Accent Photography

Wrapping Up 2011

2012-01-20T16:07:00.004-05:00

It was a race to the finish line at the end of 2011. We had numerous clients with tight deadlines, but we managed to fit everyone in. Our travels took us everywhere from upstate New York to Texas. As always on trips, Edie manages to find every cemetery around...she enjoys photographing old tombstones and monuments. Everybody has a weird side, that's hers. She was fortunate to be able to travel to the lower part of South Carolina and work with an interior designer who has been a client of ours for years now. Her two charming and well-behaved dogs dressed up for the occasion.

Edie will be updating our website with information on her travels, complete with a restaurant review on Cover 3 in Austin, TX. If you live in Austin, you really should visit this establishment. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere is family-friendly, and you won't miss the big game with all the big-screen TVs everywhere! It's on our "What A Trip" page. Don't forget to stop by Accent Photography's Facebook page. We put little posts on there sometimes that you won't find anywhere else! And if you really like us, don't forget to click the +1 button on our Photographers in Greenville SC home page!

Greenville Photographers Score Big with International Interior Design Competition

2011-06-03T23:58:00.007-04:00

It was a big day on May 24th in Phoenix, AZ, for a lot of our clients. Accent Photography works throughout the year photographing for Decorating Den, the largest home decorating franchise company in North America. Their annual Dream Room Design Contest showcases professionally photographed before and after photos of rooms that have been designed and submitted by Decorating Den's interior decorators. The competition is judged by industry leaders and magazine editors from the nation's top media outlets. The winning entries photographed by Accent Photography included a first place bathroom designed by Kris Miller of Austin, TX; a first place bedroom designed by The Landry Team of Arlington, TX; a first place children's room and first place family room, both designed by Lauren Riddiough Clement of Leesburg, VA; a first place home office designed by Kristen Pawlak of Louisville, KY; first and second place kitchens designed by Jeanne Sallee of Lexington, KY. Other award recipients included Leonie Linscheid of Tampa, FL, Patrice Hawkins of Charlotte, NC, Yelena Gerts of Staten Island, NY, Bonnie Pressley of Dallas, TX, Linda Edwards of Forest, VA, and Letha Siddons of Dallas, TX. This is the fifth year that Accent Photography has photographed for the top winning designers.
If you'd like to see all of the winning entries, please visit our Decorating Den Interiors Dream Room Winners 2011 page.

Greenville Photographer Recent Photo Shoots

2011-05-04T18:01:00.004-04:00

At last we have updated our web site with a new section that will enlighten everyone who is always asking what we've been up to lately. It's called Greenville Photographer Recent Photo Shoots and that about says it all. It's us, here in lovely Greenville, SC. And it's "what's up" lately. While we won't be able to post literally every single thing we do, we'll hit the hightlights and mix it up with some architectural photo shoots, a little bit of industrial photo shoots, maybe some portrait photography and a little catalog and product photography from time to time.

Thanks to everyone who keeps asking for updates and wants to keep up with us. And thanks to our fabulous clients who keep us from having to say "nothing" whenever we're asked what's going on!

Interior Photography Lighting Tips

2010-03-19T10:15:00.001-04:00

Interior Photography Lighting Tips

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Greenville SC Photographers | South Carolina Professional Photographers

2010-03-19T10:13:00.001-04:00

Greenville SC Photographers | South Carolina Professional Photographers

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HOW TIME FLIES! December 2009 through February 2010

2010-02-11T15:08:00.019-05:00

I'm going to just jam about three months worth of things in here. As many of you know, Edie's dad passed away in late November of 2009. Most of the year in 2009, work was sort of hit or miss because we chose to take care of him. One of the last things he told Edie was that he wanted us to get back on the road as quickly as possible and "go make beautiful pictures." And so we have.

