Have you been to a workshop where you spend hours taking notes and then struggle to remember anything when its your turn to try? Have you been to a workshop where you watch the photographers shoot for hours but don’t get to practice much yourself? By the time you get back in the field, you can’t remember anything you paid to learn.  How about courses? Most photography educators will just record a video of themselves shooting, or talk to the camera for hours, with no real structure or thought to how to guide you to building on your own skills. Are you tired of taking workshops and not improving as a photographer? Are you afraid of wasting your time and money on courses that don’t improve your skills?

 Learning with Josh is different.

I am a Dad, Husband, Photographer, and out-of-shape wannabe athlete in that order. I love playing games and sports with my kids. I also love date nights with my high school sweetheart (when we get time). We often settle for watching grown up tv shows when the kids go to bed.

On the rare time I’m not working or with the fam I’m dreaming of being the local middle age dad  tennis league champion. I like to get outdoors and work out every day and my other creative outlet would be learning to cook.

On a more personal note, I’ve always been stubbornly optimistic about the world around me while at the same time coming up with reasons why success wasn’t for me. After some health scares and turning 40, I finally realized how to give  myself permission to fully believe in myself. I know this is not an uncommon feature of many creative entrepreneurs and I hope I can help my students learn how to give themselves permission to take risks to grow, believe in themselves, and chase their dreams.

I first took up photography as a creative outlet in high school where I’d take the typical photos of flowers and night skies. While in college I wanted to do more so I also joined my college newspaper and learned the basics of photojournalism. This is an approach and mindset that guides my work to this day. I photographed my first wedding in 2005 and I was hooked. Being a photojournalist for families that appreciated it was a blast.  I made up my mind that day that being a wedding photographer was going to be my summer job while I was a teacher. Little did I know that I would become so obsessed that I would leave teaching to pursue it full time.

I then became obsessed about learning and read a dozen books about lighting, portraiture, photojournalism, and wedding photography as well as stalking my favorite photographers websites until I got my first paid wedding in 2008. I couldn’t wait to launch and photographed whatever wedding I could, from friends wedding to second shooting. But I started grad school and had to take a break until I graduated in 2012. Now it was time to take the leap officially and JGP was born. 5 years later I was ready to go full time and quit teaching.

After over 300 weddings and dozens of awards, I am excited that 2025 is the year I get to launch the next phase of being a photo educator.

Elevate-Multiday Intensive Wedding Photography Workshop

Elevating Natural Light!

This first mini workshop will touch base on the basics of finding good vs bad light. Then we will be moving beyond the basics of natural light, learning to use it in more creative ways including my favorite photo “recipes” for using natural light.