Jonathan Mannion is a photographer and film director. He has shot album covers for hip hop and R&B performers including Dr. Dre, Jay Z, Aaliyah, Outkast, Nas, Nicki Minaj, Brandy Norwood and Kendrick Lamar.

Early life and education

With English and American ancestry, he was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His parents are both artists. His mother is from London and his father from Brooklyn. Mannion studied at Kenyon College in Ohio graduating with honors. In 1996 he moved from Cleveland to New York City.

Career

Mannion worked for a year with photographer Richard Avedon in his Manhattan studio. Mannion also worked with photographers Ben Watts, Steven Klein, and Marc Hom. In 1996, he photographed Brooklyn rapper Jay-Z for Reasonable Doubt. In Mannion v. Coors Brewing Co. Mannion successfully sued the brewer and its ad agency for replicating one of his photographs in one of their advertisements.