We made a huge sweep up to Wisconsin, down through Indiana, across to New Jersey and then back to South Carolina. It was one heck of a trip, our cats were mad as could be by the time we got home, and we were thoroughly worn to a frazzle. We got to see our dear friend, Lois Pade, in Kenosha, WI. She looked just as lovely as she did the last time we were up there and we were glad to have the chance to work with her again. We took a tour of the Jelly Belly warehouse while there and stocked up on all our favorite flavors. Getting to sample literally any flavors we wanted was a big help! Otherwise, I'd have come home with some of everything. At least we didn't get any really gross flavors (which they do have). While it wasn't a tour of the factory where they are made, it was still pretty cool in its own right. The tour guide was a young man who was either very nearly out of his mind, or he was high as a kite. Either way it was hilariously entertaining. We also went to Uke's Harlely Davidson on 120th Ave. It is one of the oldest Harley dealerships, certainly Wisconsin's oldest, dating back to 1930...so the t-shirt says. It was fun to just wander around and compare it to our dealership here. After that, we stopped in at Uncle Mikes. Any way you could possibly want a hamburger, they have it. And apparently 40 trillion different kinds of beers including a big selection from local micro breweries. It was a game day, so the place was packed with folks who didn't mind letting you know which team they were pulling for. Unfortunately, there were several people in there who seemed determined to have one of each of those 40 trillion beers. Edie went outside to take a phone call and very narrowly missed the side-spray from a guy who came outside for the sole purpose of throwing up. Check please! We also paid a visit on the way out of town again to Tim & Tom's Cheese Shop. They relocated since we were last there, but we found them. As usual, if it's cheese or dried meat you want, they have a selection that will boggle your mind. You can order items online through their web site but it's much more fun to shop in the store!

Then it was off to Indiana, where we met Cathi Lloyd for the first time. She was a delight to work with. This year, Decorating Den Interiors is allowing images with people and pets into their Dream Room competition. We watched as a homeowner got their dog to sit still just on the promise of a carrott (not kidding!), which the dog ate and seemed to love! We photographed in another home with a dog, and while I know that everyone who is a dog lover will say their dog is THE cutest, you will have to admit that this is right up there. Meet Reilly.

I won't spoil the anticipation by showing you the whole image, not until after the Dream Room competition in May. Yes, we have to wait until MAY to find out who won what! So then it was on to New Jersey, where Edie finally got to meet her friend Karen Sanders at last, after years of knowing her. We were a tad nervous about this photo shoot because world-famous interior designer and off-off Broadway star, Tom Berta, was going to be there assisting Karen (see Tom's review of us on our testimonials web page). It turned out to be fabulous and fun and we loved every second of it. And we discovered the nice side to Jersey (yes, it does have one!). What? A part of Jersey that we really like? Yes indeed. Despite the ridiculous toll roads, not being allowed to pump your own gas, the traffic and unsightly areas, New Jersey has a little place of quiet charm and grace in Clark. We stayed at the Crown Plaza there. You can't fault them on their ettiquette or efficiency there. We went on our usual hunt for traditional Irish cuisine and found Molly Maguire's. Normally we can work up a conversation with one of the wait staff and have something nice to write about them. All I can tell you is that after giving them two chances, we can only say that the food is fair and if you're there at the right time, you may get some free hor'sdoeuvres. What we did find was that in general, once you got past their reserved exterior, people there were inclined to be kind to strangers and helpful despite our odd southern accent. And we found a friend in Karen Sanders, a gifted and talented interior designer whose rooms we will photograph any time with great delight. Our last room of the day was in her house. As we passed through the quiet neighborhoods to get there, we realized that we were both captivated by this place. There is a certain thing you can feel in older neighborhoods...something intangible but nonetheless real. It's there in places where families have grown up for generations, where people stay in the home they love dearly, where all their family memories are. Karen treated us to a cozy dinner. She has a way of telling stories that had us nearly rolling on the floor laughing, which had a much-needed therapeutic effect on both of us. We finally managed to drag ourselves home to find three distinctly unhappy cats tapping their little claws on the newly refinished hardwoods, as if to say, "and just what is the meaning of leaving us lap-less for days on end??" So we had to have many rounds of petting and combing and listening to lots of fussing, and allowing ourselves to be climbed on like a tree before forgiveness was to be had. Thank goodness Edie's mom took it all in stride and didn't act anywhere nearly so bad about it. All we had to do to get back in her good graces was go to the store and restock her cupboards! However, the end result of all the hubbub was that our normally very reclusive little blue-blood, Tinker, came out for an interview and photo session. His fur still wouldn't lay flat and he really was miffed for days, but in true cat form, when we rolled out the black background for a product shoot, he couldn't resist.

