A History of JPG Photography
We are an award-winning, Philadelphia-based photography and videography team who has spent two decades capturing moments that matter. We push creative boundaries and provide strong visuals that tell stories that resonate, stories that last. We use our skills, humor and sense of adventure to capture emotion and document unforgettable moments. We pride ourselves on being genuine, adventurous, and creative.
The Backstory
Our owner, Joseph Gidjunis, started JPG Photography in 2005 after personally witnessing many photographers missing the best moments of a wedding day. With a decade of experience in the newspaper industry as a reporter and photojournalist, Joe G. took his love of the genuine and honest photojournalism and brought it to weddings and events. He thanks his mom, Paula, for naming him with initials that would become the most common digital photo file type in the world, JPG, or Joseph Paul Gidjunis, was it destiny? From his first wedding, Joe prides himself on finding unrepeatable moments, and hiring a team who feels equally passionate about this artistic medium.
Why photojournalism?
Real life isn’t staged. We believe in getting it right the first time, and to do so, we rely on spontaneity and being ready, always in tune with the energy of the day. Our team has a knack for capturing real life in a way families treasure. And we do it in an unobtrusive way full of fun. Too many photographers call themselves photojournalists when they’re really just taking some candid shots. Photojournalism means documenting your day—not interfering with it—and making sure we capture all the real-life moments that happen on a wedding day. A real photojournalist embodies the emotion and energy of the moment. You’ll never hear us say, “Turn and say cheese!” We shoot formal shots and portraits. These are imperative, but only make up about 20 percent of the day. The other 80 percent is just capturing the peak of your emotion and the real moments that happen on your day. We love people. We love making art. We love our jobs.
Where we are now
Over the years, we added videography to our roster of services, and it has since become a specialty. We now operate fully as JPG Photo & Video, with our photography and videography services representing 50/50 of the company. With a similar look and feel to JPG’s photography, but with sound and moving moments, our videography has become an essential part of our business. Now in our 18th wedding season, we continue to find something different every shoot, whether it’s seeing one of our favorite venues from a different angle or using drone footage to create dramatic visuals. We are the Philadelphia photography and videography team with the experience, awards and professional equipment necessary for success. JPG clients trust us to get the job done right, the first time.
Today, JPG Photo & Video is proud to be an industry leader in the region with expertise photographing families, children, pets, maternity, infants, boudoir, engagements, and weddings from a photojournalistic perspective. We also have expanded on the corporate side with our sister studio Veracity Studios, which takes on clients for headshots, corporate, commercial, non-profit and charity work.
Why hire us?
Our clients want strong visuals, and they want an experience. They laugh at life while pushing for great art. They’re independent and have a sense of adventure, too. They see a world inundated with manipulated images and “selfies,” and they crave something original to them. As a studio, we’ve spent years finding real moments, redefining the status quo and leading the industry in creativity and customer service. Because we’ve done this a few thousand times, we know what to expect, and we help make sure that our clients don’t face any unnecessary hiccups. We want your day to go as smoothly as possible so that you can be your authentic selves. Your job is to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Our job is to make you look good and find all the amazing little moments in the process. We value what you value: creativity, customer service and professionalism. We don’t want to capture everyone else’s idea of perfection; we want to capture YOU.
- Photographing the World Meeting of Families Conference in 2016, where Joe G.’s image of the Pope giving a young boy (Michael Keating) a kiss on his forehead has been called the most iconic image of the Pope’s visit to Philadelphia.
- We have the privilege of documenting such incredible organizations as Comcast, Drexel University, Danella, SAP, The Museum of The American Revolution, The City of Philadelphia and the Human Rights Campaign on a regular basis.
- Our Owner, Joe G., served as a photographer for the City of Philadelphia for several years, and we currently maintain multiple photography and video contracts for the City.
- Our photos have gone viral, including this famous ‘Shark Kiss’ photo!
- We’ve had the privilege of creating political photography and/or covering political events for Governor Tom Wolf, Joe Biden, President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Undersecretary of the Army Patrick Murphy, whose induction photo (taken by Joe G.) was featured on the Rachel Maddow Show and called “The Best New Thing in the World.”
- Our award-winning naked biker photo has become one of our most recognizable and well-known wedding images in Philadelphia.
- Our team documented the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in 2016.
- Fearless Foundation (16 awards and counting)
- International Society of Professional Wedding Photojournalists (ISPWP)
- Winner of 43 international awards for top 20 photos
- Philadelphia Inquirer’s Reader’s Choice for “Best Wedding Photography” and “Best Wedding Videographer”
- Philly Hot List
- Consistently ranked #1 and #2 in the region for photography and photo booths
- Chosen as the Knot’s “Best of Weddings” 10 times!
- Named “Couples’ Choice Awards®” by WeddingWire 11 times!
- Ranked 14th in the world in fall 2014
- Ranked 11th in the world in fall 2013
- Ranked 3rd in the world in 2015 by WPJA (Wedding Photojournalist Association)
- Multiple wins on PHL17’s ‘Philly Hot List’
Click on the thumbnails below to see some of our media features:
See the evolution of our logos:
