I’ve known JJ since I was four years old—which is to say, longer than I’ve known myself. We grew up together, so this review is inescapably biased. On account of that alone, I will therefore embrace the bias.
In the 25 years that I’ve known him, JJ has never done anything halfway. Since I know all his secrets (yes, all of them), I can chalk this up to his incredible parents. His drive is unmatched by anyone I’ve ever met, and it has quite a lot to do with them. I suppose that the person reading this review would want to know about JJ as a businessman. In that regard, he is a man of integrity and decency. He would never provide less than what he’s paid for, but in fact will give quite a deal more. Questions about “getting your money’s worth” are unfounded when hiring JJ Sereday. He is a professional, not a weekender hobbyist pretending to know something. Disclaimer: I also operate in the world of photography, so I know what I’m talking about too. Thankfully, in addition to being a genuine professional, he also happens to be a good person (hence the lifelong friendship).
JJ has an inexhaustible well of optimism and positivity. Even now, I don’t understand it. After years of trying to inflict a steely-eyed realism on him, I’ve officially given up. All I know is that it’s not an act. He really is like this. After you hire him, you’ll know what I’m talking about. He gives a jaded cynic like me hope. Let’s say, for instance, that you have a miserable family. Through his sheer force of willpower, positivity and good energy, he WILL give you photographs to help you pretend otherwise. Now that’s a service worth paying for!
In all seriousness, I look at a lot of photographs. On a basic level, that’s my job. Like any job, it can sometimes grow wearisome. However, JJ photographed my wedding. The results are something that I cherish, and something that I revisit for reasons other than pure nostalgia. He knows, better than anyone, that I am a private person. He has the sensitivity to know how pictures of a small, intimate family affair should look. His pictures are true to the spirit of our wedding. I can think of no better endorsement than that.
In conclusion, I’ll say that JJ has a fascination with memory. Not memories per se, but memory itself—the way memories have visual traces attached to them. For a photographer, that’s a very good trait to possess. If you choose him to make photographs of your story, I have no doubt that he’ll produce something soulful and something worthy of future reflection.
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