Coffee Break with JBM Wedding Photography
Today's Coffee Break is with one of my favorite photographers, Jake Murphy of JBM Wedding Photography. He and his beautiful wife Ash live in Brooklyn, New York and together make an unbeatable team. As you'll see below, the photos really do speak for themselves, but hearing Jake's perspective on his work adds another layer to the beautiful images! Take a look and fall in love...
Why did you decide to become a photographer?
I've loved photography ever since I picked up my first National Geographic when I was a kid (very cliché answer in the photo community, I know). But it was a long windy road before I realized that photography was my calling. My passion began in high school when I spent a summer at the Rhode Island School of Design studying the craft. I had my dad's old Nikkormat ft (which I still shoot with) and started fooling around with light, composition and subject matter. Since then, it has taken courses in college, National Geographic and Time magazine internships, gallery shows and getting laid off from my ad design job to make me realize that I was a photographer. I credit my wife Ash with pushing me to start JBM Wedding Photography, though. None of this would be happening without her.
What is the vision behind your brand?
Storytelling. I think that's what JBM does best. All of our shooters are either working photojournalists or trained as photojournalists. Words that past clients have used to describe our imagery include raw, real, emotional and transportive. They tell us that they re-live their wedding days through our pictures. And that's what pictures are all about.
What inspires you?
Great work. I never stop looking at other photographers' work. It's hard for me to produce/grow in a bubble so I'm always going through galleries of work from abroad, newspapers, magazines and blogs. I find myself composing images through a viewfinder even when I don't have a camera so everything I see inspires me, in a sense. I'm also pretty hard on myself when it comes to my own work. I tend to hate what I did a couple months or even a couple of weeks ago.
As a small business owner, what is one thing you'd like to accomplish this year?
Growth. We have associate shooters in San Francisco and New York now. Ash and I are establishing JBM as a bi-coastal wedding collective, as we are moving to the Bay area next year so just building that network out there is our main priority. We're in very exciting times right now!
Where is the most interesting place you've traveled?
India. Hands down. My life changed when I went on a trip of self-discovery in 2010. I have since returned with Ash. The culture of India is so fascinating to me. Everything is so spiritual, colorful and full of life. We loved it so much that we started a project to raise money for schools that don't receive government aid. It's called Dirt Floors and Stone Walls. We deliver funds, supplies and other valuable resources to schools in impoverished areas. The story is on www.jacobbmurphy.com.
When you're not working, what is your favorite thing to do?
When I'm lucky enough to not be working, I just want to spend time with my wife. Either having a movie day in our apartment with the curtains drawn or splurging on oysters and cocktails in our neighborhood of Brooklyn. When we're in California we love going to the beach or hiking.
If you can't get enough of these gorgeous images, find more at JBM Wedding Photography!