Excited to be partnering with New York based Cavan Images, our first official foray into the stock image market. They have a solid vision as far as brand, promotion, and marketing and it's pretty sweet to see the range of JCP images being picked up for various campaigns.

A small collection of the JCP library is featured as part of their most recent "Artist Spotlight."

As a self-employed photographer and director I have arguably one of the most varied, creative, and passion fueling professions that one could ask for. On top of this I am my own boss, yet I am able to collaborate and engage with a talented roster of friends who help support my endeavors in this business. Each year I’ve grown in the industry and I’ve never felt more satisfied and excited with the work I’ve had a hand in creating nor the direction the business is headed.

While things are moving in an ideal direction, the balls in the air have grown in number and my work / life balance has gotten more complex each year. In the back of my mind I’ve had a growing desire to hit the pause button, to take a sabbatical of sorts with my family to simply celebrate and explore life and the world outside the confines of a two-week vacation. On one hand there’s that thinking that I am taking a risk as a self-employed business owner who provides the sole income for my family. There is that voice in my head “clients are going to leave, I’ve worked so hard to build what I have, I must stay to keep the momentum…” But the wiser voice says this is why I work hard. Take the time, life is short, live in the moment and celebrate the fruits.

As far as the two full-time employees here at JCP, Studio Manager John Fontana is taking three months off for a personal break and travel and Media Producer / Editor Joseph McMahon is remaining on to support the business at a minimum of two days per week while also exploring freelance opportunities for his personal growth in the business. I certainly couldn’t have done this without their supportive high-fives. This window will ultimately be collective break in the action for all of us, a break we’ll arrive on the back side of refreshed and even more inspired for the work we all contribute to.

“Stay hungry, Stay foolish,” four words from Steve Jobs that I believe are the true backbone of success, in business and in life. Take the road less traveled, or at least a short drive along it whenever possible. Easier said than done, but a good compass bearing none-the-less.

Here’s to 2016 and your own version of a sabbatical, a break in your own regularly scheduled program of work and life.

Thanks for your friendship, support, and enthusiasm.

Cheers!

Jonathan / JCP

I’d like to give a shout to Seth and Sam Bohken as well as Jaime Chismar - close friends and talented designers who took my idea of a travel blog much further than I could have imagined it. If you’re inclined to keep up with my family's antics and adventures in New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, and Europe, be sure to check out www.thefamilysabbatical.com

We are always up for spontaneous side projects as was the case when getting involved in the 2015 PDN / Samsung 4K Filmmaking Challenge. We sent a link earlier this summer to the recently finished JCP short film "NYC Is Handsome,"as our initial entry.

After just enough time had passed to forget about the contest, an email arrived congratulating our team for making it to the final round. A few days later a box arrived with a (yet to be publicly released) Samsung NX500 camera to shoot a 4K film as part of the final stage of the contest, a film that would ultimately be judged amongst the 9 other finalist filmmakers. The deadline was coming up fast and we worked up a concept that we could fit in between our regular shooting schedule. The film was shot in an afternoon, an hour outside of Minneapolis on a horse farm with a rider to round out the vision. Although it was a lightning fast project, we were eager to take part and enjoyed the challenge of working with on a quick deadline with a camera that hadn't yet hit the market.

Our film Hästen, which is Swedish for horse, didn't take the blue ribbon, but was featured as a finalist in the latest issue of Photo District News amongst a talented pool of photographers and directors.

See the final film in 4k HERE

The inherent nature of wind flowing through your hair, pedals turning over and over, those first "by myself" moments as you ride on your own. A scraped knee, a big hug, ripped up cuffs on your jeans from pushing pedals all day; it's all part of the territory when you have a Schwinn beneath you.

Our time in Austin, TX working with Schwinn Bicycles was a slice of moments we all remember as kids and carry with us into adulthood. The freedom, friendships, and two wheeled experiences that last a lifetime are what it's all about. We had a great time setting up scenarios and letting our talent be themselves on their bikes while capturing incredibly visual moments. Making memories is what Schwinn is all about and we certainly did just that.

Photographer / Director – Jonathan Chapman | JCP
Producer – Matthew Slimmer
DP – Ray Tsang
First Assistant – John Fontana
Second Assistant – Jason Griego
Digital Tech – Chris Worlow
Hair / Make-up – Lisa Gleeson
Wardrobe / Prop Stylist – Bonnie Markel
Prop Stylist Assistant - Olivia Caminiti
Casting Agent – John Williams + Karmen Leech
Edit – Jeremy Bircher
Music – Kye Kye "Broke - Remix" c/o Marmoset
Location Scouting – Marcel Meyer

Working out is hard enough, let alone trying to track your progress day after day, week after week. The solution is ViaFit, an all in one program app that allows users to synch up with fitness equipment, social media, and personal journals to keep up with your progress and share as much or as little as you want with others. We worked with Johnson Health Tech on the launch video for their new ViaFit app. This was a unique project, integrating and animating graphic elements that showcase how ViaFit compliments the personal as well as social side to working out and fitness.

