Byline: Compiled by Editorial Assistant Julie M. King
Joyce Moore recently answered questions about the business she owns with her husband Bill and partner Glenn Gaston, for Neighbors.
Name of business: Gaston-Moore Photography.
Hours and days open: Noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday; evenings and Saturdays by appointment only.
In a few words, describe what your business is: We offer a full range of photography services, including complete wedding coverage, indoor and outdoor portraits, high school senior portraits and sports photography. We specialize in weddings and portraits. When we do family portraits we do allow animals. We also do custom framing, custom wedding albums, and offer a full range of frame, album and folio samples for people to choose from in the studio.
Address: 17 Nelson St., Auburn.
Phone: 255-1930.
Are you on the Internet? No.
Name of owners: Joyce and Bill Moore, Glenn Gaston; we've been partners with Glenn since 1990.
Number of employees: Three.
How long has the business existed? Twelve years.
Describe a typical day for you: Take messages off the answering machine and return phone calls. We'll have portraits sittings set up for the day, and we have to prepare the studio for the sitting, whether it's a child's portrait or a high school senior set-up, etc. In the summertime, we're geared for high school seniors. Throughout the day people come in and we review their proofs with them and take their orders. In the late afternoon we're doing sports pictures at high schools or local sports leagues. A lot of couples can't meet during the day for their wedding portrait plans, so I do those appointments in the evening. We try to give each customer and client the best service we can.
Were you involved in the business before owning it? My husband and I have been doing pictures ever since we were married, for the past 15 to 20 years prior to merging with Glenn in 1990; I believe Glenn was doing photography for about 10 years prior our partnership with him.
In a few words, what is your business best known for? Weddings and portraits.
What's your favorite part of running this business? I enjoy working with the brides and the high school seniors because it's a special time in their lives that I can be an integral part of. I'm able to walk them through their wedding day and make them feel at ease.
What led you to do this? Mainly because I love photography, and I love dealing with people. All three of us enjoy being able to give people exactly what they want. We treat people as individuals - with photography you can do that. It's a combination that gels between photographer and subject. Everyone wants something different.
Why did you decide to stay local? I felt that I'm from this area, and I'd like to give the people in this area the best possible service we can give them. I love the Finger Lakes area.
What's the nicest thing a customer ever said to you? They thanked me for making their wedding day perfect. I've had people send me flowers, gifts, thanking me for being there for them when they needed me.
How would you describe the business climate in Cayuga County? I think it's moving on, our business. Word of mouth with people is our best advertisement. Every year we do a little bit more. It keeps growing.
Why did you decide to relocate? We relocated to the Willard Chapel building the first of February. We were formerly at West Genesee Street. This building has a beautiful ambiance for pictures - it's enhanced our studio immensely. When it became available I came to see it, loved it, said 'This is it, this is what I'm looking for,' and right away I knew. It was the best move we could make. People think it's wonderful we're here. It has long windows, beautiful lighting, a fireplace, wood floors, it's perfect.
What advice would you give someone starting out in a business like yours? If you love photography then you'll do well in it, but you really have to love what you're doing because you put your heart and soul into it and it shows in your photographs.
If someone else took over running the business for a day, how would you spend your time? If I had a week I'd go to the Caribbean! But for just a day off, I'd spend it with my three young grandchildren.
In five years, what do you hope to be doing? Any changes you'd like to see for your business? Continuing what we're doing. We've been getting into digital photography over the past year. We go to wedding and portrait seminars every year, usually in Las Vegas, and we get to meet with the top photographers in the country and see what's being done throughout the country.
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C.W. McKeen/Staff photographer
THE OWNERS of Gaston-Moore Photography are (from left) Bill Moore, Glenn Gaston and Joyce Moore.
