01/03/2025
What a Year!
While a wildly successful year by most metrics, it didn't come without challenges, especially near the end of the year, where health issues abounded. It was truly spectacular, though, and JSP got to see and do things I would have never even considered possible years prior. My work was the cover of a music album, on show posters in Florida, part of multiple ad campaigns, and in the mix of a stormy election season. That's on top of reasonably regular inclusions in print and TV media, and local general outreach efforts.
Going to do the by the numbers a bit differently this year, focusing solely on the theatre work.
2024 JSP Theatre Photography, by the numbers:
49 shows shot at 15 different Theatres/performance locations, for 17 different organizations, directed by 33 different directors.
The 49 shows were made up of:
26 Plays
13 Musicals
4 Cabarets
3 Concert-style Events
2 Dance Events
1 Awards Show
Of these shows, I shot:
-21 shows were led by majority non-male or majority non-white casts.
-12 promo shoots that were shot and used for promotional material for shows.
-8 shows that were in a workshop/in-development status.
-6 Shows that were on my theatre photography bucket list were shot.
-6 Shows with Jessi DiPette in the cast, making her, for the third straight year, the actor I've shot in the most shows this year.
-2 plays written by William Shakespeare, making 2024 the first year I've shot more shows written by Shakespeare (2) than written about Shakespeare (1). In my total 105 shows over four years, it's currently tied 4-4, with 2 about and 1 by currently scheduled to be shot in the next few months.
-1 show had a set designed for total accessiblity for people with disabilities.
-1 Upcoming Photoessay.
My goal in 2024 was: "Bring joy, kindness, a happy spirit, and the best of my craft to every shoot I do." The only people who can judge on whether I succeeded in this are all of the actors, production staff, and theatre staff I interacted with this year, but I feel I did so to the best of my ability.
My goal for 2025 is simply to continue to grow, and to give myself both grace and space for recharging.
A big thank you this year to everyone who I partnered with, including but not limited to The Zeiders American Dream Theater, Children's Theatre of Hampton Roads, Little Theatre of Norfolk, Little Theatre of Virginia Beach, TCC Theatre, ODU Rep Theatre, The Arts at Virginia Wesleyan University, Virginia Stage Company, Ballet Virginia, The Underground Performing Arts Collective - UPAC, Rouge VA, Wisdom Heart Theater, Generic Theater, Joyful Art Productions, The HRACT Awards, The Naro Theatre,Old Donation School, Ashlee Ward, Operation Smile, Serenity Jones, Derrion La'Zachan, Tré Porchia, Amy Harbin, Andre Magalhaes, Sofia Magalhaes, Isis Marne, Sean Douglas Thompson, Kerri Crosby, Jessi DiPette, Sam Flint, Maryanne Kiley, CORE Theatre Ensemble, Joseph White, Moriah Joy, Kelly Gilliam, Akin Ritchie, and Cristina Rose. If I left you off this list, I assure you it was unintentional and I love you all. Thank you to all these partners for providing me the support, resources, and opportunities to help me grow JSP into a successful Theater Photography organization. I hope that every picture I've delivered to you has exceeded your expectations and that we will continue to have a thriving partnership in 2025 and beyond.