So we were off again, this time to Kentucky to work with Kristen Pawlak and Jeanne Sallee. We have worked with Jeanne several times, but Kristen was new to us. We have always loved the trip through KY. It is beautiful and somehow the drive seems easy even though it really isn't, especially with all the I-40 detour stuff from the rock slide. Kristen was a pleasure to work with and as always, we loved working with Jeanne. We had the privilege to photograph a room in the old Governor's Mansion in Frankfort, KY. Historic details were abundant.

Next stop: Virginia and the Washington, DC, area for a visit with Lauren Riddiough and her mom, Linda, as well as a date with Kristy Falcone and Tamyra Spear in Virginina Beach. We had never worked with Kristy or Tamyra before, but it was our second photo shoot with Lauren. The first stop on Lauren's shoot ended up with five women including Edie, all of them putting their two cents worth in at the same time...and me behind the camera wondering what I had gotten myself into. I looked around and said, "Are there any more women in the house?" The homeowner shot right back at me saying., "No, but I have a neighbor if you want one more woman's opinion!" We had a truly lovely time with them, and as always the "fire and ice" mix of Linda Riddiough and myself was just plain fun. We felt right at home with Kristy Falcone and had one of those wonderfully exhaustive photo shoots where we pushed ourselves long and hard all day to get everything photographed that we wanted. It was worth it. Then it was on to Virginia Beach to meet Tamyra Spear. She felt like an old friend in less than 30 minutes and we had a fabulous day with her. It was just before Christmas and we stayed on the beach, which was entirely decorated with huge light displays and was just impressive to see. More about that leg of the trip in a moment...

On our day off, we decided to brave the cold and visit the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. Had to, after seeing the movie, Night at the Museum! We literally spent the better part of the day there. The Hope Diamond was an impressive sight, but not so easily photographed for several reasons...not the least of which was a guard who didn't want anyone getting right up on the glass. I did in fact hear the words, "Sir, step away from the diamond" right before I clicked. One particularly enticing exhibit for us was the butterfly arboretum. While you can get into the museum for free (good thing, because a light lunch was $40!), there was a fee to get into the arboretum. It was worth the price to get the photos that we came away with. I made a new buddy in there; one butterfly just seemed fascinated by me.

As most of you know, we're not well-to-do (all our money goes into photo equipment...imagine that!) and when we travel sometimes we need to stay in the most affordable place around, provided it isn't literally the bottom of the barrell as far as hotels go. I do have my limits. So we found an Econo-Lodge right on the beach when we got to Virginia Beach. We were completely surprised all the way around with this one. It was really quite nice, very clean, and had everything we needed. But it was the staff at this hotel that just blew me away. The young lady at the front desk was bright, articulate and witty. Check-in was a blast, I kid you not. We had been to Harpoon Larry's our first night there, and it was respectable as a sort of college crowd hang-out with good food. They have a fireplace in the corner of the restaurant area which is sectioned off from the bar, so we could hear ourselves talk. But the next night we wanted to celebrate my birthday somewhere a little more intimate and a little less noisy. So we asked for a recommendation at the front desk of the hotel. She gave us printed directions to a place called Tautogs that is something of a local secret. There IS no sign, the restaurant is in a 1920's beach house, and if you weren't directed to it you'd never find it. Well, you might if you were driving around with your window rolled down because it smells delicious right around that end of the block. From start to finish, that was probably the most enjoyable, delectible and totally rewarding dining experience we've had in a long, long time. Was it inexpensive? No, and it shouldn't have been either. We both ordered chef's specials and were rewarded with taste and texture sensations that were incredible. Have you ever had food so good that you just wanted to be left alone with your plate? No interruptions, no need to talk, just you and food that has taken over all your senses? Well, if you have, then you know what I was going through. We savored every moment. Whoever owns this place has service down to a fine art as well. We were never bothered by repeated inquiries as to our needs, but we were never left needing anything. And the wait staff was young, I'm telling you! They just constantly walked around and regardless of whose table they passed, if they saw something that needed attention, they just hopped right to it. As a consequence, we were constantly full-up on beverages and when Edie dropped a fork another appeared in seconds. My napkin was replaced as soon as it got a tad messy. They watched people, timing their inquiries so that you never felt interrupted. All that 5-star service in a casual and relaxed atmosphere. Totally cool.

