It seems photography has always been my passion. Even as a kid I remember
"thinking in pictures". My first camera was a little Brownie box camera
when I was nine... and rest, as they say is history! I worked on the high
school newspaper and annual, then studied journalism and photojournalism at
UND, UNE, SJSU and Brooks Photography Institute.
Freelancing for newspapers and magazines since the early sixties has put me
in or around of some mighty interesting situations, even during my 25 years
as a high steel ironworker! When my daughter, Shelly began her ironworker
apprenticeship in 1983 in San Francisco, we were the FIRST mother-daughter
ironworkers in the U.S.! I retired in 2001 and she's still working (now in
Tacoma, WA).
After rupturing several disks in my lower back and having surgery in 1986, I
was told I should never work steel again, so I went back to what I did for
15 years BEFORE becoming an ironworker... photography and writing, working
for Music Referral newspaper in San Jose. What started out as a mere
assignment soon turned into a passion ‹ capturing musicians doing what they
LOVE.
Sometimes my knees turn weak and I almost fall down. Then I KNOW I have a
good photo! ALL of the photos on display here fall into that category.
Thank you for allowing me to share some of my treasures with you! Hopefully
you will want to "adopt" one or more of my "babies" and have them safely
delivered to your home where you can enjoy them every day. (Sorry, no storks
will deliver these babies...!)
Many of my photos were taken during a 3-year period on Maui ‹ and 3 years in
Los Angeles, where I worked with many major newspapers, magazines and the
L.A. Jazz Society and L.A. Musicians Union at their monthly fund-raisers.
I have six file cabinet drawers FULL of slides & negatives of musicians from
which to choose! They can be ordered in 2x3, 4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 11x14 or 16x20
prints... plain, matted, framed or on canvas. Price lists and sizes are
available under each photo on this website or my whole list can be sent to
you via PDF file (email) or mail. Just send me an email through this
website. I also do assignment work... have passport... will travel!
Visit Jan Jenson on the web.
All photos copyright © Jan Jenson.
All Rights Reserved.
