Jonathan Knowles has long mastered the art of translating luxury into imagery that resonates across both still and moving media. In his editorial project “Smoke and Mirrors” for Luxure Magazine, he explores the delicate balance between reality and reflection, presenting high-end jewellery in a way that feels at once timeless and modern. By carefully orchestrating mirrors, light, and composition, Jonathan elevates the interplay of model and jewels into a visual narrative that is elegant, layered, and distinctly his own—a signature approach that continues to define his work for the world’s most esteemed brands.

What was your project about and what did it aim to achieve?
“Smoke and Mirrors” is a luxury editorial project created for Luxure Magazine, showcasing a model dressed in high-end jewellery by luxury brands: Louis Vuitton, Cartier, David Morris and Chopard. The work aimed to evoke duality and depth, capturing the beauty of the jewellery both directly and via real reflections simultaneously.

What inspired you or your team?
We were interested in the rich textures and shapes of the jewellery and the interplay between reality and illusion. The idea of luxury reflected, not only literally, but also conceptually amplifies the value and the beauty.

What was your creative strategy and approach?
I knew that I wanted to use mirrors and wanted to do something with a contemporary take on classical paintings that also used mirrors, such as Velasquez’s Rokeby Venus. It was then a case of planning the angles to catch both the model and jewellery in the foreground as well as the reflections which became the focus of the image.

How did you ensure that your work would resonate with its intended audience?
The readers of Luxure are amongst the World’s elite consumers. They value elegance, sophistication and innovation. That led us to the clean visual style.

What were the main challenges and how did you overcome them?
Using mirrors is always a challenge, not only to avoid seeing me shooting the image, but also the lights and other studio rigging. We also needed to avoid the subtle double imaging that occurs with using standard glass mirrors and so used front silvered surfaces instead.

What was the outcome of the project?
A striking editorial spread for Luxure Magazine, visually compelling and brand-rich.

How did this work influence your creative perspective?
The work reinforced the style that I enjoy; the power of minimal but
meaningful set design, limiting elements to model, jewellery and mirror to heighten focus.

What brings you the most satisfaction about this project?
It was satisfying to translate a simple conceptual idea into a refined, editorial reality. The elegance and clarity of the final images delivered the project in the way mirror and jewellery interplay to evoke a sense of allure and luxury.

How did this project push your creative boundaries?
Because I wanted to capture the model and all the reflections simultaneously, I had to be very precise with lighting control and composition, making sure that model and reflections, as well as the jewellery were all lit beautifully in one shot.

What surprised you along the way?
It was fascinating to see how subtle shifts in model pose dramatically changed reflection dynamics, and the interplay between the number of duplicated characters in the scene.

What makes you proudest about the final result?
I think it is the way the photography captured both reality and reflection
simultaneously, creating an evocative, layered aesthetic. The images feel both timeless and modern, balancing luxury heritage with contemporary artistry.

About the Photographer

Jonathan Knowles is an advertising photographer and filmmaker creating extraordinary imagery for the world’s most established brands. He specialises in still life, drinks, beauty and special effects.
For the last two decades, he has consistently featured in the 200 Best Advertising Photographers Worldwide books, with his image on the cover of the 2020 edition. He has been awarded in both moving image and stills by Graphis, D&AD, The Art Directors’ Club of New York, Communication Arts, The Association of Photographers, Campaign, New York Festivals, The Globals, Oneeyeland and others. In 2019 he won the Advertising Photographer of the Year award for a series of images shot for Dior, with a ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In 2020 and 2021, he won the Advertising Film category of the same competition. Most recently, in 2025, he was named Advertising Photographer of the Year at the International Photography Awards.
Today, Jonathan neighbours the River Thames in his London studio, capturing still images and films that reach people across the globe. It was here that he created the iconic O2 bubbles, and brands such as Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Facebook, Nescafé, Chopard, Graff, Johnnie Walker, Glenfiddich, and many more have sought out Jonathan’s distinguished and timeless style.

jknowles.com

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