About Jon
Jon is one of life’s lucky people. He has been able to devote his working life to photography and make a success of it.
Combining state of the art equipment with a lifetime of experience ensures quality and quantity and every image is considered and crafted.
My first steps into photography
I was 8 years old, on holiday in Cornwall, standing in front of a miniature crane, in an amusement arcade, with a hand full of pocket money.
I pushed a coin into the slot. Up to this point I had only won a handful of dried peas, the usual ‘booby’ prize. I spun the handles furiously, trying to guide the miniature crane to the nearest toy. Any prize would do! And wow! I did it! I won!……….. a cheap plastic camera!?!
The man in the nearby chemist shop explained that it was a roll-film camera, and that it would probably work. I shot the first roll in about 5 minutes. I was hooked!
A few months later Arno Brooks, a life long friend of mine, called me round to his house to show me something ‘really amazing’. He had a model railway, but it wasn’t that.
He put a negative in a small picture frame, turned out the room light, and turned on a dim red lamp. He placed a piece of paper behind the negative and put the back of the frame on. Then he held the frame up to the room light and told me to turn the room light back on for a few seconds, and then turn it off. Taking the paper out of the frame he plunged it into a dish of liquid.
I watched in amazement as the positive photographic image slowly appeared.
After that I spent much of my time photographing everyone and everything around me; and many hours developing and printing in a tiny cupboard under the stairs. As I inevitably out grew that cramped space I converted my bedroom into a darkroom and studio.
Years Later and Turning Professional
Amateur photography was fun, but it was only after one of my first professional assignments that I realised the difference between a pro and being an amateur.
I was commissioned to photograph three famous poets at a book store in the West End.
I looked everywhere for reference images of ‘interesting’ poses for 3 people. But the problem really was how to make them look like poets. And when I got there, only 2 of them had shown up! I then had an idea.
I took the poets outside into the street, and asked them to stand slightly back to back on the busy pavement. I stood well back with camera in hand and waited. They soon obliged, without realising.
The images I captured showed the poets, seemingly unaware of each other, observing the lively busy street going on around them. Poets observing life. I had the shot.
The difference between amateur and professional is the need to ‘tell the story’, to ‘come up with the goods’.
Based in North London
I am married and live with my wonderful wife in Totteridge, North London and we have three amazing grown up children.
GDPR – Data Protection policy
Data protection regulations require all data collected from clients to be stored securely and disposed of as soon as it is no longer required. Also data must not be sold or made available to a third party without the clients permission. Photographic images are considered data.
To comply with these regulations Jon Jaffa Photography has now adopted the following policy.
1. All images are backed up on devices which are not accessible via the internet and are deleted as per paragraph 3. below.
2. All documents and card payment slips relating to the ordering and purchasing of products from Jon Jaffa Photography will be shredded 30 days after delivery of your order, thus giving clients a clear 28 days to raise any issues arising from an order.
3. Images relating to schools photography (individual portraits and class photos) First Communions and Confirmations will be kept for one year. Images relating to Family Photo Days will be kept for 2 years. Commercial, wedding and function/party images will be kept for 6 years. These different periods are in recognition of the varying importance of these occasions as family and lifetime landmarks. In the case of commercial and wedding images contractual obligations also require that these images are kept for longer.