ABOUT OUR STAFF
Tom Gramegna
Tom’s interest in photography started early. As a teen he became aware of fine art photography through his other passion in life: the love of music. A&M records used an Ansel Adams photograph, “Monolith: The Face of Half Dome” as an inner sleeve cover for some of its' LP records. The seed was planted and solidly took hold. He attended an Ansel Adams show at a New York City gallery as a 13 year old and sought to purchase two oversized Adams photographs using college savings. However, his wise parents couldn’t understand how someone could be silly enough to want to buy two “pictures” for the total of $500! Tom needed to wait a few more years and many more dollars later to acquire his first Adams.
Tom’s love of music, again was his motivation to purchase his first 35mm camera. Tom began attending many rock concerts in the late 60’s, and 70's and from there the desire to photograph his musical heroes was next. He photographed hundreds (probably thousands) of concerts and continues to do so. Tom attended Seton Hall University where he majored in Art History / Fine Arts. After drawing and painting in his youth, the camera became his creative tool of choice with subject matter including macro, nature and abstract compositions. After graduating he learned the camera business in a four year stint at Camera One in Morristown and during that period began showing & selling his work at a number of local galleries.
Although Tom was at times torn between a career as a photographer and businessman, when the opportunity to purchase “The Bergen County Camera Shop” (as it was originally called) came around there was no hesitation.
And now after 40 years, Tom still enjoys and is excited by his job. He has a wide variety of passions that include scuba diving, antiques, organic gardening, collecting photography and restoring a century old house and gardens to their original state. He is active in charities that allay human suffering and promote human rights and a clean environment.
Return to Meet the Staff | Email Tom | 201-664-4113 x202
John Tworsky
John's responsibilities include overseeing all aspects of BCC's business..
John Tworsky attended the Rochester Institute of Technology where he received an AAS & BS in Photo Marketing & Business Administration and Pace University where he received MBA's in Financial Management & Information Systems Management.
John's an avid photographer and has been using Adobe Photoshop since 1990 and is responsible for bringing many new digital techniques and services to the store. John started teaching basic analog photography at BCC in 1999 since then the course offering has grown to 10 courses with over 4,500 students attending over the years.
Please don't hesitate to email John with any questions or concerns you may have.
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Bob Gramegna
Bob is extremely grateful for what the photo business has given him. He has met and advised people from all aspects of business and the music and entertainment field on the subject of photography and considers them to be amazing life experiences that he will not never forget.
As one of the co-founders of Bergen County Camera, there is very little down time and long hours at the store. But Bob has managed to meet many fantastic people who have started out as customers and become lifelong friends. He even met his wife Gail at the store and are celebrating over 35 yrs together! Bob and Gail have photographed many places together, including, the British Isles (Scotland was their honeymoon destination), Italy, Germany (where he has attended the prestigious Leica Dealer Akadamie) Bermuda and Northern California. Their 2 children Matt, who lives currently in Philadelphia and Cara in Chicago are out on their own pursuing their Masters degrees in the fields of English and Art Therapy respectively.
Bob is always available to answer any photographic question at anytime and has remained a visible presence in the store for 40 years. Recommendations are the lifeblood of any specialty store and Bob always gets high marks for his friendliness, professionalism and relaxed personality. He lives in Bergen County and is involved in as many of the local community programs as time permits.
Return to Meet the Staff | Email Bob | 201-664-4113 x205
Brittany Oxley
Brittany is a Bergen County native with a passion for art and photography. She graduated with honors from the School of Visual Arts in 2020, earning a Bachelors Degree of Fine Arts in Photography and Video. From the time she was a little kid, toting around a Disney princess 35mm film camera in one hand and a 1 megapixel digital camera in the other, Brittany has been enamored with the art of photography. She grew up during the turn of the millennium, which enables her to assist people in navigating both digital and analog photography with ease. Her work ranges from captivating self-portraits to stunning still life and documentary-style shots.
