Some of you know that Rebecca and I have been married for a few years, but we haven't been able to live together. No, no, not like that! I mean, she has either been in graduate school in Virginia, or I have been in Maryland working at my newspaper as a reporter and photojournalist. Even after she earned her degree last May, she was hired as an Assistant Professor of English in Philadelphia at her alma mater, Eastern University in St. David's, PA. (It's near Villanova.)
Since then, I have been searching for journalism jobs which would get us closer together. I turned a few offers last fall because they weren't the right fit. But 10 days ago, I obtained a reporting and photojournalism position in New Jersey, at the Courier-Post, in Camden/Cherry Hill. The paper, about 80,000 circulation on Sunday, is the third largest in the Philadelphia Metro area by my calculation, only following the The Inquirer/Daily News and the Wilmington, Delaware News Journal. It's also three times the size of my current paper.
Being in Cherry Hill, the distance from my office to Bec's is 37 minutes! That's a tad closer than the 2 1/2 hours commute she had been making a few times each week.
Over the weekend, we found a place to call home ... and studio. It's in the East Falls section of Philly, right off Kelly Drive and next to Manyunk. It's a great 3 bedroom rowhome on Fisk Avenue, and we're going to be able to create a real home studio.
This is JPG Photography's 4th year of solo wedding business, and my 10th year of shooting, but this studio will be my first. We're going to make it cozy and workable. We want our clients to (eventually) come see us and meet our son, Gus, our favorite mini Shepard mix!
Below are some VERY QUICK photos of the house as we went through it today with family. We move in April 12. (PLEASE BE merciful on these photos. They are all literally, a single frame, boom, lets-move-on type shots.)
Since we just signed, we're still debating how to use it all, so if you have any ideas, let us know. Especially thoughts on our office, and how to make it homey for couples like yous.
****And, just so nobody is worried, this move for us does NOT mean a change for you. JPG Photography is staying the same. This has actually been part of my dream since I took on Dan as my partner back in late '05/'06. Both he and I travel up and down the Mid-Atlantic and call it home. Both of us have D.C. weddings, Baltimore and PA weddings. I'm still coming to Virginia Beach for couples. He'll see me in Philly. With our locations, however, we're trying to stay more to our own turf, and dedicate each other to a region. My location in Philadelphia will continue to be the hub, but both of us will meet couples in our homes, out for coffee or in the comfort of your home.
JPG Photography is still family. We do weddings because we love them. We sign up to participate because we still feel the joy and excitement that is inherent in the day. We don't tire of it. We relish it. We want couples who are going to have a blast and plan a party for the both the spirit (the ceremony) and body (the reception.) We know this will serve us and you better!
Best,
Bec & Joe
The soon-to-be office
The dining room (first angle)
The dining room (second angle) ** Notice the piano.
Kitchen
Back room between kitchen and yard (still debating how to best use this space.)
Yard for our Gus. Maybe an herb garden?
Master bedroom
One of the other two bedrooms
Do I really need to label this shot?
Basement (hopefully a game room.)
