When he was eight, Jon’s father gave him the family Kodak Box Brownie. He enjoyed the process of loading the 620 size film into the Kodak, but the film had to be sent away for development and printing.
At high school he was introduced to traditional darkroom techniques which he soon replicated at home in the family kitchen.
In the late 1970s Rendell honed his craft under renowned photographer Athol Shmith at Prahran College of Advanced Education, School of Art & Design in Melbourne.
After art college he obtained a bachelor's degree in art education and taught high school art and photography for the next ten years before moving into computer graphic design.
In 1994 he moved to San Francisco for the next 25 years. He returned permanently to Melbourne, Australia in 2019.
Rendell switched to digital photography in 1998 and now works exclusively in that format.
Every two years since 2013 he has undertaken a 365-day blog. His first blog was 25’ RADIUS. 25’ RADIUS referred to the size of his apartment. Each day of 2013 Jon published a photo taken from within the confines of his abode in an effort to push himself to find inspiration in unexplored compositions and natural light.
A 2015 project, Is This Frisco?, showcased the city of San Francisco.
Wall & Ground (2017), consisted of what Rendell calls wallscapes and groundscapes; where a wall or the ground becomes a canvas for the light and shadows that strike it.
See Levels Rise (2019), centered around
climate change and shoreline photography. It began in the San Francisco Bay Area and concluded with Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay.
The Atheist Photographer (2021), tackled secular humanist themes.
His current blog, Portraits of Flora (2023) focuses on the intrinsic beauty of plants
and flowers
FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS
1977–1979
Diploma of Art and Design,
Prahran College of Advanced Education, Melbourne
1980–1981
Bachelor of Education,
Melbourne University, Melbourne, Australia
"While a color photo unashamedly looks out
at you, a black and white image warrants inspection."
— Jon Rendell
“I like to make people look”
— Jon Rendell
PUBLICATIONS
2023
Scene4 Magazine: Flora January, Flora II February, NGV March, Portraits II May, Arum Lilies June.
2022
Commissioned photographs of Benalla (VIC) for inclusion in Emblem Group publications.
Scene4 Magazine: Time • Rone December, Craning for a View November, The Spotswood Pumping Station, Melbourne, Australia October, Bridges September, Postcards From MUNI August, Distortions July, Life Beneath the Freeways June, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins May, Flipping Houseboats April, Flags March, On the Level February, Melbourne Train Stations January.
The Age 'Good Weekend Magazine', Oct 9.
Scene4 Magazine: From Dogpatch to Dogtown December, Thirty-Seven Degrees November, Blue October, Cloudcapes September, Sometimes B&W Just Isn't an Option August, Cafes Trieste and Vesuvio July, Come to Light June, Floral Drama May, Stairs April, Idiosyncratic Melbourne March, Postcards from the Grand Canyon February, Nature vs Man-Made January.
Photo for Mass Isolation Australia 2020, Ballarat International Foto Biennale, 2021
2020
Scene4 Magazine: Recent Flowers December, A Closer Look November, 7 Dawns October, Say Cheese September, Fog on Hobsons Bay August, Regifted July, Bloomin' Marvellous June, Ghost Town May, Girt by Sea April, Unfurling March, Life at the Forefront of Climate Change February, Blooms January
Author photograph for The Door by Dmetri Kakmi, NineStar Press 2020
Commissioned photographs for inclusion in National Trust publication, Labassa — House of Dreams, National Trust/Hardie Grant Books, 2020
Port of San Francisco 2020 Calendar, Warehouse 6, August
2019
Scene4 Magazine: Foxtail Agave Part Deux December, Lines in the Sand November, Out of Mandalay October, By the Sea September, Postcards from Melbourne August, The Impossible Bird July, Thirty Seven Degrees June, Foxtail Agave May, Old Pier Pilings April, The Majesty of San Francisco's Ocean Beach March, Postcards From San Francisco's City Hall February, After Morandi January
SFMOMA Submission Friday: Herringbone February 8.
