Jonathan Root
Jonathan Root's work has appeared three times in the prestigious John Kobal Photographic Portrait Award exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, in 1995, 1996 and 2000. 'Jonathan's work combines mesmerising textures and colours with an acute attention to detail and a love of whimsy. His portraits present fascinating studies of a variety of characters and the world they inhabit' - (Susanna Brown, The National Portrait Gallery).
'Jonathan Root's portraits evoke a pleasant sense of surprise as the viewer attacks the question of the subject's identity: how much of what we see is a true reflection of the sitter's being and how much has been artificially imposed by the photographer' (Zoom Magazine).
Jonathan Root's ability to judge the exact moment, even split-second, his sitter exposes their personality allows more than just their physical appearance to be revealed. The viewer is given the opportunity to discover a little more about the sitter and their persona and intimate qualities. Root claims that although he has worked as a photographer for over 20 years and despite his technical proficiency, 'some of his best shots have come about by chance' (British Journal of Photography).