Description

Bio

Jonas Bendiksen, born in Norway in 1977, is a photographer known for his evocative images that delve into themes of community, faith, and technology. Beginning his career as an intern at Magnum’s London office, he ventured to Russia to pursue photojournalism independently.

During his time there, Jonas captured stories from the outskirts of the former USSR, culminating in his book Satellites (2006). He later experimented with 360-degree photography in The Places We Live (2008), a book and 16-projector installation that depicted daily life in four urban slums. In 2017, Jonas published The Last Testament, documenting seven men who each claimed to be the returned biblical Messiah. His 2021 work, The Book of Veles, explored the vulnerabilities of perception, sparking debate when Bendiksen revealed the project included synthetic computer-generated imagery.

Bendiksen’s editorial work has appeared in renowned magazines such as National Geographic, Stern, Time, Newsweek, the Sunday Times Magazine, and the Guardian Weekend. His commercial clients include HSBC, Canon, FUJI, BCG, Red Bull, and Land Rover.

Mentorship

Jonas Bendiksen takes a thoughtful approach to his projects. While visual and aesthetic quality matters, he believes photographers should communicate something meaningful to the audience. “Whatever that is… To make the viewers feel something? To awaken curiosity about something? Or it could be photography that aims to share something with the viewer, or to explore something the photographer is passionate about,” he says. Bendiksen expects photographers to connect with their audience.

As a mentor, he will focus on the photographer’s intentions and help you find ways to make various elements work together. Discussions and debates will play a key role in his mentorship, as they are essential to the process of documenting a subject. Bendiksen’s teachings offer ample space to explore your workflow, the importance of organizing your archives, post-production techniques, and how professionalism can help you grow your career and attract potential clients.



- Magnum Photos reserves the right to terminate the mentorship agreement in the event that the mentee fails to initiate or maintain contact for a period exceeding four (4) consecutive months. In such circumstances, the mentorship will be considered forfeited, and no refund of any fees paid will be issued. - Participants agree to: 1. Attend sessions regularly and on time. 2. Ensure you have a sufficient level of spoken and written language skills for the Mentorship you are attending. Details of the language of the Mentorship are stated on the Website. 3. Conduct yourself in a professional and courteous manner and refrain from harassing or causing offense or nuisance to us or our staff. 4. Initiate contact to schedule mentorship sessions, with reasonable assistance provided by Magnum Learn staff upon request. Failure to maintain communication or schedule sessions within a four-month period may result in termination of the mentorship without refund.
Magnum is committed to fostering a respectful and dignified environment that adheres to the highest level of professional standards. We strive to be inclusive and welcoming to everyone who works with or for Magnum and Magnum photographers, creating an environment in which each person’s rights, dignity and individual worth are respected. You can read Magnum Photos Code of Conduct here: https://www.magnumphotos.com/educational-safeguarding-policy/
The mentorship with Jonas Bendiksen can be in English or Norwegian.
Once we review your application, you will receive an email from the Magnum Learn team. Please note that we review application on regular basis.

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