Apple iPhone Xr Jonathan Mannion Photographer

This documentary film explores the work and influence of acclaimed photographer Jonathan Mannion, directed with sensitivity and precision by Sebastian Artz. Across a 25-year career, Mannion has shaped the visual language of modern music and culture, amassing credits on over 300 album covers — from iconic portraits of Jay-Z and Aaliyah to contemporary artists such as DJ Khaled.

Beyond music, his work spans major advertising campaigns including Beats by Dre’s Straight Outta _____, Cadillac, and Bushmills. Over the course of his career, Mannion has photographed more than 500 of the most influential rappers, actors, athletes, artists, designers, and cultural tastemakers of our era, building an archive that defines generations of popular culture.

Created for Apple iPhone, the film highlights how photographers like Mannion integrate the iPhone into their professional workflow. Blending documentary storytelling with behind-the-scenes insight, the piece showcases the iPhone not as a replacement for traditional tools, but as a powerful, flexible extension of a photographer’s creative practice — capable of capturing intimacy, immediacy, and authenticity in moments where instinct matters most.