While in Sterling, VA again, we stopped in at O'Faolain's Irish Pub since we had been there the previous year. In true Irish fashion, they were economical with their greetings but full of dry wit and smiles. It was refreshing to find that the same young man we had met there last year was still there and actually remembered us. The food was just as good as it was the last time, which tells me that somebody is very consistent there. And as always, we enjoyed chattting and trying to keep up with the banter being rattled out in a thick accent. Incidentally, we had originally thought we'd try something new and go to Sweetwater Tavern across the road. We were there about 30 minutes with an appetizer before we opted out. Service was entirely too slack and what little we ate was nothing special.

On to New York to work with our new friends, Yelena Gertz in Staten Island, and Sharon Hibbard in Warwick. Edie said they were just absolute sweethearts (I might have thought that, but I let her say it). After we got to Warwick, Edie went out exploring on her own a little and discovered the Warwick Cemetery. She has always enjoyed wandering around old cemeteries reading the tombstones. It seems a bit creepy on the one hand, but it's also a very interesting and sometimes historically informative venture. It does give one insight into the past and the way things used to be. These days, you don't see the massive statuary like you see in the old, old cemeteries. She returned with photographs, the giggles and a mildly unhinged look. I certainly didn't understand the giggles until she explained and showed me the photo of this big massive thing with the family name DeKay on it (DeKay...decay...cemetery). I guess I should apologize to anyone who is a member of the DeKay family in Warwick, NY. There is nothing funny about the passing of your ancestor. However, being alone in a strange place on a dismal, foggy and downright spooky day...in a cemetery where half of the tombstones were taller than she was and something horrid could have jumped out from behind any one of them and snatched her away from this earth forever (ok, she has an incredibly vivid and overactive imagination)...and coming across that tomb just caught her offguard and, well...I do apologize.

Regarding Warwick, NY, tucked away in the mountains is this delightful little town. There are an abundance of charming and gracious old homes turned in to bed and breakfast inns. However, being on a tight budget, we discoverd the Warwick Motel. Now here is a little
hidden gem. No, it didn't have all the charm of the local B&Bs. It didn't sport a glamorous facade. It was simple, clean, less expensive than any other place around, easy to find and independently owned and operated. What that means in this particular case is that the owner, Harry, genuinely cares that you have a great stay. It was nice to have someone really want to make sure everything was ok. And yes, Harry, it was more than ok. It was just what we needed. As usual we feretted out the nearest traditional Irish food, downtown at a place called Blarney Station. Cozy, quaint atmosphere and some really good, traditional Irish fare. The Shepherd's Pie was hearty and very tasty.

Edie had one last day of Dream Room shoots in Charlotte, NC, with Patrice Hawkins and Cathy Workman. All I can say is that she did some of her best work ever that day. Thanks ladies, for your faith in her!

Thanks to the gracious and caring people with the Lutheran Hospice organization in Greer, SC, we were able to get Edie's dad home from the hospital and had some really good, quality time with him before he passed away. She took photos for him of things he especially liked, such as fall leaves and flowers. Here are a couple of her photos from that special time with him.

