Alex Jonas
“The most rewarding part is when other people admire your work or use it as an inspiration”
Intercru: Where are you from?
Alex: I’m from Paris, France.
Where do you live and work now?
I live in Paris. At the moment, with the Covid, 90% of my jobs are here or in France.
How did you get started as a photographer?
My love for moving images and photography came quite early. I was always playing with my father’s camera when I was a kid, not really understanding that I could make a living out of it. Then in my 20’s, I lived in Spain for a couple of years during an Erasmus program and that’s when it really stared.
My flatmate knew a lot about cameras and showed me a few tricks and it really grew on me. I started working for documentary production companies in Paris as an assistant, a producer, a camera operator or a director, and that was great fun. But I could feel something was missing. I especially enjoyed handling cameras and that led me to do an intensive photography course at Les Gobelins school in Paris. It all really started there for me as a business and mostly as a way of life. I felt really proud saying I was a photographer and I still am.
For you, what is the hardest part about photography? What is the most rewarding part?
Getting in the industry and making a living out of it is hard, but it’s even harder to stay in the industry. There is a lot of competition and talent out there.
Being relevant and feeling relevant is hard. Feeling confident about your decisions and your work is hard.
The most rewarding part is when other people admire your work or use it as an inspiration. Also, being chosen for a job because of your style is rewarding…But I shoot mainly commercial jobs and fashion so it’s important to be humble and understand that you are not saving lives with your images if you know what I mean ;)
What are the types of emotions you try to convey in your photos?
Beauty, sexiness, happiness.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Online a lot. In the back of my mind too. And also, there is a huge library in the house where I live at the moment with lots of books about art in any form!
Alex Jonas is a Paris-based portrait photographer. To see more of his photography, you can check out his website alexjonasphotography.com or follow his work on Instagram @iamalexjonas
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