The Power of Storytelling | Photobanks

"Jonathan has photographed International Alert's work in three different continents. He always becomes part of the team, needs a minimum amount of support and delivers stunning images which convey a real sense of humanity."
Phil Vernon
Director of Programmes
International Alert

"Whether on a farm in East Africa, a Trawler in the Atlantic or a Royal Palace in London, Jonathan consistently delivers photography that makes us look good to our clients. "
Paul Campbell
Director of Purple Patch Group

"Quality photography is absolutely essential to our brand. It’s who we are, what we do and the impact we have on the world. And that means working with a photographer like Jonathan, who understands what we are trying to achieve with our work."
THOM MCKAY,
Director of Communications
RTKL.COM

"Jonathan has been a pleasure to work with, professional, well organised, creative and always delivering to the brief. Considering the breadth of topics we have asked him to work on around the world, he has also shown himself to be resourceful and flexible. "
Judith Batchelar,
Director of Sainsbury's Brand

"Jonathan has travelled to Intergen's power plants in Mexico, Australia and Europe and produces consistently high quality photography. Intergen's values are all about a high-quality work force for which we consider him part of. "
Mark Somerset,
Vice President
InterGen Europe

"Waiting on a quote from the British Red Cross "
Wendy Solesbury MBE
Youth Development Manager, British Red Cross

"We work with photographers that try to capture the essence of our work and reflect our company values in terms of design. Jonathan produces excellent results every time with creative flair. He is highly professional to work with as well as personable. "
Sean Collins & James Felstead
Directors of CGL Architects.

"Whether on a farm in East Africa, a Trawler in the Atlantic or a Royal Palace in London, Jonathan consistently delivers photography that makes us look good to our clients. "
Paul Campbell
Director of Purple Patch Group

"Jonathan has been a pleasure to work with, professional, well organised, creative and always delivering to the brief. Considering the breadth of topics we have asked him to work on around the world, he has also shown himself to be resourceful and flexible. "
Judith Batchelar,
Director of Sainsbury's Brand

"Waiting on a quote from the British Red Cross "
Wendy Solesbury MBE
Youth Development Manager, British Red Cross

"Jonathan Banks has captured the faces of different people that vividly represent the human side of the conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh where each individual remains above all a human being with his or her right to be what they are, wherever they live, with dignity and in peace. "
EU Ambassador in Yerevan

"Jonathan has travelled to Intergen's power plants in Mexico, Australia and Europe and produces consistently high quality photography. Intergen's values are all about a high-quality work force for which we consider him part of. "
Mark Somerset
Vice President, InterGen Europe

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10

May

The Power of Storytelling

By Jonathan Banks

“Storytelling may be the only way to change someone’s mind. Princeton researchers have argued that people tend to challenge arguments based on facts. Stories, on the other hand, can change behaviour by stimulating the parts of the brain associated with empathy.” Matt Gordon for Story2

When great photography and journalism come together, they deliver a powerful message. I have photographed in the worlds of editorial, commercial and charity, with the formula for delivering information remaining the same. The pictures have to have form and content, drawing the viewer in with the aesthetic at the same time as explaining what is happening. Whilst a photo can be “worth a thousand words”, the information is delivered to us in a different manner to the text. The photography should leave us wanting to understand more and read the article.

A paragraph can equally be worth a thousand photos. The words contribute to the overall message in a way that the pictures cannot, and through the eloquence of language and factual information we reflect on the images with additional understanding. Storytelling is pictures and words at their finest.

My photography for the organisation DelAgua is now featured on the United Nations website.

I was commissioned to photograph DelAgua’s programme of distributing water filters and cook stoves across Rwanda. Unsafe drinking water and household air pollution are major causes of mortality around the world. The data collected from the study in Rwanda suggests that programmatic delivery of household water filters and improved cook stoves can provide a scalable interim solution for rural populations that lack access to safe drinking water and rely on traditional fires for cooking.

I documented the project capturing every aspect from the distribution days and community health workers visits. I photographed in a number of different regions and villages to show the extent of the programme. I collaborated with DelAgua Health and the Rwandan Ministry of Health to present a powerful set of images which showed the work undertaken. The series was shortlisted for the prestigious World Sony Photography Awards.