idea, and I came back with a Polaroid right next to that one, and he’s like, “This is so great.” And it was a moment of real understanding, of like, Oh man, I got a warrior. This kid knows what he’s doing. So some of [the original Polaroid] was used as reference, but advance upon it. Don’t carbon copy it, advance on it. But also, take big chances, just try and improve whatever it is even if it’s your own bar of measurement. I think I can do it like that, but let me try and be better than that. Go the extra mile.

People say that there’s nothing new on the planet. It’s like, everything’s been done, everything’s been shot. I don’t believe it. There are unique moments that are never the same. History never repeats itself, only themes. Every moment is a brand new moment. You’re never gonna get Nas when he dropped “Ether” in the club for God’s Son. Okay, I have that incredible moment. It’s never gonna be that again. It’ll be something else. But people grow, I grow, my eye changes, he changes, and it applies to everybody.

3. Don’t fall in love with your own work.

I guess I’m learning that I learn by example. And it’s not direct, like, I remember my granddad said, “Walk with a big stick.” It was never really that kind of advice. Especially in an industry where it’s all about bravado, and how great you are, how much you have — be humble. It’s much easier for people to get behind you and believe in what you’re doing if you’re like, Wow, I’m just trying hard, man. That’s it. And the people that have said that in my career, sort of, Man, I love what you’re doing man, I’m a big fan of your work. “Ah, man, I’m trying.” People who have said that are the ones who are really achieving it. Keep trying and be humble. Humility is a major trait that people can take advantage of, and that’s to be expected, and they have to sleep at night, but I think that that as a golden rule has served me well.

Once you believe that you’re the best, and your pictures, like, there’s nothing better than the pictures that you’re creating — when you fall in love with your work — then it’s a problem. Because then you’re just believing your own hype. Don’t fall in love with your work. Because there’s always room for improvement, and I think real artists always want what’s next. It’s never like, Wow, that’s the greatest picture I ever took! It might be true for that moment, but you have to do it again as a professional.

4. F@%k ’em if they can’t take a joke.

I try and take things a little bit light. I just say loosely, “Ah, f@%k ’em if they can’t take a joke.” It’s kind of a fun way of, Wait, what did he say? It’s totally irreverent, but it keeps me light. It’s not like, F@%k them! It doesn’t have that aggression. I was just kidding when I said it, whatever I wanted in that moment. I’m just joking, man! Just take it easy. F@%k ’em if they can’t take a joke. You just gotta keep going sometimes. That one works for me and sort of keeps me calm. It’s not a serious attack. I am non-aggressive and certainly very grateful for everybody that supports me on any level. Whether you’ve given me a job, whether you just support, whether you Tweet, you like a picture, whatever — I’m honored to have a voice that means something. And there are definitely moments when people reach out, and that takes balls too, to say, “Your shit is dope, man.” Like, thank you. I can keep going. I’m doing okay. These little checks and balances. Don’t take it too seriously — it’s all gonna be alright.

5. Go walk around the block and get a chocolate milkshake.

There’s a guy, his name is Gino Sullivan. And he always calls, and it’s like, you know the people who have that uncanny ability to call you in the moment that you’re about to jump off a cliff? And he literally picks up the phone and he’s like, “What’s the situation? Is it critical — is it a critical situation over there?” He’s like, “Ah, man, just walk around the block. Go get a chocolate milkshake.” Remove yourself from your surroundings and just go get some air. Just separate yourself, and then come back to it, and attack, and have a new perspective. Go get a chocolate milkshake. Go walk around the block and get a chocolate milkshake.