Jonathan Bourla is a fine art photographer, living in the coastal township of Snells Beach.
He is drawn to details and textures, relishing when a subject captures his attention and he can envision his finished photograph.
Jonathan studied Engineering Science at Oxford University, and enjoyed success at its photographic society. 
After Oxford he concentrated for three years on his engineering career but during this time both his parents lost battles with cancer, and in January 1993 Jonathan emigrated to New Zealand. In a badminton club on Auckland's North Shore Jonathan met and fell in love with Julie and some six months later they were married. 
The next year, with her encouragement,  Jonathan decided to follow his heart and pursue fine art photography.
Largely self taught, Jonathan’s style was influenced by Ansel Adams and the American West Coast movement of the middle 1900’s. 1997 saw Jonathan fly to America to attend a workshop by Howard Bond, who Jonathan found truly inspirational. Howard provided an invaluable book's worth of notes to take home. In Jonathan’s fine art black and white process, the initial camera exposure is just the beginning.  Next is his Interpretation Stage, originally done in the darkroom, but now on his computer with what’s called a pen tablet.  This interpretation is his artistic performance where he changes local and overall brightnesses and contrasts.  He makes these changes, called dodging and burning, with a slow and subtle build up of effect, taking hours or days on each photograph, and is the part of his process he loves most. Before 2022 his camera of choice was a Large Format Field View Camera, made by the British firm Gandolfi. Resembling the plate cameras from history, made largely from wood and having a bellows, Jonathan would crouch under a dark cloth to focus and set up the shot.  Exposures could take an hour or more.  Jonathan was once asked by a young boy if he had a proper camera hidden inside, and was the outside just for show? 
Every time he removed the camera from his backpack he would marvel at its beauty and count himself very lucky.  With it everything he did was slow and methodical.  Preparation was key, as was a high level of patience. In late 2022, in a big change, he began using two old digital cameras, one by Fujifilm and the other Leica.  Whilst retaining his philosophy of making every shot count, Jonathan discovered a wonderful sense of freedom and spontaneity.

Rangitoto and Rocks (From North Head)

Photograph

Size 33cm x 29cm

Price

Framed $NZ565Unframed $NZ430

A4$NZ310

Overhanging Cliff

Photograph

Size 25cm x 20cm

Price

Framed $NZ400

Unframed $NZ310

Chessboard Grave

Photograph

Size 25cm x 20cm

Price

Framed $NZ400

Unframed $NZ310

Cane Chair

Photograph

Size 25cm x 20cm

Price

Framed $NZ400

Unframed $NZ310

Dead leaf

Photograph

Size 25cm x 20cm

Price

Framed $NZ400

Unframed $NZ310