2018
Scene4 Magazine: Where There's Smoke December, Postcards from Muir Woods November, Architectural Abstractions October, Postcards From Lake Tahoe September, Flower Time August, Pareidolia & Apophenia July, Around the Bay June, Fascinating Backstories of Lesser Known Statues in San Francisco May, Happy Trails April, Playing All The Angles March, Reflections February, Patterns January
SFMOMA Submission Friday: Transamerica Reflection October 19, Dali Under Siege August 3, Burning the Midnight Oil July 6, Calla Lilies April 20, History Day at the Old US Mint, San Francisco March 9
2017
Scene4 Magazine: Moods on the Waterfront December, Through a Lens Darkly November, Tourist Guide October, Gibraltar of the West September, Love Struck August, San Francisco—Recent Photographs July, Postcards from New York June, Half 'n Half May, Flourishing Flora April, Cloudscapes March, Wall and Ground February, Inspiration January
SFMOMA Submission Friday: LIvermore December 15
YMCA of San Francisco, Magic in the Kitchen: Bayview YMCA's Iron Chef Competition, May 1
2016
SFMOMA Submission Friday Floorscape November 25, Steps, Grace Cathedral October 21
UCSF Alliance Health Project Artist Spotlight
AVEC PLEASURE (Art Tours and Consultancy) San Francisco Art Report: SFMOMA, May 22
Scene4 Magazine:
Strangers in a Frame December, Plants With Pizazz November, The Talk of the Town October, Taking It to the Streets of San Francisco September, The Humble Lily August, Wallscapes July, SFMOMA: L'Embarras des Richesses June, Bunny Invasion May, Eschscholzia Californica April, San Francisco From A Helicopter March, Go to Coney and Eat Baloney on a Roll February, Postcards from Napa January.
2015
Contra Costa Times, October 25
Scene4 Magazine:
Finding Beauty in Decay December, Postcards from Chinatown November, San Fran Shadows October, Golden Gate Park and the de Young Museum September, The Four Seasons of Foggy Frisco July/August, Secrets of Dogpatch and Pier 70 June, Bascule Drawbridges of San Francisco May, Quirky San Francisco April, Postcards from New Mexico March, @Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz February, Lake Merced, San Francisco January
SFMOMA Submission Friday: Day 67: Scaffold Patterns March 13, Day 51: Final Sequence February 25, Day 41: Dormant February 13, Day 23: San Francisco Art Institute January 30
365 photo-a-day blog, Is this Frisco? — San Francisco obscura
2014
COVER, Business View Magazine, Nov 2014
SFMOMA Submission Friday Construction Workers, August 1, Ephemeral Threesome August 8, SFMOMA, September 26
Homeless, Photo Du Jour, SFIST, July 24
The Examiner, Marty's Place, July 29
Scene4 Magazine:
Homelessness in San Francisco January, Portrait February, Postcards from NOLA March, Gender in Still Life April, The Agave Up Close May, Lolita Lebron Funeral July, San Francisco Waterfront August, Postcards From Washington DC II September, Everywhere You Look October, Bike Rack Shadow Play in San Francisco November, Ocean Beach San Francisco December
2013
365 photo-a-day blog, 25' RADIUS
Scene4 Magazine:
A Few Drops of Mapplethorpe and a Tincture of O'Keeffe February, Postcards from the Cyclades March, Postcards from Puerto Rico April, Dead Daffodils May, A Stroll Through San Francisco's Mission District June, Finding Beauty Within a 25' Radius July, Confessions of a Mask August, Light and Shadow September, Refractions October, Happy Angler November, Looking at the Everyday for Inspiration December
Queen Mary 2 photo, San Jose Mercury News, March 4, 2013.
