Jonathan Burton is a photographer based in Castletown, Isle of Man.
He started as a cruise ship photographer and honed his craft as a photojournalist at The Witness, Southern Africa's oldest daily newspaper, covering news, politics and conservation. He went on to photograph presidential ceremonies, the Comrades Marathon and the UCI Downhill World Cup, worked for brands including Johnson & Johnson, and photographed the Mandela family. In 2019 he moved to the Isle of Man.
News work shapes how he photographs a wedding. You get one chance at a moment and nobody arranges it for you, so you learn to read a room, anticipate the turn of a head, and know a second beforehand what is about to happen.
Jonathan photographs weddings the same way. He follows the light, waits, and stays out of the way, so nobody has to stop and pose. He captures distinctive images that encapsulate the feeling while your day runs at its own speed.
What survives are the small things. Your father's face before he speaks. Your inappropriate friend laughing at the back.
His tip for couples: when you notice that time is rushing by, anchor yourself in your senses. Feel the ground beneath your feet. Notice the weight of your clothes. Listen to the people around you. Look at the person you are about to marry.
All you have to do is be present.