Today we’d like to introduce you to Bree Royer.
Bree, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After graduating from the University of Texas with a degree in Radio-TV-Film, I decided to team up with my dad, a veteran portrait photographer with more than 20 years of experience in making people smile. We launched our company with a focus on serving preschools and daycares. 512 Portrait Company was born in 2014.
My dad, James Dean, but known to many as Traye, or “the Picture Man,” is the magician behind the camera, and I am the magician behind the computer. He shows up for the early mornings, fearlessly facing rooms full of toddlers with his stuffed turkey on his head and a smile on his face. He’s truly the what makes schools and parents book with us year after year. His positive attitude and joie de vivre are infectious, and that’s a large part of how he creates great portraits.
I joke that I “do everything else,” and it’s not altogether inaccurate. I make the calendar, create the promotional materials, communicate with schools and parents, interface with the webapps, and handle the finances. But my favorite part of my role is the time I spend editing. I’ve always enjoyed creative image enhancement and it’s now more fun than ever with the advancements in editing software. Kids are truly the best people, and preserving their precious expressions is honestly great work, in my opinion.
So here we are, 11 years later, still showing up for our schools and striving to provide a seamless, fun experience for all involved.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As many businesses did, we hit a rough patch during the Pandemic and if I’m honest, business hasn’t ever fully recovered to pre-Pandemic levels.
Another challenge for my dad I both has been balancing 512 Portrait Company within the broader picture of our lives. It has never provided us stable full-time income, so we’ve supplemented with other streams. As a seasonal business, our activity spikes high in the spring and fall months, and falls very quiet in the summer and winter. That kind of variability has always been quite a challenge to manage.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
512 Portrait Company is a local father-daughter photography team. We specialize in photographing people, specifically children in preschools and daycares. We set ourselves apart by letting the child’s expression be the focal point of the image. We don’t use props or busy backgrounds. We prefer to photograph on solid, bright, fun colors and allow the child to be the focus. We try to capture genuine emotion, and avoid “cheese” smiles at all costs.
We build relationships with our schools, and the staff therein, most of which have been with us for 10+ years, and with my dad for 20+. That speaks volumes in itself.
We deliver a seamless photo day experience. We show up, get great images, and 2-3 weeks later, they are delivered directly to parents’ inboxes via a proof gallery. Parents can choose to order prints, digital images, gift items, or nothing at all. There’s never any cost to participate or obligation to buy anything.
We love what we do, and we’ll continue to provide this service as long as we are able to.
How do you define success?
I know what my dad would say if posed this question. “Success means never working a day in your life.” He loves his job so much that it doesn’t feel like work to him. And I think I’d agree.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.512portraitcompany.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/512portrait
