
E19 - Photographing the Icons of Hip-Hop - Jonathan Mannion
Published: August 25, 2026
Duration: 1:30:52
Few photographers have shaped the visual language of hip-hop quite like Jonathan Mannion.
In this episode of How I See: The Leica Podcast, host Jack Devanna sits down with the legendary portrait photographer to trace a career built on curiosity, persistence, human connection, and an instinct for the moment.
Mannion reflects on discovering photography at Kenyon College, learning from master photographer Richard Avedon, and immersing himself in New York City’s emerging hip-hop scene, carrying cameras and portfolios into clubs, introducing himself to artists, and asking for the opportunities he wanted.
From photographing ic...