Photographer / Director – Jonathan Chapman | JCP
Producer – Tanya Silver
First Assistant – John Fontana
2nd Camera – Eric Schleicher
Edit – Nathaniel Schmidt
Hair / Make-up – Ashlee Ellert
Wardrobe / Prop Stylist – Julie Caruso
Music – Marmoset “Clouds”
Voice Over – Voices.com
Sound Mixing – Nick Mihalevich
Location Scouting – Ariss Locations
Graphic Animation – Gasket Studios

"There's nothing more miraculous than seeing a child's heart restart" - David Dassenko, MD Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiologist

In our daily lives we are more likely to think about what time the ballgame starts or if we remembered to schedule an oil change for the car instead of who will be taking care of a coarctation repair on our child's heart. For many of us it's a subject that may never enter our worlds, but if and when the time comes, we hope to have the reassurance that experts in the field of Pediatric Cardiovascular care are out there and ready to help.

This past spring we spent two "all access" days profiling the incredible staff in the Cardiovascular center at Children’s Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota here in Minneapolis. Working with their team, we filmed the extraordinary everyday moments that make up their compelling story of excellence and received first hand knowledge of what it takes to be among the best in this field.

With our end goal of a supportive and informative film for the annual Star Gala fundraiser event, it was an eye opening, humbling, and awe-inspiring couple of days spent with some of the nation's finest medical professionals in the cardio unit. When you think about over 11,000 heart surgeries performed in a year at this facility alone, and what goes into each and every one, the mind is lifted to a state of wonder and amazement.

It was a great project to work on with the team at Children's Hospital and one that has left a lasting impression on all of the crew. We hope the final edit sheds a little light on the everyday excellence of the Cardiovascular department and helps promote and support their continuing mission.

Photographer / Director - Jonathan Chapman | JCP
2nd Camera DP - Eric Schleicher
3rd Camera DP - Patrick Meehan
Field Audio - John Fontana
Producer - Tanya Silver
Edit - Joseph McMahon
Original Music Score - Joey Verskotzi
Sound Mixing - Nick Mihalevich

Sideshow Sign Co. started in a backyard garage in 2011, and it wasn't long until we were busting at the seams. Our friends at the Fort Houston collective turned us on to a newly-vacant space in an old hosiery mill on the southside of town.  When we moved in, there was a full inch of sawdust on every surface from the rafters down. We joined forces with Southern Lights Electric, Steric Design, and AA Craftsman, and it took about a month and three dumpsters to get it tenable. We always meant to have a grand opening party, but two and a half years later, the work has never slowed down enough to make it happen.

For the last few years, we have built some of our most definitive custom work in this workshop and had the honor of sharing our space with other brilliant Nashville artisans. From here we've moved from
incandescent to neon, and worked with the broadest range of materials among any sign company in America. This winter, we start a new chapter with our next big move, a move to a space that can house our all-new retail product line as well as our custom workshop. We cannot wait to announce the next incarnation of Sideshow.

Until then, we wanted to release this video in partnership with Jonathan Chapman Photography as an homage to where we came from- our first industrial home along with one of the true characters that has helped bring us to this point, our senior fabricator, Adam "The Coon Man" Gaskill, with the omnipotent voiceover of our founder and Creative Director, Luke Stockdale. These guys are the heart and hands of this business. We are excited for the future and look forward to what's next!

Enjoy the short film, an homage to Sideshow's roots in Nashville, Tennessee.

Photographer / Director - Jonathan Chapman | JCP

Edit - Joseph McMahon
Graphic Animation - CoElement
Music - Marmoset "Stranger" by Carinthia
Sound Mixing - Nick Mihalevich

"What's wrong with an adventure for the sake of adventure," - Adam Trigg, trip lead

There's a sense of adventure in all of us and in the case of the Rediscover North America crew it involves much more than an extended weekend away following the lead of a recommended place or travelogue tale.

This is the story of 6 friends paddling three canoes over nine months, through ten states, five provinces, eleven rivers, totaling over 5200 miles. We caught up with the Rediscover North America crew for an assignment this past spring, spending the better part of a day profiling their story, lives, and collective spirit of adventure. Catching them just south of Minneapolis on the Mississippi River they had 1/3 of their journey behind them. They had been paddling over three months, north bound against the current having started on January 2nd at the Gulf of Mexico.

To say this was an inspirational shoot is an incredible understatement. As you'll notice in the credits, my ten year-old son Wesley joined us on this one proudly rising to the title of "Photo-Assistant." It was an early call time, but I knew it would be an experience neither of us would ever forget and certainly leave a mark.

Find more about their story and journey at RediscoverNA.com The "Follow Along" tab shows their current where-abouts as they paddle towards their Arctic destination.

Photographer / Director - Jonathan Chapman/JCP

Edit - Joseph McMahon
Photo Assistant - Wesley Chapman
Graphic Design - Sam Bohlken
Graphic Animation - CoElement
Music - Chris Joye
Sound Mixing - Jonathan Camp