During the ride over to my first creative industry interview
I was mentally going over the questions I needed to ask. We arrived at the
address to a well-manicured front yard with willow trees, a gravel driveway,
and Avalon Photography signage that lead us right to the studio. The
landscaping layout of the backyard was impeccable, perfect for outdoor shoots
year round. The actual studio itself was very inviting and fit with the style
of photography Avalon is known for.
I met Steve, who was at his desk filling out some paperwork.
A youthful middle-aged man, with dark hair, light eyes, and a warm smile. He
showed me the two sides of the studio and lighting set up, as he had shot some
vintage motorcycles earlier that day. Samples of Avalon Photography work graced
the walls and shelves of the studio. After a brief moment to set up we began
the interview. Steve claims that he never got into photography because it was
his passion; it was more a means to an end. Passion is good, but the ability to
do what you do and do it well is more important to him. He had worked many
different types of jobs and even did his time in the Navy where he worked in
the hospital taking photos of internal organs. Learning the craft of darkroom
photography through the years was just a part of what his worked called of him.
When in 1996 a friend and photographer was going to sell his photography
business Steve decided right then he buy the business and continue it on from
there.
As a photographer one of the eternal struggles seems to be
dealing with people, as these are his main subjects. From flakes, to bad
attitudes, and constant reschedules these are the downside to customer
interaction. While the positives are major thank you and profuse
recommendations he receives from those who see the final product and love it.
You can find Avalon Photography on FaceBook, Pinterest, there is a studio blog
and on Yelp. Steve claims he’d like to extend his reach using social media, but
as a guy who started out mainly advertising in newspapers and yellow pages he
sees the times have changed and needs to catch up a little.
As the interview came to a close Steve shared with me a
quote that summed up his view of success, saying that if you can argue for your
limitations means you probably can’t. Furthermore, he goes on to say that true
success is living what you do and that sometimes the best sometimes comes out
of less and not more. You can find Avalon Photography at (530) 891-3442 or click the link avalonportraits.com Their expertise is family,
wedding, and Senior Portraits. If this is what you are looking for I greatly
suggest you give Steve a call, he is one of the good guys.
Since this interview I was invited by Steve himself to
witness him in action as he shot the school and yearbook photos for Montessori
School located here in Chico, Ca. It takes an extremely personable kind of
person to deal with an entire school of students and anxious parents and Steve
handled it like a pro. It was a treat to see him interact everyone and see how
he dealt with the shy students who wouldn’t smile to the kids who wanted to
wear sunglasses. As a parent, Steve has the experience of dealing with his own
kids so it wasn’t much of a stretch for him to get into a kid friendly mode to
capture those memorable moments.
And to find more from Able Abe Studios be sure to check out these links Able Abe fan page, Able Abe Z store , and Able Abe Photography .
...GO!!!
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