Senior Portraits

In 1972 I started opened my first Photographic studio in Carthage, Missouri after graduating from Grad School with my Masters degree. Up graduation I thought I would get a teaching job in Film or Still Photography and continue my fine art pursuits. Part of that interest was was fueled by the thought that if I was teaching on the college level I would have full access to a casting foundry, ceramics room, printmaking facilities, and welding supplies. 600 applications went out, 4 responses came back, all stating that with the cessation of the Draft, enrollments were down and positions were cut at the schools I had applied to.....there were no jobs. It became pretty clear that there was something I had to do.....create my own job. I had sworn up and down that I would NEVER own a studio......I had worked for Don Sothern in Springfield while in school and it just wasn't interesting enough to pursue as a life career. But in light of the employment circumstances, I figured I could do it for three or four years until the teaching market came back. As it all worked out, it has been the most amazing decision I could have made. Morgan Studio has opened doors for me that I would have never have dreamed of, giving me world travel, seeing things I thought I would never see, and the opportunity to meet people that I have admired from afar.

Part of the success of the business in the beginning was to be open to change and be knowledgeable about the capabilities of film and cameras. In the early 70's Digital was not a household word.....only scientific. The photographic studios of the time were mired in tradition and seemingly unable to change. The mood of the day, as the curtain was dropping on the late 60's, was to be natural, and your own person. I hated the studio style of portraits as they placed the individual/individuals in unlikely "poses", situations, and were very predictable. I felt as though I needed to do something different.

I had always enjoyed natural light and started photographing clients outdoors, or at their homes using window light. My first Senior portrait was Will Grey, photographed at the low falls at Morrow Mill. In fact, he was my only Senior portrait in 1972, "Class of 73". I took some heat from the other photographers in Carthage, there were three other studios, but I ignored it. I was looking for more business in areas they didn't pursue.

To be continued.....