Meet Jo Grams

— your storyteller behind the lens.

A passionate visual artist since the late 1990s, Jo Grams is an award-winning New Zealand wedding and portrait photographer known for capturing love, connection, and soul with authenticity, elegance, and heart. With decades of experience behind the lens — and a career shaped alongside some of the most respected names in the industry — Jo brings both artistic intuition and refined technical mastery to every story she tells.

Her photography blends documentary honesty, editorial beauty, and fine-art composition, creating imagery that feels timeless, cinematic, and deeply personal. Whether photographing a luxury wedding, an intimate elopement, or a quiet family moment, Jo is drawn to what is real — the subtle exchanges, the emotion behind the eyes, and the unscripted moments that often become the most meaningful.

Australian-born and now based in Christchurch, New Zealand for over 21 years, Jo grew up on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, surrounded by natural light, open landscapes, and a relaxed coastal rhythm — influences that continue to shape her aesthetic today. Recently celebrating 20 years of marriage to fellow photographer Johannes van Kan, Jo understands the depth and beauty of life’s milestones both personally and professionally. Sharing life with another creative gives her a unique insight into collaboration, artistry, and the way love and legacy intertwine — something she brings to every couple and every family she photographs.

After a creative pause to reset and reconnect with her artistry, Jo returns to photography with renewed clarity and a wanderer’s spirit. Travel has always been part of her creative language, and her camera has followed love stories across some of the world’s most beautiful destinations — from intimate ceremonies in Barcelona to luxury weddings and celebrations across Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Queensland (Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast), Singapore, Bali, Malaysia, and throughout New Zealand, including Queenstown, Wānaka, Auckland, Coromandel, Waiheke Island, and Christchurch.

No matter the setting, Jo’s focus remains the same: to create imagery that feels honest, elevated, and enduring. She works gently and intuitively, allowing moments to unfold rather than be forced — capturing the natural rhythm of a wedding day or the quiet magic of a family together. This approach results in photographs that feel effortless yet deeply considered, balancing emotion with beauty and artistry with truth.

For Jo, photography is more than documentation — it is storytelling with heart. Her images are designed not just for today, but for the future: for albums that will be held by generations, for framed prints that live on walls, and for moments that become part of a family’s visual history.

Whether you are celebrating a wedding, growing your family, or building a personal brand, Jo’s work is rooted in one simple belief: your story deserves to be seen, felt, and remembered beautifully.