2009-06-18T09:17:00.003-04:00

The Value of Advertising

The value of advertising steadily pays off big for one custom home builder. While it wasn't exactly easy, they kept up their portfolio and updated their web site, they entered competitions and won, and they didn't let the recession derail their marketing campaign. As a result, they have had steady work and are still going strong. We salute The Ken Berry Group for their foresight and thank them for allowing us to be their photographer.

We're so fortunate to have the kind of clients that make us look good. Whether it's residential inteirors, commercial interiors, kitchens and baths, or products, when you have clients who take pride in their work it makes your job as a photographer much more enjoyable!

2009-06-18T09:13:00.005-04:00

Calling All Clients!

We're gearing up for our travel season. Anyone needing professional photography please call now to get scheduled. It doesn't matter where you are located. We're doing our Across the US Summer Tour! Visit us on the web at http://www.accent-photography.net/ and call us soon!

2009-06-18T08:58:00.004-04:00

Expect the Unexpected

During every photo shoot on location, there is the potential for something unexpected. Whether it's something to do with the weather (we once got a wild lightning image as it struck a home across the valley from where we were photographing), or the homeowner themselves (you can't imagine the things people leave laying around even though they know a photographer is coming), or people's pets. This is where we have the most fun sometimes, and our clients end up with a "bonus" image that gets taken quickly on the fly, then turns into an amazing piece of advertising material. This was just the case while on a photo shoot recently. The homeowners had a cat and a dog, both very well behaved and people-friendly, who were just itching to get in on the action. Honestly, I have never seen animals so eager to pose for a photo op! And these guys were just naturals at it. What a handsome pair they made! The ad just built itself after the photo was done. More of our residential interior photography can be seen on our recently updated web site at http://www.accent-photography.net/.

2009-06-16T07:36:00.003-04:00

15 Minutes of Fame

Today, we are sifting through thousands of images trying to decide what will be included in our web site update. Time seems to have flown by. It seems like only yesterday we were struggling with the fact that we had six truly good images to show our capabilities and that was not nearly enough to put into a portfolio and go knocking on doors. Now it's a matter of picking the best of the best and showcasing them. We have numerous print portfolios and multiple hard drives to store all the images on. But that's what happens when you have more than one photographer and more than one field of expertise, and many years under your belt doing what you love. I'm still amazed when I see what we have accomplished. I am certainly amazed when I see some of the images that I personally produced, flashing across the screen in a hi-tech slide show with tons of the "wow" factor going on and some snappy background music. It's like seeing something that belongs to someone else, not us. But it is us. It's who we have become. Yeah, we ARE that good. It still seems funny to me that my neighbor of over 20 years collects the magazines we have been published in. She says it's like knowing someone famous. Would someone please tell my bank account that, according to my neighbor, I'm famous? Check out the latest updates at www.accent-photography.net. It's a work in progress.

And the winners are...

2009-06-03T18:31:00.008-04:00

Greenville Photographer Gains National Recognition Third
Year in a Row

(GREENVILLE, SC)―Jeff Sanders and Edie Ellison of Accent Photography, located in Greenville, SC, were recognized at the 25th Annual International Dream Room Awards ceremony held in San Diego, CA, on May 22, 2009. There were close to 400 participating entries, with over 30 magazine editors from such magazines as Traditional Home, Good Housekeeping, and Better Homes & Gardens, judging the entries. Sanders images took first place in the Dining Room category, and those images were the winning entry that garnered a “Decorator of the Year 1st runner up” award for interior designer Linda Edwards of Forest, VA.
One image will be featured in a 2010 calendar, also. Other winning images were second place in the Kitchen category for Joyce Means of Lutz, FL, and third place in the Home Office category for Julie Meyers of Waverly, IA, third place in the Living Room category for Betty Sapp of Pinehurst, NC, first place in the Miscellaneous category for Lauren Riddiough of Sterling, VA, for a children’s art room, and second place in the Miscellaneous category for Kathie Golson of Orlando, FL for an outdoor/patio area. Additionally, Angela Palmer of Avon, IN, received the People Choice award for a family room photographed by Sanders. The art room for Ms. Riddiough will also be featured in a 2010 calendar. This is the third year that Sanders’ works have been entered into the competition and have helped interior designers gain top honors.