Light & Composition Magazine: Shadow, March 31
Huffington Post: San Francisco, a Local's Perspective April 2
Blog of artist Lisa Congdon, 24, April
2012
Scene4 Magazine:
On the Waterfront March, San Francisco: Above, Below and In Between April, Flowers with Drama May, Food with Drama July, Killing Time Before the Show April, The Staircase July, Heading Toward Abstraction September, Postcards from Paris October, Postcards from Italy November, Postcards from Washington, DC December
Architecture Week cover
Photo published in Cidades Sustentaveis Cidades Inteligentes (Sustainable Cities Smart Cities) by Carlos Leite, Brazil, 2012
Global Yodel, May 23
Light & Composition Magazine: The Hierloom Piece of the Building, November 8
2011
Light & Composition Magazine: Photo of the Day, February 17
Light & Composition Magazine: Photo of the Day, February 26
2008
San Francisco Port Commission Calendar
Book: San Francisco On the Level. Humorous collection of photos of homes along some of San Francisco’s steepest streets
1992–2007
Photographed art and architecture for the book, From Caves to Canvas — An Introduction to Western Art by Don Williams and Barbara Vance Wilson. [10 photographs, plus third edition cover design layout] 3 editions, 2 reprints
1987
Photographed traveling theatre for Australian Bicentennial Authority
1987–1999
Photographed art and architecture for the book, In Our Own Image—The Story of Australian Art by Don Williams [50 photographs] 3 editions, 4 reprints
1979
Photographed material for inclusion in The Australian Pottery Book by Harry Memmott, 2nd edition
1978
Alexandra-Eildon Photocomp 78, Third Prize (Section B), Early Spring
Alexandra-Eildon Photocomp 78, Certificate of Merit, Goulburn River
1975
Monthly winner of statewide student photo competition run by The Age Newspaper
“Who needs the Grand Canyon?
If you look closely enough, you’ll find your subject right under your nose.” — Jon Rendell
EXHIBITIONS
2023
Winner of Monochrome Section, LOOK! ‘Museum of Australian Photography’ (MAPh) Members' photography prize, MAPh Atrium Gallery, 30 Aug – 27 Nov 2023
Photographed icons for MONA gallery(Tasmania) for upcoming exhibition catalogue and billboard (LaTrobe and Queen Streets, Melbourne).
The Fitzroy Art Collective Photography Show 2023, 25 April–5 May.
2022
Photographed three icons for Auckland Art Gallery's (New Zealand), "Heavenly Beings: Icons of the Christian Orthodox World" catalogue, 15 Apr 2022 – 18 Sep 2022.
Permanent installation of 1,200 photographs in Sofitel Melbourne on Collins suites, 29 March 2022. Signature Travel Luxury article
Permanent installation of 8 works at John King Senior Community, San Francisco, April 2022
2021
Thirty Seven Degrees, Atrium Gallery, Level 35, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, 1 Nov 2021–4 Apr 2022 (catalogue)
Small Works, 7–22 January, Brunswick St Gallery, 322 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
2020
Linden Postcard Show, 7 November 2020–31 January 2021, Linden New Art, Melbourne
2019
23rd Annual Art for AIDS Auction, October 19, Baker & Hamilton Building, Adobe, San Francisco
Postcards from the Edge 2019, Bortolami, New York, February 22-24, 2019
Three prints permanently acquired by Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, January 23
2018
22nd Annual Art for AIDS Auction, September 21, City View, Metreon, San Francisco, CA
Paris Photos, Lobby Gallery, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins August 7-29
Reused, Recycled, Reclaimed contest winner in Your Daily Photograph February 16
Postcards from the Edge 2018, January 19-21, Gallery 524, New York
2017
AbstrAction, Fall National Juried Exhibition, Marin MOCA, October 14 - November 19
Wall & Ground, Sofitel Melbourne On Collins Hotel, Atrium Gallery, Level 35, 9 Oct, 2017–31 Jan, 2018
21st Annual Art for AIDS Auction, October 30, City View, Metreon, San Francisco, CA
59th Annual Potrero Hill Artists’ Exhibition,
May 13–July 30
Permanent installation of 31 photos at Openhouse Community at 55 Laguna. Photos selected from Is This Frsico? blog. Grand opening March 23
Nocturnes & Noir: a Juried Night Photography Exhibit, Harvey Milk Photo Center, February 11 – April 2
Postcards from the Edge 2017, hosted by Metro Pictures, New York, January 13-15
2016
Paradox contest winner in Your Daily Photograph December 9
Transportation contest winner in Your Daily Photograph November 9
Iconic Paris — Solo (traveling)
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
September 1 – September 30
Featured sale in Your Daily Photograph September 16
20th Annual Art for AIDS Auction, September 16, City View, Metreon, San Francisco, CA
58th Annual Potrero Hill Artists’ Exhibition, May 7 – July 28
Postcards From The Edge, January 29–31, Sikkema Jenkins & Co
2015
View Masters, 40 photos
Stanford Art Spaces, Stanford University
November 16, 2015 – January 15, 2016
California! Small Works — National Juried Exhibition, October 15 – November 14, PHOTO Gallery, Oakland, CA
Compassion is Universal Silent Auction for Shanti, Palace Hotel, San Francisco, Oct 14
19th Annual Art for AIDS Auction, October 9, City View, Metreon, San Francisco, CA
Shortlisted for One for the Books at Ballarat International Foto Biennale 2015, Australia
Iconic Paris — Solo (traveling)
Sofitel Melbourne On Collins
May 1 – August 1
Postcards from the Edge — A benefit for Visual AIDS hosted by Luhring Augustine Gallery, New York.