Return to Meet the Staff | Email Brittany | 201-664-4113
Matt Malwitz
Matt Malwitz is an award winning wildlife photographer specializing in avian species. This was the result of a lifelong interest in nature and the arts. Beginning with a pencil and paper, Matt spent much of his childhood illustrating everything from animals to video game characters. It was only in the latter years of high school when he picked up a camera and took up photography. A fateful walk in a local nature preserve was the catalyst for a deep dive into the world of wildlife photography. He has since worked hard at refining his skills as both a birder and an artist, taking a documentarian approach when recording his various subjects. His knowledge of photography and our local wildlife come from research, time in the field, and time spent learning under the tutelage of veteran birders and photographers. Matt was the grand prize winner of the 2024 Audubon Photography Awards.
Return to Meet the Staff | Email Matt | 201-664-4113 x217
Paul Carretta
Paul Carretta is the Buyer.
Paul's been taking pictures since an uncle bought him a Yashica point-and-shoo camera when he was 8. From this early start, his interest turned to 8mm movies which occupied his free time through high school. After high school, Paul started shooting professionally working for several studios. Soon he opened his own studio specializing in wedding and commercial photography. After 22 years at his studio, Paul came to work at Bergen County Camera.
Return to Meet the Staff | EmailPaul | 201-664-4113
Steve Burns
Steve Burns is a long time Westwood resident, and avid photographer. He has over 35 years of experience in commercial photography where he's known for photographing people in their environment and bringing studio skills to location photography shoots. Steve is a co-founder, and former board member of ASM-NJ. Having also owned and run a black and white photo lab, Steve has a good background in traditional film and printing processes as well.
Return to Meet the Staff | Email Steve | 201-664-4113
John Currens
John Currens, a long time resident of Bergen County, has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and is a graduate of the Germain School of Photography in NYC. He specializes in children, family portraits, photography, portraits, weddings, bar-bat mitzvahs, and commercial photography. He is has recieved the Kodak Gallery Award of photographic excellence and brings over 20 years of experience to every picture.
Return to Meet the Staff | Email John | 201-664-4113 x228
Alan Schwab
Alan Schwab is a fine art photographer with a great affinity for nature. A woodworker by trade, he is also an award-winning photographer who has been featured in many art shows. He enjoys shooting urban landscapes in addition to the wildness of our natural world. Please don't hesitate to approach Alan about anything regarding nature photography, he would be glad to assist you.
Return to Meet the Staff | Email Alan | 201-664-4113 x210
Keli Dougherty
Keli's photographic experience ranges from commercial work to photojournalism to fine art. Her list of favorite photographic subjects range from nature, to landscapes, to cars and motorcycles, to street photography and beyond. She is known to rarely leave home without a camera. A graduate of William Paterson University (Wayne, NJ), she holds both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Fine Arts. An avid photographer since high school, she has participated in art and photography shows across both the U.S. and Canada, and has had work featured in Photographic Society of America shows across the United States and in China. She is a regular participant in NJ art shows such the Paterson Art Walk (Paterson, NJ). Keli works both in film and and digital formats.
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Lauren Furlong
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Carly Rahl
Carly is a graduate of the University of Maine, studying Marine Science and Ecology & Environmental Science. From a young age she has been interested in photography and the natural world, enjoying taking photos of landscapes and scenery. She is also an avid traveler, documenting her trips across the world through her camera lens.
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Debbie D'Anna
Debbie is our repair department manager and store travel agent. She owned her own agency for many years before joining Bergen County Camera. She is an avid traveler who loves to take pictures of all her adventures around the world, especially Disney World!
Return to Meet the Staff | Email Debbie | 201-664-4113 x240
Harold Rubin
Harold has been a photo-hobbyist since high school, when he was photography editor of his school paper and magazine. Early on he learned the only way to capture key moments was to have a camera at his side. From being in the stands at major / minor league baseball games and music venues, to being on the sidelines at other public events, Harold finds himself in a zone when he is working on his photos.
Harold first discovered BCC as a customer in the early 90s, and after spending many years in the tech industry as a radio frequency engineer and IT systems administrator / architect, Harold left his corporate life and found himself spending more time at BCC. Harold still enjoys shooting sports and live events, but has gained a renewed interest in long exposure and black & white photography.
Return to Meet the Staff | Email Harold | 201-664-4113 x222
Jack McCabe
