Words and photographs exploring the quiet beauty of everyday life. Join more than 7,000 readers who receive Weiss Journal every weekend.
I’m John Patrick Weiss. I writes stories and essays about ordinary lives, inspired by my love of literature and street photography. Before devoting myself to writing and art, I spent twenty-six years in law enforcement, eventually serving as Chief of Police.
I’m the author of The Morning Fox: Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope. My work has appeared in The Guardian, NBC News, Simplify Magazine, The Good Men Project, and elsewhere.
I’m the creator of Weiss Journal, a free weekend letter for more than 7,000 readers. Come join us.
The camera slows you down, allowing the dignity of small things to surface. You begin to notice more, uncovering stories hidden within the rhythms of everyday life.
The images can be little inspirations. Launchpads for storytelling, poignant fictions, and elegant essays that pull readers out of themselves and into other lives, places, and points of view.
The art of photography is the art of noticing.
“There’s a meditative, artful quality to John Patrick Weiss’ writing—whether the subject is personal or philosophical, his words always feel valuable.”—Charles Schifano, Desk Notes
The world is full of things we hurry past.
Photography makes me stop. Writing makes me look again. Here you'll find stories about ordinary lives. Essays about the things that interest and trouble me. Black-and-white photographs. Pen-and-ink cartoons. Paintings. And whatever loose ends find their way onto the website.
I don't have a particular formula. I’m not chasing algorithms or fads. I simply want to create my best work.