Small Business Spotlight
Larry W. Stone Photography
Read about the inspiring journey of Larry Stone, a local photography legend! From playing in a rock band to capturing cherished memories for over 30 years, Larry’s passion for the arts led to a thriving business. Learn how he navigated the digital revolution, built lasting client relationships, and found his niche in commercial photography. You may have seen him around our bigger events, taking the best pictures – especially at the First Responders Appreciation Breakfast and our Annual Gala. Larry is a dear friend of the Chamber and, on top of that, an amazing photographer.
Q- What inspired you to start your own business, and how did you turn that inspiration into reality?
A- I’ve always been drawn to the arts; music, fine art, writing, etc. In 1989, shortly after graduating high school, while playing music in a rock band, a friend took our band’s publicity photos. Shortly after she decided to move out of state and offered me up her camera for quick cash. I bought it and after many lousy photos (this was all back in the days of film) decided I needed to figure it out. I took a deep dive into photography over the next year and as I did, friends would ask me to take their family portrait or photograph their wedding. Energized by these experiences, each happy client (and some tough lessons) made me realize I could make something of it. In the early 1990s Richmond Camera opened a location in Fredericksburg and I was lucky enough to fall into the manager position there, putting me in touch with all the big studios in town (it’s a bygone era), and positioned me to work alongside these mentors for several years while I grew my own photography business. Thirty two years later I look back on all the memories captured for so many families and realize I documented their histories.
Q- Can you share some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a small business owner and how you overcame them?
The digital revolution was both amazing and a curse. It allowed us as photographers to create in ways which were impossible before, but it also ushered in the era in which everyone and their neighbor considered themselves a photographer, saturating the market and giving away their images for next to nothing, devaluing the creativity and dropping customer expectations to a new low. At this time I decided to move toward commercial photography, allowing myself to stay in photography but within a field that few “weekend warriors” were willing to dive.
Q- How do you prioritize building relationships with customers and your local community, and what strategies have you found most effective?
A- I love people. I draw energy from making others happy, and I realize in order to create a good portrait you have to first make the person in front of the camera feel comfortable. Each of us, when we step in front of a camera, feel somewhat humbled, typically being far to hard on ourselves for our own perceived visual shortcomings. My job is to get past the concerns in my client’s own head and allow them to loosen us so their true personality can shine through. It’s been wonderful for all the years to be able to create in my own way, on my own terms, and on my own schedule.
For this, I am truly thankful.