"Lucky 22" ~OR, My Biggest Celebration give-away ever!

22 years ago, in May of 1989, I paid my $600 bond for my sales tax ID with the State of Missouri, got all the proper local permits and licenses, paid my rent and deposit, and opened my first photography studio in St Robert, MO. Wow, was I naive! Times were tough getting started, and within 2 years, I had met the Love of my Life, gotten married, bought a home, and built my first studio (I HATE rent). I was busy photographing weddings, families, and high school seniors mainly, but also babies and pets, especially dogs and horses. I was the contract school dance and graduation photographer for Waynesville High School, and paid off all my loans for the building and my Hasselblad cameras. By the year 2000, change was in the air. By 2001, I had moved to digital capture, and starting with Fuji S2's, through Nikon D-70 & D200's, I finally got sick of Nikon refusing to offer full frame, so I sold all my Nikon equipment and upgraded to Canon 5D with full frame with all the clarity and resolution I had only dreamed of. I have stalled on upgrading from there, as there is a diminishing return the more pixels you cram on a sensor.

Somewhere in there, we moved, built another studio in Laclede county, and moved back to my childhood home. Within 5 years, my wife had accepted a position as vice-principal with the Camdenton R-III school district, so we relocated to Camden county, right next to Ha Ha Tonka State Park. This is it; I am HOME. We love the Lake of the Ozarks, the Camdenton schools, and living here with a state park LITERALLY as my back yard. I still have a REAL photography studio; "Lights (backgrounds), Camera, Action" and all that good stuff! However, this is the LAST one I will build.

Being a perfectionist, I have found some real issues with digital on very large family groups of 25 or more. I could spend $18 - $25,000.00 on a medium format digital camera . . . ? OR, I could just get the "studio standard" medium format FILM camera, the Mamiya RB-67 Professional-S all manual camera and solve all my "perfection issues" at once! After all, I KNOW HOW to use a film camera, and use it well! So, I now have the Mamiya camera with three lenses, all set to give that "retro film" look that is SO desirable . . . Take my challenge and see if you can tell the difference between 6x7 cm medium format film and full frame 35mm digital capture. If you are really a purist, I even have a lab on the West coast that will do the final printing OPTICALLY on your family portrait!

I know we are NOT for everyone. We are not cheap but we do offer a level of service and GUARANTEED satisfaction without any hassle that is extremely difficult to find anywhere else. We have the finest equipment for capture, manipulation, and archival purposes. We also offer high resolution scanning of slides, negatives (up to 6x9cm), & prints, as well as restoration and preservation services. I am a PPA certified professional, and we offer outdoor, lake, and urban photography on location.

Be on the watch for special "$100 bills" floating around the community. Past loyal custtomers will receive some, and will be encouraged to "pass them on" if they aren't using them. All told, I will be GIVING AWAY $10,000 worth of professional services to celebrate 22 full years in business! There will also be a limited number of FREE sessions for the first few seniors who call and book early!

It only seems like yesterday, but then I remember it all . . . What a ride!

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When I Grow Up . . .

Photography was never my chosen profession . . . "It" chose me, so to speak. I have truly enjoyed the creative aspect, the ability to make my clients cry (tears of joy, of course :), and the financial rewards for the past 22 years THIS MONTH. Wow, how time has flown. I got to say it again . . . I opened my 1st studio in May of 1989. I have never been without a physical, "brick and mortar" location in 22 years, except for a short stint "borrowing" a friend's studio while building my own. I have rented in two locations, renovated a building for my third, and completed totally new construction for the last two. I am the proudest of my current location next to Ha Ha Tonka State Park -- I've learned a few things through the years! I believe there is NO SUBSTITUTE for great studio photography -- The control I can achieve for my finished product is awesome. I love the outdoor stuff, both urban and pastoral, but the studio offers something most of the other "photographers" can't duplicate.

Keep watching this Blog for my 22 year anniversary specials!

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