Jeff and his partner, Edie Ellison, are commercial photographers, specializing in both residential and commercial interior photography. Accent Photography is celebrating its third year as a Greenville business. In addition to interior photography, Accent Photography also provides photography for advertising, products, catalog, annual reports, the home furnishing industry, and has a small product ship-and-shoot program.

For more information on Accent Photography, contact Edie Ellison at
864-329-9302 or visit their web site at www.accent-photography.net.

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Accent Photography PO Box 5011 Greenville, SC 29606 864.329.9302 www.accent-photography.net

Link With Us on LinkedIn

2009-06-03T18:28:00.001-04:00

Connect with us on LinkedIn!

2008-11-15T18:55:00.006-05:00

Joys of the Job

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in work and worry that we forget to notice all the wonderful little things going on around us. But then something seemingly small and insignificant happens, you're there with the camera at just the right moment and not only do you have a cool photograph, but you also have one of those moments that reminds you to enjoy life. While on a photo shoot, we had the pleasure of meeting Abby the Cat. She followed me around everywhere and was infinitely fascinated by my camera, to the point that she ended up on my shoulder overseeing everything for a while. As we prepared to move on to another room, Abby checked out the floral prop and I had a second or two to catch her at it. Here is the photo of Abby and also the room we were photographing at the time.

2008-10-26T22:10:00.009-04:00

Views Magazine Fall Issue

The fall issue of Views Magazine hosted a six-page spread featuring the outdoor photography of Jeff Sanders. The magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine primarily for the communities of Western North Carolina. The images featured in the article were chosen from over twenty of Jeff's most popular fine art images of waterfalls, buildings, flowers and points of interest in western North Carolina. With well in excess of 10,000 fine art images, Sanders could easily start his own art gallery if not for the heavy demands on his time for his expertise in commercial photography. His fine art images can be viewed at www.waterscapesphotography.com. He sells signed limited editions prints of his work upon request. For an in-depth look at what keeps him otherwise occupied, visit his commercial web sites at www.accent-photography.net or www.greenvillescphotographer.net.

2008-10-01T19:14:00.000-04:00

Accent Photography Receives 2008 Best of Greenville Award
U.S. Local Business Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement
WASHINGTON D.C., August 19, 2008 -- Accent Photography has been selected for the 2008 Best of Greenville Award in the Photographers category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).
The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.
About U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA)
U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.
The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.
SOURCE: U.S. Local Business AssociationCONTACT:U.S. Local Business AssociationEmail: PublicRelations@USLBA.netURL: http://www.USLBA.net
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Accent Photography Gains National Recognition Second Year in a Row

2008-06-11T14:39:00.006-04:00

Jeff Sanders of Accent Photography, located in Greenville, SC, was recognized at the 24th Annual International Dream Room Awards ceremony held in Crystal City, VA, on May 16, 2008. There were close to 400 participating entries, with over 30 magazine editors from such magazines as Traditional Home, Good Housekeeping, and Better Homes & Gardens, judging the entries. His image took first place in the Bedroom category, and that image was the winning entry that garnered a “Decorator of the Year” award for interior designers Barbara Elliott and Jennifer Ward of Stone Mountain, GA. The image will be featured on the cover of a 2009 calendar, also. Other winning images were second place in the Children’s Room category, first place in the Home Office category and second place in the Window Treatment category. Additionally, Sally Giar of Florida placed third in the Family Room category with three of Sanders’ images. The family room photographs will be used in a book being produced for 2009. Joyce Means, also from Florida, took third place in the Bathroom category and first place in the Outdoor Area category. Sanders bathroom image for Ms. Means will also be featured in the calendar. This is the second year that Sanders’ works have been entered into the competition and have helped interior designers gain top honors.

