Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Solomon.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Steve. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
As a freshman at a college in Northern New Jersey, I had enrolled in a black and white photography course to satisfy an elective requirement. My first camera was a Nikkormat FT3 SLR, with a Nikkor 50mm lens. I always admired architecture and landscapes, so those were my first subjects. Well, when I developed my Kodak Plus-X film in my darkroom, subsequently enlarged the image and saw it come up in a tray of Dektol developer, I was hooked! Seeing the highlights, shadows and mid-tones of the silver halide emulsion of the negative transform into a rich, beautiful black and white image with the range of tonality, sharpness and clarity of a glossy print, was simply amazing to me! I had read the superb “Basic Photo Series” of books by Master Ansel Adams back in the ’70’s and ’80’s, and we even corresponded via black and white Kodak postcards, with him teaching me many darkroom techniques, compositional themes, and critiquing my work!
I then assisted a commercial photographer in New York City, where I learned the art and science of large format photography. After relocating to the Dallas, Texas area, in 2003, I founded Total Quality Photo (www.totalqualityphoto.com), a micro-stock site that endeavors to provide sharp, high quality images for graphic arts, specialty advertising, catalogs, calendars, print and other digital media.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As a 100% online business, I must rely on word of mouth and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to attract clients who need the types of images I create, i.e., landscapes and scenics for office and wall decor, calendars, and small product images for catalogs and specialty advertising.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Total Quality Photo – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The types of images I specialize in are landscapes and scenics for office and wall decor, calendars, and small product images for catalogs and specialty advertising. I take great pride in providing the sharpest, most detail-rich images that show a company’s product to its best advantage, in addition to using optimal lens selection and natural light, to highlight textural and image detail in a digital file or custom print.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I specialize in high-quality still photography, and look forward to expanding my client base to do more catalog and advertising photography for graphic arts.
Pricing:
- We currently offer high-resolution tif or jpegs at $135 per image. Usage is negotiable per image.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.totalqualityphoto.com
- Phone: 469.583.0335
- Email: steve@totalqualityphoto.com
Image Credit:
Total Quality Photo
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