January 30 – February 2
2014
Iconic Paris — Solo — 16 photographs (traveling). Exhibition brochure
Sofitel Brisbane Grand Central
July 1 – August 24
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
September 1 – October 5
Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach
October 8 – November 9
Sofitel Melbourne On Collins
December 1 – January 30, 2015
Best of Botanicals — National Juried Exhibition, May 22–July 12, PHOTO Gallery, Oakland, CA
18th Annual Art for AIDS Auction, September 19, City View, Metreon, San Francisco, CA
56th Annual Potrero Hill Artists’ Exhibition "Bending Over Backwards", May 3–July 31
Small Art—Big Impact (Manhattan Arts International). An International Juried Online Exhibition December 18, 2013 – February 18, 2014. Jurors: James Bacchi, Edward Rubin and Renée Phillips
2013
17th Annual Art for AIDS Auction, October 25, City View, Metreon, San Francisco, CA
Cover to Cover: A Survey of Artist Members' Photo Books, SF Camerawork July 10 – August 22.
55th Annual Potrero Hill Artists’ Exhibition, May 4 – July 6
Consulat Général de France. Installation of
12 prints, 88 Kearney St, San Francisco. March 1– November 30
2012
16th Annual Art for AIDS Auction, September 14, City View, Metreon, San Francisco, CA
2011
15th Annual Art for AIDS Auction, September 23, The Galleria (San Francisco Design Center), San Francisco, CA
2010
14th Annual Art for AIDS Auction, September 24, The Galleria (San Francisco Design Center), San Francisco, CA
2009
13th Annual Art for AIDS Auction, October 3, Bonhams & Butterfields, San Francisco, CA
2008
12th Annual Art for AIDS Auction, October 3, Herbst International Exhibition Hall, San Francisco, CA
Permanent installation of photographs of Italy La Firma Restaurant, Melbourne, Australia
2007
11th Annual art for AIDS Auction, October 5, Bonhams & Butterfields, San Francisco, CA
2006
10th Annual Art for AIDS Auction, August 4, Bonhams & Butterfields, San Francisco, CA
Clouds and Landscapes, August 1-October 31, Café La, Sofitel Hotel, Melbourne Australia
1992
Matters of the Heart, 41 Gold Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
1989
Artists at the Mission, Mission Arts Centre, Port Melbourne, Australia
1988
Images of Fitzroy [Past & Present], Fitzroy Town Hall, 3rd prize, open color section, Melbourne, Australia
1987
Multiple Images, Roar Studios, Fitzroy (Reviewed by The Age art critic Gary Catalano, August 12, 1987)
THE BLOGS: Every two years since 2013 Jon has embarked upon a 365-day photo project along various themes.
25' RADIUS (2013) photos only | IS THIS FRISCO? (2015) photos only | WALL & GROUND (2017) photos only | SEE LEVELS RISE (2019) photos only
THE ATHEIST PHOTOGRAPHER (2021) photos only | PORTRAITS OF FLORA (2023)
© 2023 JON RENDELL