Hey, I’m Jonathan Rabon I was born in Oakland, raised in Sacramento, and moved to LA at 19 to chase a dance career. As things started to take off, I felt the urge to start documenting my journey, so in 2010, I picked up my first camera: a Canon EOS 7D. Traveling for dance allowed me to experiment and develop my style. Around 2013, Instagram was blowing up, and I was sharing a mix of digital shots and film photos (thanks to a cheap Canon T50 I grabbed at the Melrose Trading Post). At the time, it was just a fun side hobby. I was dancing on Justin Bieber's "Believe" tour and capturing life on the road from my creative perspective—and people connected with that. By the time Bieber's "Purpose" World Tour came around, I had fallen for film. I left digital behind and documented everything with film—disposables, Polaroids, whatever I could handle. That continued up until 2020 when the pandemic hit and everything slowed down. I finally had the time to reflect on my journey and realized photography had always been more than just a hobby—I hadn't given it the attention it deserved. So I got serious. I studied the craft, sharpened my skills, and the deeper I went, the more I fell in love with it. In 2022, I decided to go all-in on photography. I reintroduced digital into my workflow that same year with the Sony A7 III and a 35mm 1.4 GM lens. Since then, I've embraced the hybrid approach—film and digital—and it's elevated my storytelling in ways I couldn't have imagined.

I'm passionate about what I do because it lets me tell real, honest stories—whether on tour, at home, or somewhere between. It started as a way to document my life as a dancer, but over time, it became something more profound. Photography helps me slow down, observe, and connect with the world around me in a way that dance alone never could. It's more than just taking pictures—it's about capturing moments that mean something to me and the people who see them.

I've been a storyteller for 15 years, but in the last five years, I've seen what happens when I create with honest intention.

My favorite part about doing what I do best is seeing the reaction of whoever I'm shooting—whether it's my girlfriend or a client—when they see the final photos. As a photographer, there's no better feeling than executing someone's vision and exceeding their expectations.

I have curated with @thehundreds, @tydollasign, & @elledanmark. I’m manifesting future project(s) with @Adidas, @nfl, & @fashionweek 📸