May 8, 2017

Meet Jo Kaplan Lee of Allegro Photography in Metro West

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jo Kaplan Lee.

Jo, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Dave was born the youngest son in Saigon, Vietnam at the end of the war. His family had been thriving. When the communists took over, everything changed. As ethnic Chinese, there were additional disadvantages. Dave’s dad sought ways for his family to escape. With a determination I can’t begin to imagine, he managed to get all of his children and their families out of the country. On more than one occasion, he was thwarted by a corrupt system. No one’s journey was simple or easy. When they were able to leave, it was a hasty departure. Among the items they were able to take with them were just a few family photos. For his parents, it was a nightmare. But as a 6 year-old boy, there was adventure to be had. And fortunately the ending is a happy one.

Dave’s parents took this journey because they wanted a better life for him- a place where he could benefit from his own hard work. They were willing to risk everything for him to move forward, to find a place where Dave would be free to succeed. When they imagined his adult life, they envisioned Dave as a doctor, a lawyer, a scientist. And so he followed the expected path, ultimately becoming a molecular biologist and working on cancer research.

Something didn’t fit for Dave, maybe it was that 6 year-old’s spirit of adventure, but he knew there was something more for him. So he began his search…. He took classes in graphic design, he began to play more and more with his camera. He found his place in visual media, a new path as a graphic designer or a fine art photographer, letting the journey take him where it might.

Then there was a fork in the road. A friend asked him to take photographs at her wedding. That’s when Dave had his Aha! moment. He knew this was the right direction. Dave loved working with the people at the wedding, he loved the emotions, he loved having a front row seat to one of the most amazing days in a person’s life. There was nothing more gratifying than knowing that the photographs he created would become cherished heirlooms in the history of families he worked with.

He jumped right in, full steam ahead and started our photography business in 2004.

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I was born to middle class parents, the youngest and second daughter, in Washington, DC. My childhood was anything but adventurous (I lived in the burbs), but was always happy. I was taught I could be whatever I wanted to be. So I had big dreams… to be an actress, a veterinarian, a lawyer, an architect, a circus clown, an astronaut. For the most part, these plans came and went.

I was also a Daddy’s Girl and my dad is an avid photographer, focusing his talents on nature and train photography. When I was in the fifth grade, he gave me my first camera, right before a family trip to the Southwest. It was like he was entrusting me with a family secret, or passing the torch. I felt its weight and I loved it.

On that first trip with said camera, I exposed more rolls of film than any child should be allowed to touch in a lifetime, let alone a week. When we got home, I couldn’t wait to see the prints. And so photography became a pastime, a creative outlet, a way for me to explore the world.

Fast forward to my first year out of college, I was living with a roommate who was 10 years my senior. At some point, she revealed that she had been a wedding photographer when she was my age. Something clicked. A perfect mix, I loved photography and weddings are beautiful. So the idea that I could make a living as a photographer began to percolate.

Fast forward to Dave’s Aha! moment… Part of his plan was that we shoot together. “It would be fun.” I agreed but I had one caveat- we had to do things differently. I wanted to be a photographer who created beautiful images, respected the guests and cherished the meaning of the wedding. Dave said he wouldn’t have it any other way.

So we began this adventure together. I went from thinking weddings were simply beautiful to loving everything about them. Dave went from thinking of wedding photography as an adventure to knowing it was his calling.

And the rest is history, as they say.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No road is completely smooth, but we have been incredibly fortunate. Probably the biggest challenge (self-imposed though it was) occurred when we moved our business cross-country from the San Francisco Bay Area to New England in 2008. It was like starting all over but not from scratch. Our portfolio was full and strong. And fortunately, the event professionals in New England are an amazing, welcoming, supportive group. We quickly made friends, former partnerships with talented peers and were matched up with simply wonderful clients.

Allegro Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are a photography studio, specializing in weddings, events, and portraits. We are known for our artistry and ability to capture the moment. Our clients most appreciate our willingness to help in any way we can (Jo has been known to sew a bride into her dress when the zipper broke) and our calm presence at what might otherwise be stressful moments.

We are most proud that we put our clients at the center of everything we do. Our work is about them and for them. One motto, for instance, “It’s a wedding, not a photo shoot.”

What sets us apart?
Our experience, our personalities (enthusiastic, energetic, empathetic, easygoing and calming), our artistry (blending style and substance with a side of humor).

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Each time we hear how happy we have made our clients, we are glowing. Truly. It feels so good to know that we have given them something that means so much. It is priceless.

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