Advertising During A Recession

2008-05-14T14:11:00.005-04:00

There is historically a strong case for increased advertising during a recession. Mark Van Horn, who runs support groups for small business owners says, "What everyone cuts first is marketing, which is crazy. Look at your marketing to see where you actually get a return. But the last thing you want to do is eliminate the thing that will bring in new business." A classic example of this is Kellogg and C.W. Post during the Great Depression. Consumers didn't totally stop spending, and Kellogg knew that keeping its name in the forefront of everyone's mind would pay off. It did, and not just in the short term. When spending picked up again and Post resumed a normal marketing campaign, consumer loyalty remained with Kellogg. Another example, and one that pertains to what was then considered non-essential spending, was the case of Chevrolet and Ford during the same time period. During the 1920s, Fords were outselling Chevrolets by 10 to 1. Chevrolet expanded its advertising budget and by 1931 the "Chevy 6" took the lead and remained there for the next five years. Simply put, the companies with the most sales and growth were those which advertised heavily. This trend has proven true in every economic recession since. The short-sighted decision by many companies to implement advertising cutbacks left many customers feeling abandoned and associated the affected compannies with a lack of styaing power. Dropping out of sight, where your client base is concerned, is not a good idea, particularly if your competition is doing just the opposite. One company that seemed to prove this point is Stanley Works. In 1974, one of the world's largest manufactureres of hand tools decided to launch a huge advertising campaign to combat softening demand for its consumer products. It worked. While the heavy industrial tool division fell somewhat, its consumer business took up the slack, increasing sales and preventing future decline. Stanley's hand tool business had a continued 8% growth rate, twice that of its competition who chose to dramatically decrease advertising spending. Some companies rely on price incentives to boost lackluster sales. Avi Dan of Ad Age points out that this is dangerous because it devalues the company name and it is hard to break away from that later and increase prices. CEO Drew Reisser of the marketing consulting group Renegade suggests focusing on advertising with clear and proven returns on investment such as Internet and promotional advertising. Just remember this. During difficult economic times, you need to build equity and solidify your client base, gain new customers and make inroads on your competition who may be trying to save money by cutting their advertising budget which will render them almost invisible at a time when your company name will be popping up everywhere. In the photography industry, we have seen recent trends toward more full-page magazine advertising by such groups as the custom kitchen and bath companies. At a time when consumer spending is more selective, several business owners in this category have chosen to increase awareness and put forth an image that definitely shows their business as one that is strong and growing. Another example is that of custom home builders, and this is one area that has been suffering substantially because of the downward trends in the real estate market. However, several savvy builders have watched their competition dwindle down their ad budget and they have chosen to do just the opposite. In speaking with one of our clients recently, we were told that this has given them just the boost they needed and presently they are suffering no lack of business. Another area that is typically hard hit during an economic crunch is the interior design industry. Consumers are being more careful how they spend and tending to spend less on what many consider to be luxury expenditures. But on the positive side, those interior designers who have good web sites with exellent photography of their work seem to be faring much better than their counterparts who do not. They have a target group of consumers they are trying to reach and stay in front of. Said one of our clients, "When the purse strings open, I want to be the only one they think of and the only way that is going to happen is for me to show them that I haven't gone anywhere...I'm still here and still going strong. If they perceive me to be unaffected by the economy, then they assume that I simply must be the best in my field." One of our clients is a company with no store front, who sells consumer products strictly on the Internet. Their philosophy is that better photography does indeed equal more sales. They went from very poor product photos to images that pop off the page and show the product quality very distinctly. It caused a dramatic 300% jump in sales that has held steady ever since. "It gave our business a much more trustworthy image that we desperately needed. When you sell online, you have to look like you're a business and not someone selling junk out of his garage. Trust is the key to sucess there, and having really good product images makes us look like the kind of company that will stand behind what they sell." As the economy struggles, companies who want to not only survive but gain ground will have to look for more ways to capture attention, and photography plays a huge role in that.