Jan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Monmouth University. He began a commercial photography career that has included assignments for (Doris Duke's) Newport Restoration Foundation and The Preservation Society of Newport County. He founded He has accepted editorial and special feature assignments for the Providence Journal, RI Monthly, Newport Life, Victorian Homes, and Romantic Homes magazines. He was honored to be one of a select group asked to document '48 Hours in Rhode Island', an extensive magazine feature and book about our state that was published by RI Monthly. He has photographed notables such as Felix DeWelden, Geoffrey Wolfe, Patrick Kennedy, Admiral Stockdale, Robert Carothers, George Bush (The Elder), two Episcopal Bishops and one countess.