Jonathan Atkin

Captain Jonathan Atkin, maritime photographer, specializes in producing powerful and meticulously planned aerial media for global cargo companies, cruise lines, port authorities, tug and barges, pilot boats, and cable ships in ports world wide.  His client based turn-key approach includes unmatched liaison with harbor authorities insuring situational awareness and safety. Jonathan lives in NYC and maintains his  USCG 100 ton masters license.

Jonathan grew up in Washington, DC at his father’s elbow, a leading hands-on economist in shipping and intermodal distribution.  His mother was a dancer and children's playwright. Split in his passions, early in his photo career Jonathan created powerful marketing photography for many dance companies and editorial assignments featuring Alvin Ailey, Dance Theater of Harlem, Garth Fagan, Merce Cunningham, Philadelphia Dance Co and Trisha Brown to name a few.  At age 19 Jonathan won a prestigious photo internship at The Washington Post. In less than 2 months had 83 photographs published in the Post on assignments.   The summer before,  Jonathan  sailed as an ordinary seaman, crossing the Atlantic on bulk carriers. 

After completing an MFA in Photography at Rochester Institute of Technology, Atkin accepted a position as program developer at the Brooklyn Children's Museum and supervised the development of media, graphics, logo and public relations for the newly rebuilt venerable institution founded in 1899.

Jonathan then went out on his own as a freelance photographer, completing over 850 assignments for The New York Times, travel, lifestyle and arts sections.  Numerous assignments for Smithsonian Magazine, Scholastic publications, corporate publications, and maritime magazines such as Offshore Magazine soon followed.

Along with current corporate maritime aerial work, he is a contributing writer/photographer to various maritime publications.   With an unrelenting passion for ships and those who go down to sea in them, in his spare time advocates for historic vessels.

His unique personal endeavor, THE HERO PROJECT, began in the spring of 2013. Combining two passions; addressing the lack of national attention paid to our maritime heritage Jonathan creates compelling photography with world class dancers aboard historic ships, nationwide.  His first collaboration aboard the SS United States, (sitting forlornly in Philadelphia, awaiting her fate) was with world re-knowned dance artist Desmond Richardson. According to dance critics, Richardson is an artist appearing on the planet once in 100 years.  He joined Jonathan and brought his prodigious artistic talents that speak to the gravitas of the iconic SS United States and her plight.

To date, 5 ships have been photographed with dancers: The SS United States, Steamship Lilac, Tanker Mary A. Whalen, South Street Seaport Museum’s Peking, and Bremerton based USS Destroyer Turner Joy. The project is on-going and numerous ships are slated for dance photography in the coming warmer months.

www.heroproject.us

www.shipshooter.com

jonathan@shipshooter.com