Biography – Joy Moody

Photography has always been an instrumental part of my life, with a deep history of photographers on both sides of my family. Growing up in New Mexico, my dad always had the camera focused on me, so in the beginning I started as the subject, but quickly turned my interest to the other side of the camera.

I found a new home in Philadelphia at Drexel University majoring in Photography. After graduation, I worked at Drexel for six years managing all the Apple computers for the Media Arts College. In 2007, I made photography my full time business and career. I now teach at Drexel as a photography instructor and it’s a pretty awesome feeling to be invited to teach at your alma-mater.

My belly and baby photography started from my senior thesis at Drexel. I did a series of body landscapes, one of which was a pregnant belly. A few friends were pregnant during that time and they generously let me photograph them. Those images were shown in a group show at the DaVinci Art Alliance and the images then went into a high-end maternity shop called Belly. Once my belly clients had their babies, I started getting calls to photograph the children, and the Moodybaby sessions happened as a natural next step. I have always had a great connection with children and the Moodybaby sessions are one of my favorite things to shoot.  I love watching families interact, and it is so cool to capture them in a very natural way in their own environment.

The first wedding I photographed was my brother’s wedding in 2001 and once people saw those images I started getting requests to shoot more weddings. Wedding photography doesn’t have to be traditional staged photography and relationships are the key to great wedding photography. I make it my goal to get to know my couples and make sure we have a good personal connection. I love weddings and it’s an amazing job to go to such happy events every weekend.

Relationships are a key foundation for me in my business.  From wedding, to belly, to baby and beyond, my clients are not just clients. They become friends.

I have a photograph from my senior thesis body landscape series in the  Princeton University Museum of Art as well as the Philadelphia Museum of Arts archive collection. In 2007 I was voted one of the top 3 wedding photographers from myfoxphillies annual best of. I am also a member of ASMP and Professional Photographers of America. I have a vintage Vespa scooter and enjoy gardening.